MUSICAL duo Mohram pays tribute to enchanting Terengganu in its latest album, writes DENNIS CHUA.
TERENGGANU conjures up a multitude of images. For rock lovers, Faizal Tahir and Saleem instantly come to mind. For movie lovers, zany Zizan Razak and the suave Eman Manan represent the state.
And for flutist Muhardiman "Mohar" Ismail and drummer Ramli Hamid - known as Mohram - Terengganu is a harmonious blend of development, nature and heritage.
A visit to Terengganu with their families last year inspired the award-winning musicians to produce their third album: Alam (Nature). It contains 6 songs, four of which feature the duo singing, for the first time. We want to give listeners something different this time says Ramli. While instrumental music defines us, we also love to sing, as it is an effective way of elaborating on our music. The songs are Wira LautankAlam Yang Sirna, Kisah Si Anak Penyu and Pusaka. The purely instrumental songs are Sungai Terengganu, where the xylophone is clearly heard, and Chahya Di Taman Suci wihc is warm and caressing.
While the songs are dedicated to the people of Terengganu, they are tributes to the beauty of nature and life. The vibrant and cutesy Kisah Si Anak Penyu speak of leatherback turtles scurrying along the beach to the sea. But on deeper examination, it is a gentle reminder for parents to keep any eye on their children lest they fall prey to predators.
Wira Lautan may conjure images of brave Malay sialors from ancient Terengganu, but it is a tribute to the fishermen who risk their lives to feed Malaysians. "It creates the awareness of the sacrifices fishermen go through in their risky noble jobs".
Mohram's sound has been an all Malaysian one with Malay Chinese and Indian musical inf luences, this time it is predominantly Malay and Chinese, like the population of Terengganu.
This is the sound of Terengganu, reflecting its ethinc mix. Kuala Terengganu has a very ancient Chinese village and the people there speak the distinctive Terengganu Malay dialect.
When we visited Terengganu we found ourselves closer to nature and we observed the close relationship and the environment, such as that between the fisherman and the sea.
