Urbanscapes, Malaysia’s month-long creative arts festival, have added Kimbra and Jagwar Ma to the line-up for the festival’s finale on Dec 6 at the Horse Ranch, Resorts World Genting.  In addition to a wide-range of visual and experiential art offering, Urbanscapes’ festival finale features a diverse music line-up that caters to all aural palates by moving beyond the indie music genre. Urbanscapes will kick-off its twelfth year with month-long activities that include satellite shows, a host of pop-up parties and pocket events throughout the month of November.

Grammy Award winner Kimbra (“Settle Down”, “Cameo Lover”), the New Zealand-born mononymous art-pop songwriter will make her way from Melbourne to Genting Horse Ranch for a performance that draws inspiration from a wide musical spectrum. Her latest album The Golden Echo is a vivid, vivacious, and ambitious arc of pop and funk that conveys an array of questions and insights. It’s at once a dancing record and thinking record, inspired by such diverse musical touchstones as Prince, ’70s R&B, ’90s pop (the first single is affectionately titled “90s Music”), and The Mars Volta, but heralding the full arrival of a distinctive artist. Kimbra became a global presence via her ear-turning role on Gotye’s international No. 1 hit “Somebody That I Used to Know,” which earned her and Gotye honors for “Record of the Year” and “Best Pop Duo/Group” at the 2013 Grammy Awards.

An army of music gatekeepers in the likes of NME and Pitchfork all believe the Sydney-based psychedelic/dance band Jagwar Ma (“The Throw”, “Uncertainty”) deserve acclaim — and there’s no questioning why. Known for their signature juxtaposition of voice and electronics, Jagwar Ma started as a musical project born out of studio jams and home recordings, radio frequency manipulation, TR808 patterns, MPCs loops, vintage amps and a treasured 7-inch collection. This serendipitous string of events and obsession have given the band  a sound much like J-Dilla playing Primal Scream covering the Beatles.
 Expect an electrifying set with soul this Urbanscapes.

Staying true to its brand as a full-spec creative arts festival, Urbanscapes will play host to a myriad of unconventional festival activities that invites guests to explore, experience the festival with all senses. Urbanscapes is turning that assumption that stables are just for horses. A wander through the festival grounds will take the crowd to ‘The Democratic People’s Republic of North Bangsar’, a mock parody country with a back story that is laugh-out-loud hilarious — and perhaps, plausible. Produced by Terry & The Cuz and Kuah Jenhan, North Bangsar offers an experience much like walking onto a film set. Festival goers get to meet its mayor — Jenhan — and explore the town, get a ‘prescription’ from a Chinese Medicine Hall and participate in the ‘local’ activity of choice — real serious bolster fight skirmishes.

Urbanscapes has always been a platform for emerging artists to showcase their talent. Organisers will invite muralists like Oak & Bindi, Ian Mutch, Jojo Yusof and TRUSK to showcase their work on upcycled canvases put together by Arthur Lamon.

The Generalists return with a collaboration befitting the landscape of Urbanscapes’ new-found home, this time with teepees to present their Market of Experiences. Walk through this market and expect to be surprised; uncap little stories that tumble out of a dispenser reminiscent of a typical Malaysian childhood. Let go anxieties by doing what our mothers told us not to — smash glassware just for fun. And if fate truly lies in the stars, ask a Singapore Poetry Slam Winner to improvise a tarot card-inspired poem.

Relive childhood play and help water move through the channels, and explore the sounds, shapes and power of water with The Biji-Biji Initiative’s interactive water tower. This tower will also light up in the night — turning it also into an art installation.

As previously announced, on Dec 6, festival-goers can look forward to soak in the anthemic sounds of the Los Angeles-based indie rock band Local Natives (“Gorilla Manor”, “Heavy Feet”) that Pitchfork described as a “sort of West Coast ‘Grizzly Bear’ [the band]”. Playing alongside them will be the legendary American college rock outfit The Lemonheads (“It’s a Shame About Ray”) whose cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs Robinson” paved a way to a breakthrough in their salad days.

Scottish synthpop band Chvrches (“Recover”, “Lies”), will perform at 7 pm, Nov 19 at KL Live. The trio, whose track “The Mother We Share” was featured in the opening video for the 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Glasgow, Scotland this year. American comedy rock duo Tenacious D (“Tribute”, “Wonderboy“), featuring actors/musicians Jack Black and Kyle Gass will play Urbanscapes’ third Satellite Show on Dec 1 at KL Live. The Scottish post-rock band Mogwai (“Take Me Somewhere Nice”) often championed by the late John Peel of BBC Radio will take their brand of shoegazing, instrumental metal renditions to Urbanscapes’ Satellite Show this year on 7 pm, 30 Nov, also at KL Live.

Also completing the festival line-up are local and regional acts such as:

• OJ Law
• Ali Aiman
• Najwa
• June Marieezy
• Faiq and the Manja Mob
• Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu
• The Cotton Field Scarecrowes
• Cashew Chemists
• Paperplane Pursuit
• Jumero
• Dirgahayu

Highlighting a myriad of Malaysia’s homegrown entrepreneurs and artisans, expect offerings from:

• Ash Be Nimble
• Mosaic Bijoux
• Power of Word
• Psychedelic Store
• Nyo
• Trendy Bellaz
• I’ll Studio
• Third Culture
• URBN8
• CanvasPick
• Prototype gallery
• Huggaz
• Homu store
• Robe Du Jour
• Wild Baby
• Sun Off A Beach
• and more…

Ticketing Information

Buy your Urbanscapes tickets online at www.ticketpro.com.my. Tickets can also be bought at physical outlets throughout the country. For full list of outlets, look them up at www.ticketpro.com.my/jnp/ticket-outlets/index.html. Ticketing information for additional satellite shows will be announced when appropriate.