We’re in the beginning of 2018!
Everyday, we play music. At the office, home, basically almost everywhere. Some of us also live from music. It’s one of many factors that unites us in this office. Here, everyone from the Kuassa team choose nine albums or songs released in 2017 which was played again and again throughout the year.
First up, we have our Chairman and CTO @ariearadaz, responsible for DSP algorithms, product development, R&D and “WIN or die” for Kuassa. He is guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for Bandung melodic punk outfit Disconnected. Creator of the Aradaz Amp free plug-ins. He’s now back to his teenage hobby to skateboarding again after a long time hiatus founding Kuassa during the start-up phase.
So here are Arie’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Goldfinger – The Knife (album)
2. Paramore – After Laughter (album)
3. Daoko X Kenshi Yonezu – “Uchiage hanabi” 『打上花火』
4. DAOKO – “Haikei Goodbye Sayonara”『拝啓グッバイさようなら』
5. Kenshi Yonezu – “Orion”
6. Kenshi Yonezu – “Peace Sign”
7. Kenshi Yonezu – “Haiiro To Ao” 「 灰色と青（ ＋菅田将暉 ）」
8. Lacco Tower – “Haruka”
9. Brandon Burkhalter – “Emerald”
Our CEO @grahadea, responsible for all business and administrative duties within Kuassa. Used to design GUI’s singlehandedly, then one half of the design duo alongside Bez during Kuassa’s early years, he is now more into managing the business development and marketing. He plays synths, composes, produces and occasionally DJ for Bandung’s best slow-mo electronica act HMGNC.
Mr. Grahadea is really into electronica stuff. But recently, he’s digging deeper into R&B and future bass stuff.
So here are Grahadea’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Lintasan Waktu – Danilla
2. HMGNC – HMGNC
3. Magical Metamorphosis – Ghost Data
4. Too Real – Giraffage
5. Backwater – Kllo
6. Nocturnal – The Midnight
7. More Life – Drake
8. Glow Like Dat – Rich Brian (formerly known as Rich Chigga)
9. Twentyears – Air
Better known among friends and clients as Adhit Android. Our Tech Director, responsible for detailed product concepts, audio engineering, technical side wizardry, and support. Head engineer and producer for Infinitelabs Studio. Plays bass for the industrial rock band Helmproyek.
Mr. @adhit_android picks albums from various genre. He enjoys sludgy black metal as much as pop music from the top chart. As always, his view as a sound engineer shows the result of high standard on music production.
So here are Adhit’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Helmproyek – Premature EP
2. Matius III Ayat II – Partisan Mesin EP
3. Gerald Situmorang – Dimensions
4. Myrkur – Mareridt
5. Paradise Lost – Medusa
6. Gary Numan – Savage (Songs From A Broken World)
7. Samael – Hegemony
8. Chelsea Wolfe – Hiss Spun
9. Daoko – Thank You Blue
@tamskick, as his friends calls him. He also composes music for@official.dreadout Game with Adhit, and many independent documentaries. As the VP of Product Design, he’s responsible for the UX and UI design for Kuassa. Other than his busy gigging schedules with @sigmun_ and@moonermooner, his solo project is also worth checking out.
So here are Tama’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Grails – Chalice Hymnal
2. Jesu – Everyday I Get Closer to the Light From Which I Came
3. Cigarettes After Sex – Cigarettes After Sex
4. Kadavar – Rough Times
5. Sleep – The Clarity (single)
6. Electric Wizard – Wizard Bloody Wizard
7. Wolf Alice – Visions Of A Life
8. Alt – J – RELAXER
9. Lich King – The Omniclasm
Next Mr.@juanprahammahartjamt his a Linux freak, guitar shred nerd, and a manga otaku. Well known among his colleagues with his speed tapping and typing on both guitar fret and qwerty keyboards. He talks a lot about Dragon Ball Z with Arie on the midst of smoking time. Thus, recently got promoted to also manage projects beside taking care the DSP engine as Head of Product Engineering within Kuassa, giving him an excuse to boss us around.
