Budiraya's Twists In The Creative Process Of Malaka Mini Album

Budiraya (Instagram @budirayamusik)

JAKARTA – The band from Depok, Budiraya appeared as a performer for the SWAG! at Twalen, M Bloc Space, South Jakarta on February 7. That night, they sang three of their signature songs in front of the audience.

The band, which was formed in 2017, is fronted by six personnel, namely Teguh Sulistyo (guitar and vocals), Fazrin Mustakin (guitar and vocals), Hadi Permana (bass and backing vocals), Rachmad Arifin (drums), Hary Hutajulu (keyboards), and Anggi Affandi Hakim (guitar and backing vocals).

Budiraya looked pretty good at the SWAG event! and they are the only performers who already have a release in the form of a mini album. Entitled Malaka, this EP can be heard on various digital streaming services.

Appreciation must of course be addressed to new bands who have worked hard to create. But, it turns out, in the mini album production process they faced various kinds of difficulties.

Teguh Sulistyo, the vocalist of Budiraya, explained the background of making Malaka's mini album and its challenges.

“The process of making the Malaka mini album started with a story that our friend was working with a studio in Bogor to help them work on the event. Instead, the studio helped us record, which was promised with 10 shifts. However, in the eighth shift we chose not to continue for one reason or another. In the end, we moved to continue the recording process at the P35 studio owned by the saxophonist from Sentimental Moods in the BKT area, East Jakarta," Teguh explained to VOI.

"Although the accordion overdub process by Masmo from Sentimental Moods previously took place at the Starlight studio, East Jakarta. Yes, the process was from overdubbing the backing vocals again, then mixing and mastering there, and after going through quite a heavy process, in the end, we were able to complete the mini album. Even though the initial tendency was to be an album,” he continued.

The process of cultivating this album took quite a long time, namely two years.

"It took a long time to make this Malaka mini album, we started from December 2019, it was finished in Bogor around the beginning of February. Not long after that, Covid. In the end, we finished it by installments of material that was ready to enter the mixing and mastering process. Among them are Limited Eyes, and Loyal Customers, all the way until they are finally released in 2021. This means that we will complete them in two years," explained Teguh.

Even though there are two demo singles in Malaka's mini album, according to Teguh, this is the best step to be able to move on from old material to new material.

"Actually, these two songs are part of the material plan on the album, so why did we decide the two demos were still included, there wasn't even a backing vocal and over dub planned yet, because the recording process up to the main vocals was finished, and we flavors can be mixed and mastered with moderation. Because in our opinion it's really a responsibility, we also want to move on from here and then make new material again."

Teguh also shared that the Malaka mini-album was an evolutionary process of his work after such a long time. Therefore, Malaka's mini album is far different from their first single titled Me Lintas Jagad Raya.

"Through this mini album, we don't want to repeat all the shortcomings that exist in the single Lintas Jagad Raya. Yes, because the first single was really our first recording, so it was just a learning process. Until finally to the production process of the Malaka album, we ended up taking different approaches from selecting sounds, references, and other details. And maybe because of the renewal of references that appeared to us as time went on, we were able to create this mini album differently in the end."

Malaka mini album, also called Teguh, has rich references due to the differences in musical tastes of the Budiraya personnel.

"The four of us before Osha decided to disband, had our own tastes. Personally, I like Oasis, Nirvana, The Smiths, Metallica, Sheila on 7, Sore, The Adams. Then for Fazrin he is more towards Fariz RM, Eros Djarot, Yockie Suryoprayogo, who are progressive like that. Then, Hadi likes funk, Motown, RnB, like Marvin Gaye, Maliq & The Essentials for example. For example, Osha is more into the Indies. So we offer more music that we are not aware of, comes through the references we have.”

Of course, the presence of the Malaka mini album is not the end of Budiraya's journey. The reason is, they are planning a new album with cultivation done slowly.

"We are preparing a new single, the mixing-mastering process has been completed, the cover has also been done, all that's left is the promo material that is being worked on. After that, maybe single again, while slowly making installments for a (full) album. Of course, we don't want another mini album, so I hope it goes well," Teguh concluded.