GENRE: KELANTANESE PUNK / HARDCORE PUNK RELEASE DATE: 20 APR 2020
Inspired by the likes of Beastie Boys' "Sabotage", Kelantan punk band "No Good" serves us some 80s VHS nostalgia.
Earlier this year, No Good released their EP Demo Kawe. The entire tracklist is full of solid, in-your-face, pedal-to-the-metal punk, but what makes them stand out is the Kelantanese dialect they choose to sing in. It feels subversive because it uses a mode seldom used in the genre, especially coming from a state that's more known for its conservatism. But it also feels fitting because it's simply the band members performing in their native speech. Raw and wonderfully disruptive.
The thrust of "Che Using" is definitely the addictive bassline, hooking you onto the song from the very start. The guitars and drums also complement the scratchy screams that injects energy into a headbang-worthy track. Even if you don't understand the Kelantanese dialect, the mood will still get you going (or pogo-ing, depending on your preference).
Directed by Nizam Omar (aka Rot), the music video pays homage specifically to Spike Jonze's direction in the Beastie Boys' music video for "Sabotage", but also as a general tribute to the late 80's and 90s in cinema, complete with fun gangster/cop drama tropes (think old Hawaii Five-O or Miami Vice) and the charming crackling aesthetic of the videotape era.
If you're a fan of fast-paced punk with a tinge of humour, any of No Good's songs is definitely for you. Che Using is absolutely a great intro to their sound.
No Good comprises the band members of punk group Killeur Calculateur and math/post rock band Dirgahayu. The music video also features Black as Abe Baju Biru, also known as Gombak visual artist, Fritilldea.
RATING:
4.5 / 5
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