The Malays of Kelantan and Terengganu are culturally linked to peoples from the South China Sea area, and are very different from the West Coast of Malaya. A well-known art called silat is popular among the Malays. Similar to t'ai chi, it is a mix of martial arts, dance and song typically accompanied by gongs, drums and Indian oboes.
The natives of the Malay Penninsula played in small ensembles called kertok, which is swift and rhythmic xylophone music. Ghazals from India are popular in the markets and malls of Kuala Lumpur and Johor, and stars like Kamariah Noor are very successful.
In Malacca, ronggeng is the dominant form of folk music. It played with a violin, drums, button accordion and a gong.
Arabic-derived zapin music and dance is popular throughout Malaysia, and is usually accompanied by a gambus and some drums. Another style, dondang sayang is slow and intense; it mixes influences from China, India, Arabs and Portugal with traditional elements.
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Pop music
Malaysia's pop music scene has long been dominated by Indonesian stars, mostly playing slick kroncong ballads. This began changing in the 1950s, when P. Ramlee became a star playing a form of dondang.
The Malaysian underground music scene (also known as the Malaysian independent or urban music scene) is an established localized underground culture within Malaysia. This is as opposed to mainstream music, which usually, in the Malaysian context refers to artists with strong ties or are engaged in direct contract with fairly large recording companies, giving them a more commercial and popular image.
Artists and musicians who are involved in the Malaysian underground scene are usually guitar-driven bands with inclination towards rock music, although there are a number of acts with differing musical influences such as hip-hop, electronica and dance music.
One of the other characteristics of this local scene is that most of the musicians are independent, entirely or partially DIY-driven groups or bands who emphasise on creating, sharing and experiencing music, together and collectively. Materials that they produce, such as albums, demos or EPs will usually be independent works, most of the time funded entirely or to some extend by themselves. Also, small musical performances known as gigs are organized regularly showcasing these bands.
The state of Terengganu was known as the Malaysian capital of punk rock throughout late 1979 and the 1980s.
Underground music
See also
External links