Basajan Presents a Mystical Story through Instrumental Works, 1971

JAKARTA - The Bandung-based instrumental quartet that carries the Priangan psychedelic groove music, Basajan, is back to pounding the independent music scene with their latest release titled "1971".

Collaborating with the Bahasa Ibu Records record label, this number is not just an ordinary musical composition, but an auditory journey that is thick with mystical nuances wrapped in the magical atmosphere of Sundanese culture.

Narratively, "1971" tells the strange story of a village boy who is thrown into another dimension.

Basajan guitarist, Adhit, explained that this song was inspired by a surreal story fragment - about a young man from the district who came to a night market, and got into a haunted house ride.

"Then the man felt something mystical inside. When he came out of the haunted house, he was stuck in 1971 and could never go back," Adhit said in his statement, Friday, December 19.

In the creative process, Basajan uses daminatila - the Sunda karawitan scale ladder - to build tension in another world.

This experiment is further strengthened by the use of 3/4 birama which gives the sensation of swaying, as if the listener is walking on a thick fog.

The presence of a vocal insert in the form of a Sundanese proverb in the middle of the song adds a sacred and odd impression - creating a dramatic up-and-down tension.

Adhit added that this work is not just about darkness, but a reflection on the spiritual journey of man.

"'1971' is an adventure across a magical world. Not only dark, this single also gives the impression that there is always a bright and relieved ending after a long journey," he said.

He also emphasized that this song is a reminder to always appreciate the unseen dimensions.

"This song is also a reminder and invitation to respect the invisible world, as well as a reflection that humans need to reconnect with instincts, intuition, and ancestral traditions as part of the inner journey," concluded Adhit.