This week, we kick off our 2024 Year in Review series, reflecting on the year’s biggest surprises, letdowns and unveiling our annual “Best of the Year” lists.
The Malaysian indie music scene in 2024 is defined by albums that capture the essence of growing up, reflecting on past regrets, yet still holding onto fragments of hope to push forward. The year’s standout releases are deeply personal, yet resonant with universal themes.
These albums make you want to dance, cry, be confused, ponder existential questions or ask why these artists aren’t already bigger than they are. While the title suggests otherwise, this list also includes EPs, which deserve recognition alongside full-length albums.
10. Semoga Dipermudahkan – 53 UNIVERSE
53 Universe proved one thing with Semoga Dipermudahkan — they’re undeniable hitmakers. Tracks like “21 Million” and the YBJ-led “PP at Bukit Tabur” have accumulated millions of streams, propelling their names into the consciousness of zoomers who are drawn to trap beats and egotistical raps about money and fame, yet delivered with a surprising touch of sobriety. Their sophomore album, a sprawling 21 tracks long, could have easily become an exhausting listen, but instead, each track feels like a gift to the ears. Every song carves out its own personality, lining up as if anticipating its moment to shine — whether on your TikTok FYP, local radio stations, or even at mainstream music festivals. Now’s the time to hop on the 53 Universe hype train before they reach even greater heights.
Listen: Spotify
09. Dari Pinggiran (EP) – Bayangan
In Dari Pinggiran, Bayangan revisits the same park that made his 2022 album Kelana a masterpiece. The EP is a direct extension of Bayangan’s involvement in Sans Collective’s media art performance Dari Pinggiran Vol:1, staged in 2022 at an abandoned school in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur. Tracks like “Seberang Sana” and “Rebah” are drenched in ambient textures, their roomy sonics weaving a web of sound that pulls you in while keeping you suspended in space. In this project, Bayangan remains steadfast to the core of what made him one of the most important artists of the last decade in the first place: his ability to make you feel free.
Listen: Bandcamp
08. Qurfusha – Joni Mustaf
Joni Mustaf, aka Mohd Jayzuan, aka one of the most influential indie rockers of the past two decades, birthed Qurfusha eight years ago. It didn’t take him nearly a decade to complete this album; it simply felt like the right time to release it this year. The album is grand in its romantic gestures yet nonchalant in its words and delivery, as if you’re watching a lover confess their feelings on a balcony at night — minimal, yet profoundly universal. Contributions from avant-garde musician Kamal Sabran and model Nia Atasha elevate the album in a way that goes beyond merely filling in the gaps. Sabran’s experimental touch, combined with Atasha’s delicate vocals, add a layer of depth that turns Qurfusha into more than just an album — it becomes a vivid landscape of a common folk’s romance.
Listen: Spotify
07. i’ll be alright, right? – Lunadira
In her debut album, i’ll be alright, right?, Lunadira gracefully departs from saccharine romance, shedding the guise of a girl confined to the realm of ukulele covers. Lunadira unites with longtime collaborator Reddi Rocket to form a vocal tandem, seamlessly oscillating between sweet serenades and baritones. Over the years, her vocals have become more gestural, materialising the terrains of womanhood, where the portrayal of grief no longer feels animated. On i’ll be alright, right? there’s bitterness, mourning and perhaps a touch of imposter syndrome in her repertoire, and we get front-row seats to witness the fullness of her vulnerability.
Listen: Spotify
06. 99 – FUGŌ
FUGŌ might just be the standout band of the 2020s indie scene — or at the very least, they make a compelling case for it. Love them or not, there’s no denying the ease with which they’ve ascended, their self-proclaimed “nu-vintage” sound propelling them toward the stature of future festival headliners. Their debut album, 99, feels like the culmination of a journey well worth the wait. Elegant and retro, it drips with lush ballads that linger like the shimmer of a massive, sparkling chandelier. Yet, FUGŌ knows how to let loose, as tracks like “Salleh Wakeup!” and “Cinematic” reveal a playful, dance pop side. Most debut albums are successful at declaring the artist’s massive, massive potential and 99 is exactly that.
Listen: Spotify
05. Night Swim – JAIE
JAIE’s Night Swim is a heartfelt letter to her past mistakes, darkest days and a hopeful embrace of uncertainty. Supported by minimalist instrumentals, her vocals are steeped in both love and regret, like a friend sharing long-buried secrets in one sleepless night. The kind of conversation that keeps you awake, each word lingering long after it’s been spoken, as you process the stories buried deep within. JAIE’s voice is both comforting and haunting, as she sings of the mistakes that shaped her and the scars that still remain, yet there’s a quiet hope in her delivery. Her songwriting anchors the experience, crafting a record made for late-night listening, lights down low and complete immersion in its emotional depth.
