By Zuhairi Zahir

On a random day, while scrolling through Instagram at home, I stumbled upon an announcement made by the indie rock band Spooky Wet Dreams, announcing the release of their new single in two years, “Air Mata Buaya”. Excited, I immediately opened Spotify to give it a listen. With my phone in hand, I left my room, eager to share the song with my friend. Halfway through the song, they turned to me and asked, “What’s with the face?”

Apparently, whatever I was feeling must have been written all over my face, even though I hadn’t said a word until asked. I admitted to him:

 “I’m disappointed.” 

For a long-awaited release from my favourite band, “Air Mata Buaya” didn’t live up to my expectations. In fact, it felt like a step down compared to any track from their 2022 album, Dewa Kotaraya. 

From the first listen, the song gave me what I can only describe as The Strokes fatigue. The heavy distortion, overwhelming layers of sound overlapping each other, and Ze’s unique vocal delivery — this time uncannily imitating Julian Casablancas especially in Is This It era — made the comparison to the iconic New York indie rock band inevitable. I’m not the only one who feels this way; scrolling through TikTok, I found similar sentiments in the comments, with many agreeing it sounds strikingly like The Strokes. 

Unlike my initial reaction, the song garnered positive reviews from fans and new listeners. It went viral on TikTok and the song easily climbed to nearly 200,000 streams in less than a month. To my surprise and the band as well, the song reached listeners all the way from Indonesia.

But the beauty of music is that first impressions don’t always stick. On the first listen, music can deceive you into believing that your initial reaction matters most or that it will permanently shape your opinion of the song. That’s not entirely true, though. The more you listen, the more you notice the subtle details in the music, which can completely change your perception and deepen your emotional connection to it.

And that’s exactly what “Air Mata Buaya” did to me. It grew on me after a few listens. When I voiced my initial disappointment, my friend argued that it is a great song, delivered with precision and intent by the band. He blurted a funny comment that stuck with me: “Diorang punya delivery memang macam sial.” He was genuinely impressed. I’m not surprised if my friend, a musician himself, can appreciate the song more than I initially did. Musicians often have clear visions of how they want their songs to sound, but translating those ideas into a production that successfully resonates with listeners is what makes their delivery exceptional.

With that sentiment lingering in my mind, I took a trip down memory lane through Spooky Wet Dreams’ discography. Their ability to weave clear inspirations into their music while still maintaining a sound that feels undeniably their own is, without a doubt, one of their strengths.

“Air Mata Buaya” isn’t the only song in Spooky Wet Dreams’ discography that takes clear inspiration from other artists. Take “Seru” from the Dewa Kotaraya album — it captures the essence of how Matt Maltese likely envisioned “As The World Caves In” to sound. Similarly, “Kalau Kau Okay, Aku Okay”, my favourite track from the same album, evokes the same heartfelt emotions as My Chemical Romance’s “Summertime” from their criminally underrated album, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Coincidentally, “Summertime” is also my all-time favourite MCR track.

Spooky Wet Dreams was the gateway band that opened my eyes and ears to the local independent music scene. Before discovering them, my playlist mostly revolved around pop punk bands like Blink-182, Sum 41, Alesana and The All-American Rejects. While I wasn’t entirely oblivious to the local scene, my exposure was limited. Oh Chentaku was the only Malaysian band I listened to regularly, though I was aware of others like Massacre Conspiracy, Kyoto Protocol, and Maddthelin, who were making waves at the time. Still, I didn’t follow their updates closely or listen to them daily.

Everything changed in 2015 when YouTube’s algorithm suggested the music video for Maggots from Spooky Wet Dreams’ first EP, Cold Pizza Party. Despite its low production quality, the video was fun and captured the carefree essence of just being kids and having a good time. The song quickly grew on me, and before I knew it, I was watching the music video every day. At the time, I was in college, and “Maggots” became a staple on my playlist while working on assignments.  

A year later, they released “Sweaters and Rayguns” with a music video with noticeably better production and a proper storyline. From the moment I heard the intro, I knew this song was going to become a favourite. It had something I didn’t realise I was searching for, and the fact that it came from a small local indie band inspired me to dive deeper into the local music scene.  

Then, in 2017, the band posted on Instagram about an upcoming performance at a Blink-182 tribute show. Being a Blink-182 fan since high school, I couldn’t pass up the chance to sing along to my favourite songs. Plus, I was desperate to see Spooky Wet Dreams live. That show marked the first gig I ever attended. It was held at the now-closed Perfect Square in TTDI, a night that solidified my connection to the band and the scene they represented.

Since it was my first gig, I was filled with nervous anticipation. I brought along two close friends from college, but eventually, they left to grab dinner at a nearby mamak, leaving me alone in the crowd. In that moment of solitude, something unexpected and beautiful happened: strangers struck up conversations with me. We talked, sang along and danced together to the music.

I remember feeling starstruck when Spooky Wet Dreams took the stage. Listening to them on YouTube was one thing, but seeing them live was an entirely different experience. Their energy was electric, radiating through the crowd and into me, making it impossible not to sing and dance along. That night, thanks to Spooky Wet Dreams, solidified my love for the independent music scene.

Though I didn’t attend many gigs after that, I found myself diving deeper into the world of local indie bands. Through Spooky Wet Dreams, I discovered groups like The Mash, Pasca Sini, HACKTICK!, Scarlet Heroes, I Lost The Plot and many more. These bands quickly became a staple in my daily rotation, each offering music that evoked the same emotions I felt when I first listened to Spooky Wet Dreams. I also felt a deep sense of pride knowing that these incredible songs came from our local scene — created by people fueled by their passion for music.

Even though I don’t listen to Spooky Wet Dreams as much these days and my taste in music has evolved, “Air Mata Buaya” has successfully brought me back to that same feeling I had when I first discovered them. If it wasn’t already clear, this isn’t a review of their new song. It’s an appreciation, a toast to the band for staying true to what they’ve always done. For growing with time, and for still delivering the same magic that captivated 17-year-old me.

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Zuhairi Zahir, born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, is an avid movie buff, gamer, and music enthusiast who writes to share his thoughts.