Kimbra

This native New Zealander may be more familiar to the masses as the girl in the hit single: ’Somebody That I Used To Know’, but beyond that, Kimbra creates music that is a vivid arc of youthful exuberance and mature introspection, conveying an array of insights through her pop-funk beats.

Fun Fact: Wanting to run away from all the post-Grammy’s praise and criticism, Kimbra escaped to a sheep farm to write her latest release, The Golden Echo. In her words “The sheep don’t give a crap who you are. You spend time with them and there’s this beautiful kind of harmony of how everything works in that environment. It was a really great space to create.”

Local Natives

These Los Angeles-based group have come a long way from their days at the Gorilla Manor. Their newest album, Hummingbird’s solemn darkness is a far cry from the “battle-cry urgency” of Gorilla Manor‘s Sun Hands, perhaps acting as a window towards the changes they have gone through in the last few years following the departure of bassist Andy Hamm and the recent death of Kelcey Ayer’s mother.

Keeping their uniquely collaborative process intact, this band has matured from the comfort space of their established aesthetic and came out even stronger.

Fun Fact: Before each show, the boys of Local Natives psych themselves up before each show by listening to a specific song together. Every tour has a different theme song, from Prince to David Bowie, the list is as endless as it is random!

Jagwar Ma

Jono Ma and Gabriel Winterfield first met onstage at an FLRL stage performance of revolving musicians. With a mutual love of studio jams, home recordings, radio frequency manipulation, TR808 patterns, MPCs loops, vintage amps, and 7 inch vinyls — these two have found a soul amidst all that electricity. Creating music that slices human harmonies sliced apart by a dagger of sharp contemporary programming.

Fun Fact: They both come from mixed raced backgrounds! Gabriel’s dad is Persian and Jono’s dad is Chinese.

The Lemonheads

After their initial punk-influenced releases as an independent”college rock” band in the late 1980s, the Lemonheads’ popularity with a mass audience grew in 1992 with the major label album It’s a Shame about Ray,

Now, they’re back after an 8 year hiatus, with new releases that jumps from early British psychedelic to Dutch electronica, leaving you not know what is coming next but always wanting more.

Fun Fact: The Lemonheads line up has always been volatile, having more than a dozen different configurations over the last 28 years, with Evan Dando being the only constant.

Najwa

Malaysian born Najwa is back after a three year hiatus, playing with somber and minimalistic echoes over warm piano accompaniments. Thus the Aurora EP,stripping her sound down to it’s electronic core and revealing the deepest shadows of her soul.

Fun Fact: Najwa is the daughter of Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin

Kyoto Protocol

This five-piece outfit kick-started a renaissance of Rock & Roll in Malaysia. Since their humble beginnings playing covers in local bars in 2009, Kyoto Protocol have now played all around the world; even holding their own alongside Grammy nominees and YouTube record-breakers in Future Music Festival Asia 2013.

Fun Fact: Kyoto Protocol recently learnt some dance moves from all-girl Japanese pop-punk band Shonen Knife when they met on tour in India.

Enterprise

Enterprise made their first public appearance in 2011 after their rehearsal session on Youtube gained attention from promoters and organizers. Since then, they have played in music festivals, parties and shows all around Malaysia.

They made their Urbanscapes debut in 2012 and will take flight once again this year as we enter the Enterprise.

Fun Fact: Their name is inspired by the USS Enterprise, which Trekkies will recognise as the main setting for various television series and films in the Star Trek franchise.

OJ Law

OJ Law’s catchy melodies and arrangements have won him much critical acclaim and an ever-increasing fan base falling for the charms of his music. Urbanscapes will be the live debut of his latest album, ‘Let’s Be Adult’. Influenced by 70s pop and contemporary synth-pop, ‘Let’s Be Adult’ is an autobiographical album containing OJ Law’s most personal songs to date.

Fun Fact: OJ Law singlehandedly writes, records, and produces all his albums, with 3 albums to date.

June Marieezy

Hailing from the Philippines, June will be making her Kuala Lumpur debut this Urbanscapes. Where she will deliver her melodies, smooth voice, and lyrical heart songs through a performance that channels part performance arts, part visuals and a whole lot of interesting sound manipulations.

