04/08/2026

LYFE TUESDAY | AUG 4, 2026

26

Yung Kai hits up KL FOLLOWING a successful North American tour run, alternative indie-pop artiste Yung Kai will return to Asia with his Stay With the Ocean, I’ll Find You: Asia 2026 tour, including Kuala Lumpur on Nov 6 at Zepp KL. and Singapore, followed by the stop in Kuala Lumpur. The tour will then continue to Manila, Taipei, Hong Kong and Seoul, before concluding in Tokyo on Nov 19. Spanning nine major cities across Asia, the tour marks Yung Kai’s biggest Asia tour to date. Fans can expect a setlist featuring fan-favorites of Yung Kai’s o Canadian alternative indie-pop artiste to perform in Malaysia as part of Asia tour On Oct 30, Yung Kai will kick off the Asia tour in his hometown of Shanghai before heading to Bangkok

discography such as Blue and Teach Me How to Dance . Yung Kai, who is no stranger to the Asia market, shared his excitement for his long awaited return, saying: “Asia don’t you worry. Yung Kai is back!” Yung Kai last played in KL on Aug 27, 2025. Previously, he toured Asia in the summer of 2025, where he sold out his tour. Fans can sign up for Mastercard cardholders presale today, Live Nation Presale tomorrow and general public tickets Thursday. Tickets start from RM248 onwards.

The Jansen completes musical trilogy Adji (left) and Tata give The Jansen its distinctive mix of melody, noise and attitude.

INDONESIAN duo The Jansen has completed a musical story four years in the making with Romantisasi Impulsif, a 12-track album built to play like a film without images. Released digitally last month the Indonesian band’s fifth album concludes the trilogy that began with Banal Semakin Binal in 2022 and continued with Durja Bersahaja in 2024. The Bogor band now consists of Cintarama Bani Satria, better known as Tata, and Adji Pamungkas. Its career began with the 2016 EP From Bogor to Japan , followed by albums Present Continuous in 2017 and Say Say Say in 2019. Banal Semakin Binal brought the band to a wider audience through bright pop-punk melodies and immediate choruses. Its follow-up moved towards lo-fi production, submerged vocals, fuzz, chorus and reverb. The album revolves around three Indonesian words: Jika (If) , Bila (When) and Andai (Suppose). Together, they frame a collection of songs about dreams that become increasingly difficult to realise. For Romantisasi Impulsif , the duo have expanded its sound again while tying the music to a continuous narrative. At the centre are Johan and Marni, two fictional characters attempting to preserve their relationship while facing poverty, bureaucracy and policies that reduce their living space. Johan comes from a wealthy family that falls into poverty, while Marni has known deprivation for most of her life. Their relationship is threatened by social, political and economic forces rather than a conventional romantic rival. The story also allows The Jansen to examine communities rarely represented in official accounts,

including people living beside railway tracks, traders in muddy markets, tenants in crowded urban homes and students in remote schools. Rather than remaining passive victims, Johan and Marni resist the system responsible for keeping them apart. The record is arranged in separate acts, complete with a climax, a silent-film-inspired section and closing credits. Adji believes its characters, conflict and resolution could form the basis of a feature film. “We want to offer another way of reading the album. This album could certainly be made into a film,” he said. Tata added: “Yes. Adapting novels into films is common and exciting. It seems that music albums can also be adapted.” The cinematic structure draws partly from the members’ upbringing. Both were introduced to filmmaking through their parents. “We have been exposed to the world of film since we were children. Our parents are filmmakers. Perhaps that indirectly influences how we create art,” said Tata. That influence can be heard in the record’s dynamics. Songs move between clear and distorted passages, treating changes in volume and texture such as transitions between scenes. The album combines The Jansen’s familiar fuzz, reverb, chorus-heavy guitars and distant vocals with sounds drawn from several musical traditions. Arabic-style scales and ornamentation appear alongside flamenco-influenced guitar and Chinese pentatonic elements. The mixture gives the record the atmosphere of an old market where different cultures and sounds meet. Adji began writing the lyrics after the release of Banal Semakin Binal in 2022, while Tata handled the compositions. Recording started in 2025 at Jansen HQ, the rented house that serves as the duo’s home studio and headquarters. The single Bila Cinta Adalah Satu Propaganda (Wo Ai Ni) arrived on April 29 as the first introduction to Johan and Marni’s world. Physical editions will follow the digital release. Japanese label P-Vine Records will issue the album on CD and vinyl, while Malaysian label Miles Records will handle the cassette edition. With Romantisasi Impulsif , The Jansen closes its trilogy while leaving its next direction unresolved.

Yung Kai’s music comes from his multi-cultural background, finding inspiration in both his Chinese and Canadian upbringing as he blends the East and West in his musical storytelling. – HANDOUT PIC

Ivoris imagines life as Seashell in new single SINGER, songwriter and producer Ivoris ponders life outside of human troubles in her new single Seashell .

This song is a sonic painting of sea sparkles, swaying waves and deep oceanic breaths. Ivoris’s signature vocals dance over a gentle bed of acoustic guitar and swaying percussion. This song was co-produced with her collaborator Simon Lam (Charli XCX, 2charm, Cup Sport). The lyrics gently invite the listener to the oceanic world of her upcoming debut album. “ Seashell started as a journal entry. I’d been pondering if we as humans can ever be freed from the struggle to reach our potential or from the dread of time passing us by. I wrote this line – I long to try a seashell’s eyes and that birthed the song,” Ivoris shared. Seashell arrives ahead of Ivoris’s debut album Pour My Heart Out , set for release on Sept 4. Exploring the romance of powerful emotions, the album marks the most radiant and personal chapter of Ivoris’s artistic journey to date. Speaking about the project, Ivoris shared: “ Pour My Heart Out feels just like me. It’s about having a really absorbent heart, one that is constantly overflowing with emotions.” This sentiment is beautifully

Ivoris is a pop and R&B artiste defined by colourful melodies and vulnerable lyricism. – PIC BY ISABELLA SALVATORE

As a singer, songwriter, and producer, Ivoris has captivated listeners around the world with her distinctly whimsical sound and heartfelt storytelling. To celebrate the release of Pour My Heart Out , Ivoris will embark on her third headline tour in China this August, followed by her first headline tour across Asia in October, with stops in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines.

reflected in the album artwork, which features Ivoris curled up inside an oyster shell cradling a pearl. Much like the songs themselves, the handcrafted oyster shell symbolises the care, vulnerability and emotion poured into every part of the project. 2026 is shaping up to be a breakthrough year for Ivoris and listeners have discovered her at just the right time.

Romantisasi Impulsif rewards listeners who give its details room to unfold. – HANDOUT PICS