Listen: Bandcamp
04. Kembang Mas (EP) – S. Razali
S. Razali’s Kembang Mas is an audacious confluence of his Cambodian heritage and the spiritual textures of his musical upbringing. The most glorious moments in the EP are bedazzled in every single track: In the opener, “Ulangan” S. Razali’s vocals melt and shapeshift in a hypnotic meditation on the monotony of life. “Kencing Langit” pays clear homage to Sinn Sisamouth, the legendary king of Khmer music. In “Balas-Balas,” he unleashes a desperate howl midway before transitioning into an ethereal falsetto, creating a duality of voices. “Tuankanku” is a spoken-word piece delivered in a deep tone, channeling the voice of a narrator yearning for worship.
Meanwhile, “Krama” bursts into dance-pop, celebrating the krama — Cambodia’s traditional garment — as a symbol of resistance and freedom. “Chroy Metrey” pays homage to his maternal hometown, weaving stories through the dual lens of an adult appreciating its history and a child longing for home. At just 21, S. Razali navigates the sprawling terrain of identity and tradition with a restless energy. Kembang Mas doesn’t just showcase his mercurial talent; it positions him as an artist drenched in the kaleidoscopic haze of psychedelic rock and cultural reclamation.
Listen: Bandcamp
03. UNDERGROUND PRINCESS – killamisha
The 2020s seemed poised to be the decade when underground electronic music in Southeast Asia would eclipse its Western counterparts. Yet now, the West is playing catch-up. In Southeast Asia, electronic music has long been deeply enmeshed with local culture, often impossible to extricate from its roots. Malaysia’s Kelantanese modern dikir dangdut is just one example, alongside Indonesia’s funkot, Vietnam’s vinahouse and the Philippines’ bundots. These kaleidoscopic, genre-blurring sounds collide like multiverses, exploding into eye-popping visuals and sheer exuberance, driven by artists who seem intent on having the most fun possible. It’s no wonder, then, that killamisha’s UNDERGROUND PRINCESS stands out as one of 2024’s most thrilling releases.
On her debut album, the self-proclaimed underground princess fuses the frenetic energy of Southeast Asia’s underground electronic scenes, hyperpop sprinkles with the bratty stylings of Charli XCX. Released on her 23rd birthday, UNDERGROUND PRINCESS is a manifesto of identity and defiance. Its raucous, playful tracks are laced with sharp self-awareness, exuding a “god complex” that feels earned. The album chronicles tales of dawn-lit parties, city domination and the deeply personal grief of losing her father. Sonically, it emerges from unlikely places: the corners of rat-infested streets, the hum of failing cybercafés, the mundane life of a 23-year-old girl who just wants to party all day long. It embodies the disorienting brilliance of Southeast Asia’s underground electronic music — chaotic, boundary-pushing, yet irresistibly cohesive. And killamisha studied all the right moves.
Listen: Spotify
02. TUGU – LUST
On TUGU, LUST takes a sharp detour from their industrial rock roots, embracing a dance-pop aesthetic that feels like it was crafted on an overheating computer, pushed to its breaking point. The album is packed with head-scratching creative choices, yet each one adds to the exhilarating chaos. While the surface energy of TUGU might have you dancing, it’s also LUST’s most emotionally raw and introspective work to date. On “All for Nothing” — easily one of my Top 3 LUST songs — the narrator reflects on adulthood with a soul-crushing sense of loss. Similarly, “Lust in My Life” contemplates aging with haunting lyrics: “I try to stick out like a thumb / I trip and I fall to the ground / Melting and hugging the ground / Walking for years and for miles / But really I’m just killing time.” In “The Abyss” LUST explores existential frustration and the burden of time: “I never read the books on my shelf / I’m on a lookout for a ghost writer / Outsiders are as good as all my insiders / 28 years 28 fucking years.” TUGU is a bold sonic departure, but it’s the unflinching emotional vulnerability that elevates this album to a record that’s truly unforgettable.
Listen: Bandcamp
01. TELEPORTASI – Mafidz
What makes Mafidz exceptional is their clarity of purpose: everything great about them is on full display, unfiltered and free of pretense. Their music doesn’t rely on potential; it simply proves they’re that good. For their second album, Mafidz expanded their lineup, incorporating more drums into their sound. The combination of their colossal talents with bigger instruments left us is TELEPORTASI, their most emotionally resonant and strongest work to date.
This album leans into its blue hues more than the sunny, flower-field charm of their earlier work. “Terus Cuba” feels like watching a beautiful oil painting come to life. “Kala Malam” is an achingly tender exploration of one’s darkest days, told through the perspective of a narrator yearning for inner peace. Then there’s “Lemas” — their magnum opus — a track that marks their evolution from indie darlings to potential mainstream contenders (why it hasn’t happened yet is anyone’s guess). Even with features like Otam and SalamMusik, Mafidz allows their collaborators to shine while maintaining their signature sound.
TELEPORTASI brims with bold, concrete choices that sustain momentum from start to finish. The sound of their debut, now magnified and sharpened, bursts forth like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. With TELEPORTASI, Mafidz has found their footing — and they’re not letting go.
Listen: Spotify
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