Fun Fact: June likens playing the flute to having a dialogue with the wind. An apt performance to look forward to considering she’ll play at a venue in the clouds.

Cashew Chemists

Heavily influenced by pop-rock music of the 60’s and 70’s, this Singaporean four-piece-bandwill enchant you with their dreamy harmonies and classic bluesy bass on top of a twiddling surf guitar.

Fun Fact: In the words of Daniel Sassoon, “Cashew Chemists kinda sounds like what the Strokes might have sounded like if they traded their New York hipster club-prowling swagger for a Singapore kopitiam seat-hunting gait…some serious potential lurking in there!”

The Cotton Field Scarecrows

The Cotton Field Scarecrowes is a Malaysian indie-folk band who blends the earthy tone of early American folk with modern-day retro styled music. Their debut album ‘Dancing Hymns And Broken Rhymes’ which was released late last year embraces what they call “The Bleak Folk Hymnody”.

Fun Fact: Tracks on their debut albumwas mostly recorded live, with the finishing blanketed with long play textures. This is to give listeners the vinyl experience anytime, anywhere.

Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu

Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu is a new band spearheaded by Malaysian underground folk icon Azmyl Yunor and beat guru Raje, the band leader of Orkes Padu. Experience a toe-tapping technicolor embodiment of the plaintive yet heartfelt heartland storytelling from one of Malaysia’s best at Urbanscapes. Modern folk rock to celebrate the Malaysian spirit!

Fun Fact: Orkes Padu means solid orchestra in the Malay language.

Ali Aiman

This Malaysian-born multi-instrumentalist has been strutting his stuff since 2006. With a mastery of the piano and trumpet that has earned him industry-wide recognition. After six years of living abroad, Urbanscapes will be Ali Aiman’s attempt to re-enter the local music scene with his new and improved refinement.

Fun Fact: Ali Aiman graduated from the Berklee College of Music with 1st Class Honours in Contemporary Writing and Production!

Faiq & The Manja Mob

Faiq & The Manja Mob may not have any original material (yet), but get ready to be seduced by muscles, magic, multiple languages, and strange musical choices. Lead singer, Amanda’s gentle voice is reminiscent of old-school crooner, Doris Day. If Doris Day was Malaysian and cursed more, that is.

Fun Fact: The day jobs of the band range from physiotherapist,copywriter, to even a financier.

Paperplane Pursuit

This electro-pop band self-produced a single called ‘Beat Of Your Love’, a collaboration with fellow Malaysian musician and DJ, Darren Ashley portraying their fierce independence and DIY capabilities in the production of their music and their videos. Since then, Paperplane Pursuit has released their second album titled ‘Higher’ along with a follow up single ‘Feel Good’.

Fun Fact: The music video for ‘Feel Good’was self-produced with the help of some of the most recognisable faces in the Malaysian entertainment scene.

Jumero

Making their first debut at Urbanscapes back in 2012 after winning The Star R.AGE open-mic competition, these laid-back acoustic trio hassince then, written their first EP which will be releasing at the end of 2014.

Fun Fact: Apart from their passion of writing and releasing original songs, the trio also enjoy covering current as well as older classic songs whilst adding their personal touch to it.

Dirgahayu

Dirgahayu first emerged in July 2013 as a 3­-piece instrumental math­rock outfit. The band hit the scene with a single release Bahawasa­nya: 4 minutes of organised chaos, robust guitar attacks, and exuberant drum beats punctuated by intense abrupt transitions.With the recent addition of Seikan Sawaki on drums and Zulhezan back on guitar duty, expect their sound dynamics to turn more progressive, odd-signature compositions greeted with dense guitar riffs and a new foray of sound.

Fun Fact: Dirgahayu comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “Long live my Lord” and was supposed to be used only for the king, as the phrase “Dirgahayu Tuanku” is often used to hail the royal highnesses in Malaysia.

Urbanscapes 2014 – Playlist :

(Adeline Hong)

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.

