Dance with Komplot

Rock music that shakes booty? AREF OMAR talks to Amrud Shazrin of local indie band Komplot about their scheme of things

WITH a name like Komplot, one would expect screeching vocals, frantic drums and loud guitars typical of a hard core or even Oi! punk band.

What a surprise to find that the music by this Klang Valley quintet is actually groovy and dance inducing, with as much attitude and energy to boot.

“It was done in jest, just poking fun at ourselves before we chose a proper and cooler name for the band,” says Amrud Shazrin, guitarist and founding member.

Some other potential monikers, including the quirky Piring Terbang and Airport, were bandied about but in the end the name stuck.

“It turned out to be suitable. A bunch of guys up to something, scheming up a plan.“Oh, and Komplot is also the name of an old Malay cult film, so there’s a bit of nostalgia there,” he says.

Amrud, who used to play in several metal bands including noise outfit Nervewreck, got together with long-time friend Azrafezaky, known as Zac, one lazy evening and conspired to form a band.

“We flirted with ideas of a whacked out rock band and wanted to experiment. I know it’s a cliché but we wanted to do something different,” says Amrud about the origin of Komplot, as the two started writing some songs with Zac on vocals.

Along the way the band took shape with the addition of bassist Haekal Talib, drummer Rizalman and saxophone player Ahmad Jeffny Kamal.

Komplot is preparing to release an EP of four or more songs soon.

Recorded at various locations including Amrud’s own home studio in Kota Damansara, it feature’s the band’s first single Konflik Metropolis, which was launched unofficially last September at the Laundry Bar in Petaling Jaya.

A sizzling song that brings to mind a much funkier version of The Killers, it’s an open invitation to dance your troubles away.

“Rock music should make you dance. So we throw in a disco beat and make sure our music has a live feel to it, with funk and psychedelic elements,” says the 29-year-old guitarist, who works as an audio director at Game Brains.

Influenced by the sounds of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Santana, Amrud brings out the rock aspect to the songs.

“The sax, on the other hand, introduces an interesting flavour, a big band jazz kind of sound to the mix,” he says.

Another track, Nora Zain, which can be heard at the Independent Artists Club website (http://web-iac.nokia-asia.com/malaysia), is a great ball of infectious energy complete with wah guitars, running disco octave bass and go-go beats.

The title takes its cue from a 1965 cult Malay film of the same name about a sassy secret agent with a beehive do.

Komplot has been gigging frequently since early last year, with recent performances at Rock On Rave in Cineleisure and Urbanscapes at KLPac.

Let’s hope the boys scheme up more dance-floor friendly tunes for the rest of us to groove to.

* Catch Komplot at the Joget Penang gig on Aug 9 (2pm) at The Actors Studio Greenhall, 32, Lebuh Light, Penang. Admission is RM20. Call 017-4866989 (Man).