22/08/2026

LYFE

LYFE SATURDAY | AUG 22, 2026

25

CONCERT REVIEW

█ BY AMEEN HAZIZI

I NDONESIAN funk supergroup Ali made its first Malaysian show count as the Jakarta trio delivered a tight set of funky bass lines, head-bopping beats and psychedelic guitar riffs to an audience of about 500 people at Vox Live, Kuala Lumpur. Arswandaru Cahyo, John Paul Patton and Absar Lebeh, joined by touring member Zakari Danubrata came out dressed sharply in suits and immediately got into the music. There were no long introductions or attempts to hype up the audience. They picked up their instruments and went straight to business. The fog machine also appeared to be blasting at maximum throughout the show. At some points, the smoke almost swallowed the band. Combined with the colourful lighting and 1970s-inspired music, the stage looked like an old psychedelic funk club. Smek Almohdzar opened the night with his solo project and alter ego Sayyid El MuuTayyib. Smek is best known as the band leader of Kelantan punk group No Good, but this performance was very different from his usual work. Dressed in a keffiyeh with his face covered, he appeared onstage like a Middle Eastern freedom fighter. The image was powerful. His set dealt with injustice, imperialism, resistance, religion and civil unrest, with each element clearly reflected in the music and visuals. Performing alone, Smek produced fast-paced electronic beats while playing some tasty guitar licks over them. The combination was aggressive, hypnotic and surprisingly danceable. His punk roots remained obvious, although the sound moved into Yemeni musical traditions, jungle breaks and contemporary electronic production. His demo EP Southeast Asian Hadhrami Jungle explores his familial roots alongside questions of identity, spirituality and the modern Muslim experience. Its political message was just as clear during the live performance. Everything about Sayyid El MuuTayyib felt carefully put together. The costume, music and political imagery all served the same idea. It was articulate in its protest. For those familiar with Smek through No Good, the performance showed another side of him. It Powerful opening Before Ali took over,

Arswandaru’s Arab-Indonesian heritage forms an important part of Ali’s musical identity.

The concert brings Indonesian psychedelic funk and Malaysian experimental music together under one roof. Ali brings funk to KL o Indonesian trio serves up psychedelic grooves at first Malaysian show

alongside Indonesian psychedelic funk, disco, afrobeat, cinematic soul and Western jazz. Each influence can be heard, but none feels awkwardly forced into the songs. Ali is often placed within the habibi funk movement, which has renewed interest in older Middle Eastern funk, disco and psychedelic music. However, the trio also brings a strong Southeast Asian flavour to that sound. Its music reflects the long history of cultural exchange between Arab and Indonesian communities. Even the title of its debut album Malaka refers to the historic Malacca Strait through which Arab influence reached the region. Ali uses Arabic vocals, although its music does not depend heavily on lyrics. The grooves, melodies and atmosphere carry most of the songs, making them easy to enjoy regardless of whether the listener understands

carried the same refusal to remain silent, but expressed that anger through a completely different musical identity. intense performance, Ali arrived to loud cheers and hollers from the audience. The trio immediately settled into a steady groove. Every beat, bass line and guitar riff came through cleanly, giving each song plenty of room to breathe without losing momentum. Ali opened with New Intro and Pulse before playing Salem , a cover of Nigerian funk group The Funkees, followed by Downtown Strut . After briefly greeting the crowd, the trio moved onto fan favourites Abyadh Aswad , Dance, Habibi , Malaka , Ombak, Ombak and Grand Voyage . Among the set’s surprises was a cover of MF Doom’s Doomsday . Ali maintained the same standard Funk takes over Following Smek’s

across the lengthy setlist. The playing was consistent, calm and extremely cool. None of the members tried to overpower the others, and the chemistry between them made even the longer instrumental sections easy to enjoy. Patton kept the rhythms tight from behind the drums while Zakari added another layer of percussion. Arswandaru’s bass gave the songs their thick, funky backbone, while Absar added sharp guitar lines that moved between psychedelic rock, Middle Eastern melodies and jazzy 1970s riffs. Together, they produced pure funk and psychedelic goodness. Cultures come together What makes Ali interesting is the way the band mixes several cultures without making the music sound messy. Middle Eastern melodies sit

Long hair, overhead lights and heavy shadows keep Absar’s face out of view, which only suits Ali’s hazy sound. the language. That quality also gives Ali plenty of international appeal without watering down its cultural identity. Cool crowd, high venue The audience matched the band’s energy. Many appeared to be in their 30s and had come for good music, jamming and beats rather than chaos. People spent most of the show head-bopping, dancing lightly and enjoying the playing. They were not rough or rowdy, but they were not overly gentle either. Loud cheers followed the strongest riffs and every brief interaction from the band. Vox Live, being located on Level 50 of a tower, added to the experience. Reaching the top floor made the gig feel exclusive, while the relatively intimate room kept the audience close to the performers. Smek supplied the powerful imagery and political anger before Ali closed the night with smooth, cross cultural funk. Both performances approached identity and heritage differently, but they fit together brilliantly. High above Kuala Lumpur, Ali gave the crowd exactly what it came for: Strong music, excellent grooves and one very cool night.

Sayyid El MuuTayyib gives Smek a separate outlet for examining his Hadhrami ancestry and Muslim identity. – ALL PICS BY AMEEN HAZIZI/THESUN

Ali draws an attentive audience more interested in the music than mayhem.