2020 saw the release of Pontianak, the debut album of Lài. One year later (this review is very late, don’t worry, I am fully aware it’s two years later already) Santau, the debut album by Jalang is released. But is it a debut album if Lài simply changed its name to Jalang? Considering it is the first album under this new moniker I'll just consider it as such. The promo tells me the band aims to reclaim the word Jalang. This word means wild, feral and undomesticated when used masculine, while the femine meaning is slut or whore. Seeing the very wild and feral nature of this album, I’d say it is a good step to reclaim the word.
Jalang plays d-beat punk. Personally I was hoping for a more melodic crust/d-beat approach (think Tragedy) as that is more up my alley, but I have to admit that this album grew on me after multiple spins. After a very short intro the band hits the gas pedal and does not let go of it until the end of the record. There’s not much I can say about d-beat that you haven’t heard before. There is no subtlety anywhere on the album. Once Jalang starts it drives over you in the highest gear and they don’t seem to know any other. I am not complaining, this is what I expect from d-beat.
The lyrics are as subtle as the music, meaning not at all. That is to be expected and I really appreciate the straight forwardness of these lyrics. They are very political and feminist. Vocalist Alda spews her discontent about colonialism, both in Indonesia as in Australia. There’s very strong anti-nazi vibe going on in a couple of songs too. This is a vibe I can tap into. Part of the lyrics are in Bahasa Indonesian, so I can’t talk to you about those, but I would be surprised to find out they are dealing with completely different subjects.
The production is leaps ahead of what I expect from d-beat. It is crisp and clear without loosing its powerful edge anywhere. I would even say that the production adds an extra layer of aggression to this record. I appreciate being able to hear the bass clearly and am a bit of a fan of the vocals here. The lyrics are pissed of, and the delivery matches that vibe. It sounds as Alda is ready to rip your head of with her bare hands.
Most pure d-beat I listen to I like for one or two spins and then it wears on me. Jalang, strangely, only got better with more spins. Give this a try. And if you like it, look back at their older stuff as well, when they operated as Lài.
