Jangle pop band whisperdesire returns with a self-title compilation album. (Photo courtesy of Nanaba Records)
Formed in 2004, during the initial boom of Jakarta’s independent music scene, the jangle pop band whisperdesire became one of those mid-ranking bands who gigged regularly, released solid records, but never truly capture the audience needed to sustain their course.
In 2010, the band broke up amicably, citing their dwindling passion towards collaborating as well as the increasing difficulty of balancing their personal lives with band engagements. Still, the band remained close following the split.
“This band was formed based on a friendship, and [this breakup] was decided on that same basis of friendship,” said guitar player Rabindra Wisatrya.
Though they have not exactly reunited, local tape label Nanaba Records is re-releasing two of the band’s most prominent releases on one cassette tape, providing a rare opportunity for those who might have missed out on the band’s music the first time around for a closer listen. This album is being billed as simply “whisperdesire” with no particular album title or information regarding its anthological nature.
The self-titled release compiles whisperdesire’s 2005 EP “Berakhir Awalan” (roughly translated as “The End of the Beginning”) and 2007 EP “Cerah Berawan” (“Sunny Cloudy”). Both were originally released on the band’s own Lottre Records. Surprisingly, the combination of the two mini albums results in a natural flow that makes “whisperdesire” work as a full length of its own. Even as the latter EP sees a rise in production quality, the songs retain the same balance of twinkling guitars, chiming melodies, wondering vocals and gleeful drum beats.
The first four songs on the album come from “Berakhir Awalan,” and immediately showcase the British Pop fascination of many local bands.
“Jalan Senja” (“Twilight Road”), a sparkly instrumental driven tune with light bells, shimmering keyboards, upbeat rhythms and echoing guitars, aims for a floating quality that takes plenty from 80s British bands such as The Smiths, The Servants, as well as the influential C86 compilation by NME magazine.
“Berakhir Awalan” the song, retains that same spirit but gets closer to Indonesian pop, not only with its upfront vocals but also with its straightforward melodies. The trebly guitars of Berakhir continues on to the pensive “Di Atas Batas (Antara Pedang dan Cahaya Terang),” or “Above Limits (Between the Sword and the Bright Lights),” which finds vocalist Freddy Aritonang intoning with a whispery tone a tale of longing and confusion.
The phased opening chording of “Never in Love With Luna” again builds itself on an 80s drum beat and dueling echoed guitars.
The acoustic coziness of “Kembali” (“Return”) marks the beginning of the second EP and — save for a more-balanced sense of composition — continues the band’s fascination with dreamy rhythms and delaying guitar duets. What stand out in this section of the album are more polished drum sounds and measured arrangements that leave plenty of breathing room instead of piling instruments on top of each other constantly.
The songwriting remains on a similar level, with hovering vocal melodies and harmonies that are discernible but often delivered with a conscious dreaminess that too often crosses over into a kind of lethargic territory.
This second set of songs also eschews most of the reverbial nature of the earlier recordings for a more upfront sound. This does not necessarily work to the band’s benefit, as it pulls away that dreamy nuance, which not only gives the songs character — however borrowed it may be — but uncovers performances which may sound fine during live shows or rehearsal jams, but highlights the band’s lesser qualities.
Still, for what it is, the album is a significant footnote in Indonesia’s “indie pop” history, providing what can at least be described as a representation of the wealth of similar sounding bands during the late 1990s to mid 2000 era of local underground music.
The songs of “whisperdesire” may not stick around as long as the story, but that has more to do with the back story of how Indonesia’s indie pop scene first came to be and further evolved during an important, trend-shaping era.
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