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CD
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GM 203CD
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AKA's 1970 debut album Do What You Like (GM 201CD) combines earthy, heavily buzzing, and fuzzed-out rock monuments in the vein of classic UK and US bands with a few tunes in the Continental European heavy rock style, with big chorus lines and a bit of a pop thrown in for good measure, plus great melodic ballads and pop tunes in their native Indonesian language. The Indonesian band carried their trademark sound through whole recording career, including Reflection, their fifth album, originally released in 1974 and reissued here for the first time. Different melodies and titles but the same wild crossover of styles, with a change between each and every song. Lush epic ballads, powerful heavy rock, a great beat tune with a flowery feel that drags you straight to the dancehall, and another epic and utterly heavy blues rock and psych freak-out. At the time of its original release, most of the tunes would have seemed retro in the west -- except for the heavy rockers -- but everything here comes well-performed and executed with passion, and the stuff that diverges from the more accessible pop sound will definitely swallow your brain into a gorge of swirling colors. Fans of '60s US west coast dream pop who can stand heavier tunes and devoted music-lovers who go for the classic '60s and early '70s sound will go nuts!
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CD
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GM 208CD
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On the third album by AKA, the leading Indonesian rock band of the '70s, there was a slight change concerning the overall direction. With three exceptions -- the powerful funk-rock of the opening title-track, the dirty garage beat of the B-side opener "Skip Away," and the energetic up-tempo soul-pop of "Raja Jalan" -- the band turns to soft rock and Indo-pop ballads on this LP. And guess what -- these folks really knew how to pull it off, even with lush pop harmonies that often touch the borders of the tear-jerker field. Crazy Joe, originally released in 1972 and reissued here for the first time, is a rather courageous album, with those three rawer and more energetic tunes alongside the gentle plush of the pop tunes. All those who dare to listen between the notes will find a massive load of delicate arrangements and rather striking melodies. This is rather solemn Indo-pop but it is well composed and well executed by musicians who know how to bring the passion even in such dreamy clouds of sound. The depth of the arrangements has to be explored to show its entirety and the playing is just excellent. These melodies project pictures of greatest emotions into the listener's mind, on a journey into a beautiful romantic love story. Well, if you're in for some feel-good pop rock music that still goes beyond the typical trash, grab a copy of this but beware; most titles are sung in the band's native tongue and have this exotic touch despite all catchiness. For fans of exotic pop like Baris Manco, late '60s to mid '70s soft rock like The Hollies, and East German emotional pop rock like Karat and the Puhdys. Not exciting, just utterly beautiful.
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CD
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GM 201CD
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Reissued for the first time. AKA might have been one of the top acts of the Indonesian rock scene in the late '60s and early '70s. It does not necessarily mean that any international audience for heavy rock and psychedelic sounds would have noticed that back then, but we change that now. Do What You Like is a colorful album with a diversity of moods. Of course you find hard-driving, wild, grooving rock with simmering guitars and pumping rhythms. Go to the next song and some gentle, nearly ethereal dreamy psych-pop will alter your mind. Another step ahead on the tracklist and some easy and melodic '60s beat makes you want to dance the night away. The special factor of this album is the musical flavor of Indonesian pop that all of the songs sung in their native tongue show, while the few English tracks can compete against all of the popular hits from those days from American or European acts. AKA know how to heat you up with their psychedelic sound explosions and eruptive beats. They also know how to calm you down again and lay your soul to rest in a flow of gentle harmonies. Fans of '60s power pop with a regional feel presented by bands such as Omega from Hungary and of the '60s U.S. West Coast psych and pop scene will go crazy about this record.
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STRAW 001CD
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"First anthology from Indonesia's heaviest psychedelic and progressive funk rock group. CD housed in 'old school' gatefold sleeve with insert. AKA featured on Now Again's Those Shocking Shaking Days compilation (2011). Originating from Indonesia's second largest city, Surabaya, East Java, AKA is an acronym of Apotik Kali Asin. Starting off their careers as an infamous local band with notorious crowd pleasing antics, AKA regularly went through repertoires of Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Cream and Three Dog Night before finding a significant audience outside their home city. It was soon after that the band signed with a Jakarta based label, Indra Records that they started producing a steady release of albums, including 11 studio LPs and a couple of compilations. The lead singer Ucok Harahap - who famously idolizes James Brown- is perhaps the most notorious rock performer in Indonesia's pop history, infamous for brandishing (amongst others) coffins, whips and stripping naked on stage during performances. Sadly due to recording English based, heavy psychedelic/progressive funk, AKA's music failed to gain popularity at the time of its release. Today, AKA is recognized as one of Indonesia's top rock bands of all time, and for good reason. With this release, we are proud to offer an Anthology encompassing AKA's heaviest & funkiest moments."
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