#dictionary 2

(MoonJune Records MJR047. CD Review by Chris Parker)

If the quantity and quality of the fusion bands MoonJune Records has documented in recent months is a reliable guide to musical trends in the country, Indonesia has embraced progressive and jazz-rock with all the enthusiasm demonstrated by the Finns for tango.

And like the Finns, Indonesians have taken an apparently ‘alien’ musical genre and subtly and intelligently customised it, incorporating into it local rhythms and sounds to produce intriguingly original and individual music.

Ligro, a power trio who cast their net far and wide to draw in influences ranging from Stravinsky and Bach to Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix, are a compact, fiercely interactive but subtle and considered unit, their rich varied themes in odd, tricksy time signatures sparking lengthy, hard-driving jams led by the wonderfully multi-textured guitar of Agam Hamzah, and propelled by one of the most powerful but sensitive rhythm sections this side of Dave Weckl and Tom Kennedy: thunderous drummer Gusti Hendy and virtuosic, astoundingly deft bassist Adi Darmawan.

‘Volcanic’, ‘bruising’, ‘hyperkinetic’ and ‘electrifying’ are the adjectives that pepper the accompanying press release, and they are by no means hyperbolic; Ligro, whether romping through anthemic flagwavers, creating drama with multi-hued space-rock or simply striking sparks off each other in exhilarating studio jams, are the real fusion deal and Dictionary 2 is a superb calling card.

By CHRIS M. SLAWECKI, Published: July 19, 2013

Recorded in Jakarta (Indonesia) in 2011, Dictionary 2 presents the first international release from one of Indonesia's most acclaimed jazz-rock fusion trios: Drummer/percussionist Gusti Hendy, bassist Adi Darmawan and guitarist Agam Hanzah. (Hendy doubles as a member of Indonesia's pop-rock sensations GIGI.)

By GLENN ASTARITA, Published: March 20, 2013

Moonjune Records has performed a service for progressive-rock and jazz-fusion aficionados by propagating an influx of stellar albums by Indonesian artists and bands that morph Western traditionalism into a distinct sound spectrum. One such ensemble is the power trio Ligro that, in Indonesian lingo, translates to "crazy people." Formed in 2004, its second release, Dictionary 2 is a propulsive exposition, sparked by unanticipated shifts in direction, demanding time signatures, metallic grooves and more.

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1.Paradox 07:10

2.Stravinsky 11:31

3.Future 07:16

4.Don Juan 06:13

5.Bilker 3 10:55

6.Étude Indienne 12:51

7.Miles Away 04:15

8.Transparansi 13:15

MoonJune Records continues its streak of astonishing musical discoveries from Indonesia with Dictionary 2, the first international release by Jakarta's celebrated jazz-rock trio Ligro. Founded in 2004 by authoritative guitarist Agam Hamzah and rounded out by agile bassist Adi Darmawan and exhilarating drummer Gusti Hendy. Ligro when read backwards, means "crazy people" in the Bahasa (Indonesian national) language – but crazy in the very best sense of the word, signifying fearlessness, playful abandon, and a healthy disregard for shopworn musical conventions. 

All’estremità opposta dello spettro, trabocca di vitalità Dictionary 2, prima uscita internazionale del power trio indonesiano Ligro, guidato dallo spettacolare chitarrista Agam Hamzah, ben coadiuvato dal preciso sostegno del basso di Adi Darmawan e dal fantasioso drumming di Gusti Hendi .

Ligro is an Indonesian music trio which was founded in 2004 by the guitarist Agam Hamzah, the bassist Adi Darmawan and the drummer Gusti Hendy. “Dictionary 2” is the second full-length album of the band, which was released 4 years after their debut “Dictionary 1”.