HUJAN
BY LOQUE

I like Hujan. In fact, I think in some ways, they saved Malaysian music. A few years ago, everyone was so focused on Indonesian rock bands like Dewa and Peter Pan. Then early last year, Hujan came along and diverted everyone’s attention from the Indonesian invasion. Suddenly, it was all about Hujan. Some even thought the band was from Indonesia.

That’s a big part of why I like Hujan. Of course, I’m a fan of their music too. From listening to their music, I can tell they are talented musicians, and I think they deserve respect. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to see them live. I have met frontman Noh before though, and I heard he’s a fan of Butterfingers.

Even the band’s name, I like. Back when Butterfingers were starting out, if a band’s name was in Malay, people in the indie scene would find it strange. Hujan might sometimes remind me of Butterfingers early days, but I think only a little bit. Things were different then. I think when Butterfingers made Selamat Tinggal Dunia, we tried to introduce an element of nationalism in our music, and we made an effort to get the message across.

Loque is the guitarist of Butterfingers. The band recently released its newest album, Kembali.