Alena Murang – Sky Songs (Wind Music International, 2021)
Sky Songs is the second album from Alena Murang, a talented songwriter from Malaysian Borneo and one of the first women to play the boat-shaped sape lute as a professional musician. Alena continues her explorations of the indigenous traditions of the river people of Borneo, combining folk music with modern elements.
On “Sky Songs” you’ll hear captivating songs inspired by the elders, the mesmerizing sounds of the sape, atmospheric effects, the beautiful voice of Alena and a rock-style rhythm section.
Sky Songs is inspired by the stories of Alena’s ancestors that lived in the skies and on Earth. She sings about warriors that watch the mist rise on the morning of battle; watching the clouds to determine a good time to migrate; as well as lamentations of thunder and the moon.
Alena said about “Sky Songs”: “The album is called Sky Songs because it is a representation of our ancestors and how sacred our lives on Earth are. There are stories of our great ancestors who used to live in the skies and travelled to earth through a waterfall. And now, when we look up to the skies and see graceful white clouds, or bright sparkly stars, or darkness, and it reminds us to stay grounded and live like a community with all living things as we depend on each other. Our ancestors had a special relationship with the universe, from the sun to the sky, the trees and all living things. They said that the sky was like a “big sunhat dome” and all earthly creation lay beneath. And because of that too, I chose to sing in Kenyah and Kelabit language because I want to keep them alive. Language represents a myriad of things you see in life – your people and the community, as well as your perception towards life and realities. Therefore, this album is my way of preserving our beautiful heritage in hope that it is still there for our children and the future generations to accept and appreciate.”
Alena’s band has grown in the past years. The musicians that play on “Sky Songs” are Jonathan Wong Ketshin, Herman Ramanado, Jimmy Chong, Derrick Siow and Niko Coyez. The instruments on the album are native to Borneo, including sape, tubong, pagang, rattan mat, as well as instruments from other cultures such as taiko drums, cowbells along with modern instruments like guitars, bass, drum kit and concert flute.
The “Sky Songs” physical album includes a booklet of lyrics with English translations of the songs, stories and photos of the highland skies.
Alena received support from Kementerian Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM) through its Dana Kandungan Digital (DKD) initiative, as well as the Dayak Cultural Foundation Sarawak.
Buy the album from alenamurang.bandcamp.com/album/sky-songs
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.