1. The Strypes

The Ireland-based band consist of Ross Farrelly (lead vocals/harmonica), Josh McClorey (lead guitar/vocals), Pete O’Hanlon (bass guitar/harmonica) and Evan Walsh (drums). After a year they formed the band, their career started emerging in April 2012 when they released their first EP, “Young, Gifted & Blue” (contains of blues cover work like Bo Didley’s “You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover”), and the EP went to number 1 in theiTunes Blues Chart just a day after it’s released. On March 28th 2013, the band released their debut single “ Blue Collar Jane “. So far, the responses to their debut has been radically positive. Dave Grohl, Sir Elton John and Miles Kane are some of the big names who have turned into the Strypes’ listener. Seriously, do you think you have any reason to make you don’t like this band? N to the O.

2. Swim Deep

Swim Deep are an indie-rock band from Birmingham who were formed in 2011. The Birmingham boys are Austin Williams, Tom ‘Higgy’ Higgins, Zachary Robinson and Cavan McCarthy. In 2012, Swim Deep signed with Chess Club and released their debut single, ‘King City’. And in the end of 2012, the band went to Brussels to work with Charlie Hugall for their debut album, ‘Where the Heaven Are We’. Charlie Hugall is a British producer who has worked with Florence Welch, the Maccabees, Kaiser Chiefs, and many more. Swim Deep step in the year as the ones to watch, NME also put them on their ‘Best New Bands in 2013’ list. Just like how they describe the music, Swim Deep are more ‘Roll’ than ‘Rock’

3. HAIM

Americans must be obsessing over their pop culture, but this band, Haim (rhymes as “time”), lead into the music revolution in 2013. Haim consist of three sisters, Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim. The band have released two EPs, Forever and iTunes Festival : London 2012, three singles, Forever, Dont Save Me, and Failing, and one incredible debut album Days Are Gone. The band put some hip/hop, RnB, pop, and even folk (it’s pretty much seen as the girls are a huge fan of the Strokes and Danielle is a fan of Usher). Eventhough the iconic singer, Mick Jagger, said “Haim? Never heard of them” the sisters will be pretty much known soon since they were one of the lineups for SXSW. So far, they have accomplished in being nominated fopr MTV’s Brand New For 2013 and topped the BBC Sound Of 2013 (which they defeated great bands like Savages).

4. Palma Violets

If someone asked you a question about what bands that you should look out in 2013, the answer must be Palma Violets. Palma Violets, the band who graced to be on the front cover of “NME” has stolen the spot as one of the most exciting names in the industry. Palma Violets consist of bassist/vocalist Chilli Jesson, guitarist/vocalist Sam Fryer, keyboardist Peter Mayhew and drummer Will Doyle. “Best Of Friends” which is the band’s first ever single, get to be voted by NME as song of the year of 2012. Zane Lowe also listed the band’s track on his “Hottest Record in The World”. Palma Violets’ debut album “180” which also worked by Pulp’s Steve Mackey. And it peaked at number 11 on UK’s music chart.

5. Jagwar Ma

Hailing from down under, Jagwar Ma, got to be listed as NME’s Most Lookout Names in 2013. The duo who consist of Jono Ma and Gabriel Winterfield are bringing back brings the baggy music to the 2000s era. According to their Facebook page, Jagwar Ma got their influences in making music by Aphex Twin, Phil Spector,and Martin Hannett. In the early 2013, the duo were chosen to be one of the line-up for Big Day Out 2013’s side show. The duo are now with the label Future Classic ( which also has worked with Tensnake, Classix, Flight Facilities, and many more). Jagwar Ma’s debut album, Howlin, has given a prove that Sydney is a gold mine for a good music.

6. Peace

A quartet from Birmingham, Peace, came to the rescue a guitar-driven music in the UK! The band consists of brothers Harry (vocals, guitar) and Samuel Koisser (bass), Douglas Castle (guitar) and Dominic Boyce (drums). The band also made their debut performance for Glastonbury 2013. Their debut album, In Love, was produced by Jim Abbiss, the producer of Arctic Monkeys’s “Whatever People Say I Am….” And contained re-recorded version of 3 of their hits such as “Wraith”, “California Daze”, and of course, “Follow Baby”. Guardian and NME have listed them as “band to watch” and “purveyor of 2012’s catchiest song”. BBC have listed them in the “Sound of 2013” list.

