By Mei Kuan
Music lovers are in for a real treat as Liver & Lung, the Malaysian theatre company behind “Sepet The Musical”, debuts its studio album titled, Mahsuri (& Other Peculiar Tales) today (December 4).
A soundtrack from their upcoming musical film of the same name, the ready-for-streaming album is now available on Spotify, Apple Music and other digital music stores.
Mahsuri (& Other Peculiar Tales) is a six-song album that depicts the legend of Mahsuri, a Malaysian tale of a beautiful woman wrongly accused of adultery. The concept album blends South and South East Asian sounds with contemporary musical theatre elements to reimagine the legend.
The studio experimentation showcases East Asian instruments, Bollywood-inspired vocals and authentically Malaysian percussion beats to capture the diverse Malaysian spirit.
The music and lyrics were composed by Shafeeq Shajahan for the to-be-released film which was named a finalist at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo. Plus, it features rising stars Badrika Baluch (as Mahsuri), Joshua Gui (as Wan Derus), Nabilah Hamid (as Mahura) and Nave VJ (as Deraman) as vocalists.
“I developed the concept for Mahsuri (& Other Peculiar Tales) in 2017 as a stage musical. It was hugely successful and won Liver & Lung our first BOH Cameronian Award. The film adaptation has been gestating in my mind for a while so I’m so happy that our music is finally released for all to listen,” explained Shafeeq Shajahan who also directed the short film set to launch later this year.
“I’ve always believed in the importance of remembering our roots. The Malaysian identity is diverse and colourful, and as a film and theatre-maker, I feel a responsibility to keep reintroducing Malaysian stories to new audiences in contemporary & exciting ways,” he expressed.
Liver & Lung is an award-winning, international production company founded by best friends, Shafeeq Shajahan and Hannah Shields in November 2014. After winning three awards at the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards this year, Liver & Lung has been committed to upholding the arts in what has been a difficult year. This release marks the beginning of their venture into digital musical soundtracks.
To learn more, visit Liver & Lung’s website. Stream the full album on Spotify here.
Did I mention that there is a bonus track? Happy listening!
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