By Cameron Tjoe

Upon listening to Raja Muhammad ‘Imran’s self-titled debut, you’d be surprised at the lengths he went to ensure the work reflects his intent in its totality. But then again, is anyone really surprised? He is an ASWARA boy, after all.  

From the cover art and overall visual direction by Amirul Irfan —  an elegantly thematic synthesis of his own philosophy and spirit, rendered in bare white and grey hues that mirrors less the approach of the album itself and more his own belief in his craft and expression — to the music, lyrics and beat, they all serve both as exposition and exploration for the life he wishes to make central to his craft.

The deeply personal honesty laid bare throughout the album is refreshingly pleasant as far as rap and hip-hop music goes, especially in terms of Malaysian/Malay-language rap, sufficiently setting itself apart within a genre that frequently peddles and hawks braggadocio like it’s going out of style. Yet the artist, in his own way, raps about his own belief in himself and his practice, saying “Buat yang terbaik aku kata / Tulang belakang solid takkan lupa,” and “Penting tahu aku siapa / Penting tahu nakkan apa,” in the track “2003”.

In fact, the entire album reads like the mission statement of a man who believes so surely (and sincerely) in his own destiny, even if the road is sure to be long and winding. Nearly halfway through the album on the track “TempatMacamNi”,  he says “Tengok aku macam hantu / Muka cengkung tapi takde batu / Aku lawan aku / Aku bergerak lawan waktu,” a bar so flippant yet so passionately genuine as both an admission and a statement of purpose capable only by someone who knows his mission in life is to create something true to himself, come what may.

Sonically is where this album truly shines. Built on an infectious dedication to driving rhythm, the layered and complex textures act as both atmospherics and puzzle pieces that unites the album within its own aural theme. Expansive, Moog-esque synths drive swelling melodies, resulting in a sound so closely resembling a chest being filled with air during a deep, conscious inhale, as much as it does trap music. Clever ambient sampling foils the natural by imbuing each moment with tension and anticipation — a menacing laugh (as in the track “Titi”) or an almost siren-like tone (see the track “UkS”), all building toward satisfyingly powerful moments like in the tracks “MatahariAkanTerbenam” and “Amaran1993” where the album’s well-crafted trap production gave way to a mix of ethereal dream pop and energetic trip-hop instrumentals that are almost danceable if they weren’t subdued into line with the constant droning pull of the vocals.

These snatches of greatness, though consummately written, performed, mixed, mastered and produced do, however, truly make one wonder if the album could benefit from more energy and diversity. The album’s thematic unity, both in its sound and lyrics, often leaves one wanting for something… more. Though each track is self-contained in terms of its lyrics, themes and narratives, it’s a hard sell to say that each track is distinctive. Listening to it in any other order than its intended one feels like an exercise in spot-the-difference, while the vocals mixing vis-a-vis the music means that listeners might have to strain to catch what’s being said, or struggling to find anything to hold onto in each song on its own.

A casual listen could easily give the impression that every song on the album is nothing more than a puff piece on its creator and his manifesto on life. But repeat listens (highly recommended, if not mandatory) serve to distill a deeper meaning in the lyrics and the codas and refrains: maybe the artist is himself trying to make real his belief in how life must be lived. You can hear this right from the beginning. In the mostly instrumental title track that serves to set the musical and atmospheric tone of the entire journey, it suddenly opens up into a dialogue between the maker and the listener: “Konsep diri aku / Bagi aku / Naratif terhadap sekeliling aku.”