Michael Percillier

Here are some of my (still few) originals, with more in the works.

Pelog Lullaby

This is a little lullaby I wrote more or less spontaneously in under an hour after being suddenly inspired while noodling around the pelog scale during warm-up one day.

Dear Best Friend

I can only take credit for the instrumentation on that one. My wife and our friend hermano wrote the lyrics and vocals, after which I came up with the rest.

Among the Reeds

This is a song I wrote a few years ago as an ode to the Dreisam, a river that has been a constant companion to me for more than half of my life. We haven’t managed to record it yet but will do so soon. Here are the lyrics as a teaser:

Standing by the quiet river,
Watching as the stream burbles by me feet.
Pondering the water’s course, from lofty source to distant shores.
As the river flows, my worries and my woes,
Wash away from me as far’s the eye can see
Float then sink aground where stones and fish abound
Leaving me as free and careless as can be

Among the reeds,
Where I dwell by Earth’s artery
And feel the pulse of Life run gently to the sea

List’ning to the plash, how soothing
Contemplating wildlife surrounding me:
Herons standing still like stone to catch their dish of skittish fish.
As the mallards fly, and land upon the stream
Ravens rinse their wings in sunset’s golden gleam
Clouds of midges hang suspended in a beam
While the water lulls me to a waking dream

Among the reeds,
Where I dwell by Earth’s artery
And feel the pulse of Life run gently to the sea

Sun is setting fast
Nothing forever lasts
Summer’s end is nigh
As days go by and by

Leaves are breaking free
From the canopy
Winter’s certain creep
Lulls Nature to sleep
Springs will come along
Rivers will flow on
Long after I’m gone

Evi being a wonderful singer from Indonesia, it is only logical that she should sing the songs of her people.

Kala Sang Surya Tenggelam

This 1996 song by Chrisye was recently featured in the Indonesian Netflix series Gadis Kretek.

Bimbang

This song by Melly Goeslaw is part of the oroginal soundtrack of the Indonesian film Ada Apa Dengan Cinta. As a little intro, Evi reads the poem “Aku” by Chairil Anwar.

Panon Hideung

We thought this was the most Sundanese song ever, but a little research quickly revealed that it is originally a well-known Russian romance folk song. The first half is my arrangement, sticking to a more traditional pentatonic scale of Sundanese music, before Evi’s former school buddy Budi adds a samba flavour.