7. Chvrches

The scottish electro-pop trio which were formed in 2011 consists of Lauren Mayberry (lead vocals, additional synthesizers and samplers), Iain Cook (synthesizers, guitar, bass, vocals), and Martin Doherty (synthesizers, samplers,vocals). The appearance of Chvrces surely is a fresh air of Glasgow’s music scene, and they set a high bar for some kick-ass accomplishments. The album The Bones of What You Believe contains of experimental sounds that will float you to the spaces. Stormed out from Glasgow music club to a bona-fide music festival, Chvrches are seriously in the game. The hype recognition which is reached in a quite short term doesn’t give a reason to the band as one of the one-hit wonders. It’s clear that Lauren, Iain, and Martin are ready to blast with another infectious tunes of Chvrches.

8. Lorde

This young girl named Lorde has a special something going on. At the age of sixteen she has bombed the music chart and make her way to the top. The New Zealander kitty has been talked about by well-known musicians for her abbility in writing songs. Her debut album, Pure Heroine, made herself a truly heroine. The album has a major variation of music, from darkwave to synth pop. To validate that she’s been making some real deal, her name is ready to battle with the other musicians as she gets nominated in Grammy Awards 2014. Yes, you heard that, the kitty is ready to roar her music. Louder.

9. MS MR

The New Yorker MS MR ( (Lizzie Plapinger and Max Hershenow) has made their own path for their music. The chillwave/glitch-pop/gloom rock tunes from MS MR will be easily received by Florence + The Machine’s fan or Lana Del Rey’s. The duo have released their E.P titled “Candy Bar Creep Show” on September 14 2012. And it was released via Tumblr. The ep consists of four tracks, they are “Bones”, “Hurricane”, “Dark Doo Woop”, and “Ash Tree Lane”. Their debut single “Hurricane” get good critics from the reviewers and complimented that the song has the enchanting vintage sound. The duo’s debut album, Secondhand Rapture, climbed to number for Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart.

10. Parquet Courts

From the Big Apple comes a big talent, Parquet Courts. The band consist of Andrew Savage (guitar, vocals),Austin Brown (guitar,vocals), Max Savage (drums) and Sean Yeaton (bass). Parquet Courts originally released a full lenght album, Light Up Gold, in 2012. However, they re-released the album in 2013 with a larger label. It’s pretty clear that Parquet Courts represent the underdog culture, by seeing the band’s statement and their roots, they want to show the world the unseen space, the ugliness and the awkwardness that the world has avoided. Maybe Parquet Courts sound very typical for their very underground statement, but as we see deeper, this band is genuine.

The dynamic duo brings back the baggy music to the 2000s era. If Baggy doesn’t ring you a bell, we’re going to explain it. Baggy  was a dance-oriented music which was such a happening music in british in the late 1980s – early 1990s. Baggy was pretty much on the same way as the madchester’s band. And Yes, The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays can be considered in having baggy influences. Enough with the music history lesson and now Back to Jagwar Ma! Jagwar Ma attract the praises from the press after releasing another song “The Throw”. The press applauds the dup for their skillful way in mixing the music, the madchester scene got intertwined with a psychedelic glazed and more groovy tunes.

According to their Facebook page, Jagwar Ma got their influences in making music by Aphex Twin, Phil Spector, and Martin Hannett. In the early 2013, the duo were chosen to be one of the line-up for Big Day Out 2013’s side show. The duo are now with the label Future Classic ( which also has worked with Tensnake, Classix, Flight Facilities, and many more).

Jagwar Ma are just another prove of how great Sydney’s music scene in building their amazing new music. And eventhough we are still confused why they put their location into “Antartica” as they also said that they are living in Sydney plus having great moments in Berlin and Tours. Those places don’t even have a connection with Antartica, well, You shouldn’t even care to stuffs on Face Book (And why are we discussing it anyway). We just can’t wait to see how Jagwar Ma wrap up their debut album and demolish their greatness, mate!