I’ve been meaning to write this piece for awhile now but I guess better late than never. I had this word play on “Sad Girl Summer” in my head as I was listening to a playlist of these three songs again and again… and here I go writing this now.
Sad To See You Go (19 May 2023), Masih Suci (27 April 2023) and Devil’s Bargain (9 June 2023) are all songs that touch on different levels of heartbreak and lost, at different points in a person’s life.
With Tasneem Bolhassan’s release, the whole lo-fi girl aesthetic (especially in the artwork & the music video) really works to capture the mood of the song. Kudos to both the songwriting (music and lyrics by Tasneem Bolhassan) and produced by hexalyte.
Tasneem’s personality comes across in her original music and is certainly a cool addition to the Malaysian music scene, alongside her prolific work as a session musician.
Talking about Yuna’s Masih Suci, the lyrics really hit hard straight away even in the first verse:
Tiada salah jika kau rasa sedih
Luahkan derita jika kau sudi
Kuberikan masa dan jasad jadi
Celakanya jika kau masih rasa sunyi
The whole giving and not getting back what you give in a relationship is something that many would relate to and the singing even though it sounds gentle are actually sharper than an obsidian knife.
Production wise Yuna’s track shines with the tasteful hypnotic guitar and beautiful vocal production. Between the three songs here, Yuna is definitely in another league of her own, which makes sense considering her experience and growth through her career so far.
Talking about Belly Rachel’s song Devil’s Bargain – this is a reflection on the breaking down of a much longer mature relationship. Belly Rachel’s lyrics are a real throwback to the kind of singer-songwriter lyrics from the late 90s and early 2000s. This is not a song that you can listen casually, as so much of the hurt is captured in every single line. In short, her writing is like watching a mumblecore film… so realistic and close to the heart that you can feel lost and hurt all over if you pay attention to what she has to say.
Following Belly Rachel’s career from her early work as Beverly Matujal, MAYABAYU and now Belly Rachel since her relocation to Glasgow, Scotland – I have to say I’m loving her new material a lot.
All in all, I recommend checking out all this music if you’re curious about some of the Malaysian music I’ve been listening to repeat recently.
Coming up soon as well is Tasneem next single and also Yuna’s Malaysian concert so we have that to look forward to.
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