Album Review: Gandah Soeriah Anom by Dalang Si Hassan
Released in 1912 under the Columbia label, Gandah Soeriah Anom is a fascinating artifact from the Dutch East Indies. This folk album blends traditional Keroncong stylings with raw emotion, offering listeners an unpolished yet deeply evocative experience. Though over a century old, its charm lies in how it captures the essence of its time—no fancy production tricks here, just pure musical storytelling.
The standout tracks for me are “Gandah Soeriah Anom ka 1” and “Gandah Soeriah Anom ka 2.” These two pieces feel like siblings, each telling their own side of a shared tale. The first track ("ka 1") has this lilting rhythm that pulls you in—it’s almost hypnotic, really. You can picture people swaying gently to it at some long-forgotten gathering. It’s not overly complicated; instead, it relies on simplicity to tug at your heartstrings. That guitar pluck? Yeah, it sticks with you.
Then there’s “ka 2,” which takes things up a notch. If the first track feels like a warm embrace, this one’s more like a lively conversation. There’s a playful energy here, as if the musicians were having too much fun recording it. The interplay between the strings and vocals creates this dynamic push-and-pull that makes it impossible to ignore. Honestly, I found myself humming bits of it days later without even realizing it.
What strikes me most about this album isn’t just the music itself but what it represents. In 1912, the world was changing fast, and here we have these artists preserving something uniquely theirs amidst all that chaos. Listening to Gandah Soeriah Anom, you get the sense that they weren’t trying to impress anyone—they were simply sharing their truth.
And maybe that’s why it still resonates today. Or maybe it’s because Keroncong has this timeless quality, like a well-worn photograph that never loses its luster. Either way, this album deserves attention—not just as a relic of history but as a reminder of how powerful simple melodies can be.
Oh, and here’s a thought—I wonder what Dalang Si Hassan would think if he knew his work was being talked about over a hundred years later. Probably wouldn’t believe it, right? But hey, good art tends to stick around, doesn’t it?
