DI HOTEL MALIBU (CLEAR EMERALD VINYL)

Big Crown is proud to present the Thee Marloes'''' sophomore album, Di Hotel
Malibu. It arrives as a widening of the frame ' a con?dent step away from the
lines that once neatly held their sound, and toward something more porous,
conversational, and deeply Indonesian. It''''s been two years since Perak, the
Surabaya trio''''s debut for Big Crown Records, introduced their unique sound.
This new record doesn''''t abandon that lineage so much as stretch it, showing
how much they have grown as a band since the release of their debut and all
the experiences that came with it. Composed of vocalist and keyboardist
Natassya Sianturi, guitarist and producer Sinatrya Dharaka and drummer Tommy
Satwick, Thee Marloes have always worked as a unit, their songs shaped by
shared reference points and a lived-in sense of groove. On this album, that
collective language expands. The arrangements move across a broader
spectrum, with new instrumental colors, unexpected rhythmic turns, and a
looser approach to structure. The band describes it as a response to the last two
years of living: social realities, love lives in ?ux, and all that success has
brought into their lives.
The album opener 'Under the Silver Moon" is a stone cold two-stepper that
addresses the bitter and the sweet of long distance love affairs over a breezy
musical backdrop. 'Six Years" is a page from singer Natassya Sianturi''''s life and
her struggle to take the step of leaving a comfortable and stable daytime job to
follow her dreams of a full time career in music. 'Harap Dan Ragu" explores
life, death, and the emotions that orbit them, opening with an earworm guitar riff
that ushers in Sianturi''''s honeyed vocals, this time in her native language of
Indonesian. The album continues to switch vibes and tones track to track with
the darker, more introspective 'The More". The gorgeous musicianship and
pulsing drums are met with the deeply poetic lyrics that walk the line between
futility and an unbreakable resilience. Thee Marloes dip into their drop dead
gorgeous ballad bag with 'Through The Changes" with a powerful yet delicate
song about how we imagine and deal with what comes after death. 'Boru" sung
entirely in Batak, a traditional language from North Sumatera, goes further into
asserting heritage as a foundation and mission statement for the group while
'I''''d Be Lost" takes us back to the dance?oor with a light and lovely profession
of love.
In the end, Di Hotel Malibu is the result of the best type of inspiration: the global
attention Thee Marloes have earned, and the chance to play their homegrown
music for fans around the world has put wind in their sails. Enjoy the record,
then catch them as they tour the globe. Soul Music from Surabaya, another Big
Crown Sureshot.