Sounds From The Corner : Session #21 Scaller

8PM, what a hot and sticky evening. I can feel the anxiety in the air. Reney, Stella and Dani didn’t talk very much when I arrived at the set. Several set of eye contacts between them but that is it, no conversation and I thought it was because of the long day they had.

This session was shot at Dani’s spacious living room in far West Jakarta (I'm originally from Bekasi so yeah), big enough for the crew to fit, yellow+gray enough to be a set in a thriller movie. Less than half of the house lights were turned on, and I spotted a drawer full of archaic consoles, from Nintendo all-in-ones to Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog series. What a cool old-school crib, I thought.

I didn’t know Scaller personally, but I can imagine they’re best buddies - if not lovers - who started to write and perform together. The best (or the worst) way to start a band, IMO. My math is bad but when I saw the year 1991 inked in Reney’s arm I can’t help but calculate their age. Again the best (or the worst) timing to start a band. Especially a unit this good. My sloven examination from afar said that these guys are not part of particular music circles in Jakarta that usually create saturated exposure from public, so if they gain extra attention, it is certainly because of their quality.

When we finally started the set, I immediately realized that the anxiety I spotted came from the need of one rare thing: perfection. I can see they continuously anxious about the music: repeatedly checking audio, arrangement and so forth which is an obvious sign of a healthy band. Scaller’s music is a tall, robust and firm building made of confidence. I heard character, I saw passion and I felt strong presence. They are a rare breed we managed to archive, among various new talents in Indonesia.

I ran through of their songs a day before we shoot (Homework as usual) and I found so many things to say.

Scaller’s music is never love at first sight; it is not even a piece of music to spoil your ear. Instead, it’s music for you to study religiously. The kind of composition that will start a fire in your belly. I never encounter a band this young with the ability to design and shape such a precise framework, with the right amount of influence, in the same time carries novelty.

A comprehensive look and investigation in the sound department only resulted in one thing: compactness. Scaller has defined their texture and dynamic while maintaining entertaining performance. When I hear such different colors put into one song, I often generalize the attempt as lack of curation, but the boys (and girl) have convinced me the other way.

Meticulous bits, huge hooks and rhythmic syncopes all in one performance. One song usually consists of minimum two "crossroads" where they make a significant turn to other direction. Three sources of energy between the members is supported by athletic chemistry and thorough sound exploration. You will find various anatomies flowed as independent entities but framed in the same song, first will be a bit confusing until you find yourself repeating the same track for hundred times. Exactly like drugs, only without a chance of getting busted by the cops.

This is SFTC's fourth year and bands like Scaller reminds us why we're doing this. Great talents from Indonesia need to be archived, so everyone has access to watch and appreciate them more. We are proud and grateful to archive this performance. They need more stage, more coverage, more interviews and more recognition. Sounds From the Corner presents: Scaller! - Teguh Wicaksono

[ScallerMusic]

Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya atas dukungan, dedikasi dan antusiasme kalian semua.

Songlist :

00:17 Intro
02:39 Three Thirty
07:19 A Song (Extended Version)
11:52 Stay On The Track
15:53 Live And Do
20:25 The Youth

[BazUki]

love SCALLER like !!! am 57 yr old now.. and this music really reminds me to what i've listened when i was at same age of them.

[InspekturVijay]

Di india blom ada nih band kayak gini!

[Mardial]

s/o the the superb high quality live audio engineering and the Band

[bobbynurcahya]

"Scaller’s music is never love at first sight..." salah besar nih, pertama denger Scaller di SFTC ini dan langsung suka! good job for you both, Scaller and SFTC! MEWAH!

[brokenimnotreally]

ive been repeating this video non-stop. it's with me when i study, go for a run, even in the shower. i get really sad when the video's over. one of the best bands i've had the pleasure to discover :D

[fernandagunsanchannel]

Thank god youtube... Makin ngeri post-pro audionya SFTC.
Menunggu, SFTC goes to off air events.... and make one of the biggest indonesia's annual indie festival....

[BrianKP]

Dapet rujukan dari ichyl bara buat liat band ini. Edannn, freshh.. maju terus scaller!! Well done SFTC makin keren!!

[adimartarminadi]

Semacam Prog Rock ala The Mars Volta tapi dengan tempo yg lebih bersahabat. Komposisinya yg sulit ditebak plus riff-riff gitar galak dengan sound crunchy. Vokal ceweknya sangat powerful, yg cowok justru lebih kalem. Btw mereka itu berapa orang sih? Salute buat Scaller.

[arbyhiram]

You can use any adjectives in the dictionary to describe this performance. You name it. From the good to the bad ones. They sound like a life that has gone through so many ups and downs. This is the sound that sets you somewhere between the blurrest blur and the most lucid kind of feel. Delutional yet artistic

[alkadirsapusigi]

sudah lama sekali tak ada penyanyi/vokalis perempuan punya suara sangar seperti ini sejak tahun 90an. Teruskan..

[totosugiarto]

Sangat mengapresiasi Sounds From The Corner yang telah membuat karya ini bisa saya lihat dan dengar, thanks.

[haisahsetiadi]

Menggelora dan begitu indah, skill dan musikalitas yang prima.. terus berkarya SCALLER

[jojo-zptb]

"(I'm originally from Bekasi so yeah)"

This makes me proud. Bekasi represent!

[simasboykgaming]

KUALITAS INGGRIS. Radiohead kawin sama Alanis Morissette. drummernya dikotil banget.

[sonnybilal]

just cant handle this one. too great!
we need more music like this!

[RianMalik]

Please add these songs into spotify! It's dope, great music!

[dimasmuttakhin]

ajib nie naksir begitu denger ni session. top juga buat SFTC dengan sound yang bersih..makin nunggu post2 selanjutnya

[akbarrynoor]

Hadiah terbaik pasca ulang tahun Reney !!

[kumdjaff]

scaller's music love in first sight for me tho. and thanks again sftc for the amazing work. you rock