So here are Juan’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Chon – Homey
2. Mastodon – Emperor of Sand
3. Aldin feat Mocca – Happy
4. Circa Survive – The Amulet
5. The Intervals – The Way Forward
6. Radio Moscow – New Beginnings
7. Dan Auerbach – Waiting on a Song
8. At The Drive In – in∙ter a∙li∙a
9. Rock N Roll Mafia feat. Petra Sihombing – Intoxicated
The only hipster in the office @_imanf, known for his avid visual aesthetics giving him rights to comment on everybody’s outfit everyday. Although initially only responsible for making vectors, but his refined visual taste making him to be trusted with every creative decisions within Kuassa (He did all the haircuts for all of us). He plays drum for his psychedelic-stoner-rock project KAITZR and skates, thus making Arie and Juan play skateboard again after a long hiatus.
So here are Iman’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Heals – Spectrum
2. Beach Fossils – Somersault
3. Converge – The Dusk In Us
4. Full of Hell – Trumpeting Ecstacy
5. Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
6. Foo Fighters – Concrete and Gold
7. Godflesh – Post Self
8. Uniform – Wake in Fright
9. Code Orange – Forever
Next we have @muhammadabduha, Captain Tsubasa’s #1 fan, Juan’s former bandmate, and known for his insufferable idiotic jokes at the office. Despite those absurdities, Abduh actually somewhat considered genius. Have won code marathons during his 2nd Master study at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. As Kuassa’s VP of Software Engineering, he’s responsible for Research and Development duties and solving complex code wizardry at our Office.
So here are Abduh’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Strawberry Girls – Black Night, Golden Circus
2. Angus & Julia Stone – Chateau
3. Scale The Summit – Astral Kids
4. The National – The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
5. Wide Eyes – Paradoxica
6. Mop of Head – Good Time
7. Spoon – The Underdog
8. Their Dogs Were Astronauts – Neon Theatre
9. Widek – Hidden Dimensions
Daniya is the only girl at the office and Iman’s arch enemy for unknown reason. Daniya is also an ex-intern turns team member which manages all Kuassa’s social media with a millenial spirit. She’s also have a close relations with Bandung and Jakarta local indie kids so keep watching out our instastory if you want to catch a glimpse on Indonesia’s vast music scene.
Daniya currently listen from electronic, surf pop, hip-hop, rock to deep house so here it is her top 9 albums of the year:
1. Life of Pause – Wild Nothing
2. French Kiwi Juice – FKJ
3. Pool – Porches
4. Ta Paus – HNNY
5. I Decided – Big Sean
6. American Dream – LCD Soundsystem
7. Bin Idris – Bin Idris
8. Dentum Dansa Bawah Tanah – Various Artist
9. Nyala – Gardika Gigih
@diminalbantov he is a long-time Vegan, Guitar Nerd, Shredding mania. Uncle Dimi (as everyone in the office calls him) enjoys a stroll in the midst of Bulgarian woods for a refreshment when he’s not playing guitars. Apart with his daily responsibility as Kuassa’s Product Specialist helping users throughout forums, Dimi is a productive musician with 7 guitar instrumental albums which he released independently since 2006.
So here are Dimi’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Deep Purple – Infinite – Never disappoints – best video also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx4XEso9Um0
2. CHON – Homey – virtuosity with air like charmonies
3. Caligula’s Horse – In Contact – any fans of the progressive genre going to appreciate the production and musicianship
3. Sky Architect – Nomad – progressive rock at its best
4. Polyphia – The Most Hated – should be noticed, many new ideas with the arrangements – groovy loops and more
5. Foo fighters – Concrete and Gold – another classic from the unique band
6. Mike Oldfield – Return to Ommadawn – so many colors in varieties from a legend as Mike
7. Mastodon – Emperor of Sand – Brutal production and tones in this one
8. Steven Wilson – To The Bone – amazing melodies and arrangements – another progressive masterpiece
9. Arch Enemy – Will To Power – best metal ever – Jeff Loomis of course!
Last but not least we have @bramantyois Telecommunications engineering graduate, Studio Ghibli fanatic, DIY pedal FX warrior, and shoegazing guitarist. 90’s alternative rock band like Smashing Pumpkins, MBV, and Pavement are his major influences. Bram served at Kuassa as DSP programmer alongside Arie, Juan and Abduh. He’s currently taking a Master degree in Japan.
So here are Bram’s top 9 album or song of the year:
1. Fleet Foxes – Fool’s Errand
2. Yaeji – Raingurl
3. The XX – I See You
4. Tyler The Creator – Boredom
5. Nine Inch Nails – Less Than
6. Alvvays – Dreams Tonite
7. Sunflower Bean – I Was a Fool
8. 坂本龍一 －blu
9. Philip Glass, Olivia belli – Metamorphosis 2