On the Record: Getting Curiouser

Sun, 03/02/2008 11:45 AM  |  Entertainment

ADPARA>Artist: Santamonica
Album: Curiouser and Curiouser
Label: Sinjitos Records
Rating: ***1/2 out of *****
Standout Tracks: Wanderlust, Ribbons and Tie, Fail To Bloom

Listening to Santamonica's debut album, Curiouser and Curiouser, which incorporates a range of musical elements, is like experiencing Astrud Gilberto, French band Stereolab and Japan's Pizzicato Five play together live.

First-time listeners will find it easy to forget that Santamonica is a local band from Jakarta, formed only a few years ago. In terms of sound, Santamonica has recorded a brilliant album; combining electropop, indiepop, jazz, bossanova, shoegaze and other musical genres.

The first song from the album to be released as a single, Wanderlust, is a beautiful song in which Anindita brings listeners into her world, coalescing music and thought with her soothing voice and abstract lyrics. Ribbons and Tie, the most catchy tune on the album, is a sing-along love song.

The opening track, Curiouser and Curiouser, lives up to its name, instilling intrigue, demanding listeners surrender to its sound. The closing track, Fail To Bloom, ends the collection perfectly with a My-Bloody-Valentine-inspired shoegazeing rhythm.

However, I would have given this album four out of five stars had it included a few of their B-sides, such as Dew and Anais Lullaby, instead of releasing them separately in a limited edition double-CD package, which is no longer available.

Those who managed to buy the band's limited edition version, available only on pre-order, I envy you.

--Aditya Suharmoko

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