Rumah Ketujuh, Ost

Here is a must have for those who want to experience a stylistic big band jazz performance. Indra Lesmana gives an all out artistry skill that has long been hidden in his body and soul. I don’t need twenty four hour work in order to conclude that this album stands out just by witnessing the composition of the entire tracks, they are all representative, strong in character, and vary in rhythm as well as harmony. Although admittedly his solo color cannot fulfill the expectation, Indra compensates that shortcoming with real event jazz exclamation. 

It starts with Mimpi dan Rumah Ketujuh, an anthem to the very album. The overall music seems overwhelms Indra’s tonal voice, which is one fatal weakness. However, the chord progression and the music flow itself have already taken our attention, putting aside every noticeable odd. The second song, My Other Half, brings an ostentatious effort of Indra with the long term scats he does. Indra’s voice surprisingly gets along much better in Terindah Biruku. The cool swing jazz track creates a drifting session with him softening the melody. Devo’s Mood drives up high to the peak of jazz orchestra syncopation. Each instrument has a specific role delivering adventurous melody, introducing rampant wind instruments from trumpet to miscellaneous saxophones. Moreover, it is due to the dense musical structure that in a glimpse resembles the erupted free style jazz bands commonly got the hands across pubs back in the old days. 

Indra reappears in Satu Untukku, a tune strongly influenced by the sweet light bossa nova style, where Indra often sings with long vocal tones. The repetitive parts in this song require him to do so. Amazing Kind of Love presents short dynamic solo in a fast lane, generally under speedy tempo, so to say. There is also the Indonesian lyric version of this song to put in the last track. An off beat rhythm sets a scene in Speak Low, another fully instrumental, fully piano leading melody, yet interchangeable with saxophone, both of which concisely form a perfect combination for classical jazz perspective. 

A chill out swing tempo in Dewi Impian is like an answer to my prayer, well one out of many actually. I never get enough of expecting Indra’s soothing jazz plays such as this one. But isn’t the lyric a bit overly dreaming? On second thought, who cares about the lyric when it comes to music like this? Listeners would certainly favor the harmony, instead of insignificant word games. Love For All Time echoes the uptempo rhythm found in Amazing Kind of Love before. But somehow Indra sounds off keys, or to be exact, plain when he handles this kind of situation. I once said one song above is like an answer to my prayer. If that was the case, then this one must be a sort of a dream comes true episode. I am talking about the next song, Bewithched, another rhythmic swing playing velvety, sensuous saxophone, in addition to intimate piano tones as second liner. To put it all, what I love best in this album is the late tempo music Indra personally composes. It is something I can barely describe it into words. A love for the first sight.