Alleycats' Logan's daughter duet with uncle David Arumugam
Many Malaysian musical fans would agree with FMT: The writer, Terrence Toh said, "Name the most popular Malaysian band of all time, and the Alleycats will probably emerge among the top candidates."
The Penang pop-rock group, who surged to stardom in the late 1970s, left an indelible mark on the country’s music landscape, and many of their hits such as “Sekuntum Mawar Merah Sebuah Puisi” are still beloved today.
Now, younger music lovers who may not have been around in the band’s heyday have the opportunity to discover The Alleycats’ iconic tunes through “Legasi”, an EP by singer-songwriter Dasha Logan. The 37-year-old is the daughter of the late Loganathan Arumugam and niece of Datuk David Arumugam, both Alleycats members.
The new release contains remixed takes on five classic songs by the iconic band, namely “Jika Kau Bercinta Lagi”, “Senandung Semalam”, “Seribu Bintang”, “Andainya Aku Pergi Dulu Sebelummu”, and “Sampaikanlah Salam”.
Dasha's song “Cleverly” reached the No. 1 spot on the UK Soul Chart in December 2014, and her eponymous debut album was released in 2020. “Legasi” is her homage to her family’s musical heritage, as well as her way of introducing the Alleycats to a new generation of music lovers.
“I realised a lot of the youth nowadays don’t really know who the Alleycats were,” she told the lifestyle and entertainment section of the portal. “So my goal was to take their hits and remix them to sound a bit more modern. The youths can listen to the tracks as new songs, and their parents can hear a fresh take on them.”
The EP, which was launched in KL on 15 January, is arranged by Melina Williams of local indie rock band Tempered Mental, and produced by Rozhan Rahman.
Remixing the songs while trying to ensure their sound remains faithful to the original versions was fun and challenging, Dasha said. She believes her team has struck a good balance between what people are used to and what new listeners would like.
“’Andainya Aku Pergi Dulu Sebelummu’ was a particular challenge, because my uncle’s vocal range is massive! He can sing so low and then belt high. Finding a key that suited me was tough, but we did it,” she said.
Another highlight is “Seribu Bintang”, which has been given a Billie Eilish-meets-The Weeknd facelift. Her favourite song to perform, however, is “Senandung Semalam”, which she also finds the hardest to sing.
Dasha, who hopes this EP will open the door for her to release more songs in Malay, added that she is keen to take on more from the Alleycats’ songbook in the future.
“There’s a song called ‘Dengar Lihat Fikir’, which I just love. It’s not very well known, but it has such a beautiful message,” she said.
“I’ve heard people tell me they first listened to the Alleycats with their parents or on first dates. Hopefully, these songs remind you of people you love, or transport you back to happier, simpler times.”
Meanwhile, David – whose vocals feature on the EP – shared that the new songs feel “fresh and exciting”, and it is “evident how much Dasha has put all her heart, soul and emotions into them”.
Adding that he was proud of his niece, the 74-year-old said he enjoyed her new takes on the songs and the personal touches she has added to them.
Adapted from the article written by Terrence Toh, first published by FMT on 15 February 2025.
Adapted by Fauzi Kadir Chief Editor |
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