JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Nearly two years after the release of their latest full-length album Hope + Love, Indonesian pop rock act lightcraft has now breathe new life into the collection in what they dub as the “reanimated edition”, featuring the original tracks and four never-released before recordings. Hope + Love: reanimated edition is now available globally on all major digital music platforms.
“We feel the time is right to take our next steps towards a new era for lightcraft.”
– Imam Surataruna, vocalist & primary songwriter
The new edition features the twelve tracks from the original edition, the recently released single Coming Home which features Philippine artists Chelsea Dawn and Coloura, reanimated demos of the tracks True (You) and Like A Fire, and the carrier track, a electronic dance version of the track This Day & Age which features singer-songwriter Natasha Udu and producer RIMALDI, who remixed the track.
“After a few years of writing, releasing, promoting and playing songs from Hope + Love, we feel the time is right to take our next steps towards a new era for lightcraft,” described Imam Surataruna, the band’s vocalist and primary songwriter. “It’s only fitting to give the album a proper send-off.”
In addition to this self-actualizing agenda for the new release, the band also hopes to reintroduce the album to those who may not have heard it before, as the band considers it to be among the best albums they have come up with.
The new tracks on the reanimated edition likewise ushers in a new era of sound for lightcraft. “The remix of This Day & Age serves as a tantalising glimpse into our musical direction, a direction that we are incredibly excited about,” raves Surataruna. The band admits to a “growing fondness for electronic music”, which they expect will have a significant influence on their songwriting and arrangements moving forward.
The remix to This Day & Age, which carries this release, was a chance collaboration with rising Indonesian electronic producer RIMALDI. “We were introduced to one another by a mutual friend at a gig,” reflects Surataruna. The encounter had RIMALDI surprised as he had long been a fan of lightcraft’s music.
Before the remix was locked in, he had been set to work on lightcraft with a different project. “We clicked in terms of our references and music tastes,” Surataruna adds. “It turned out to be a match made in heaven.” A music video accompanies the remix, featuring lightcraft with their collaborators, Natasha Udu and RIMALDI, and directed by Reksa Fajar, a long time collaborator of the band.
The cover art for the reanimated edition is a visual parallel to the concept of “reanimating” the original Hope + Love. Illustrator Kartika Paramita created an evocative illustrated version of the original cover photograph by Meidina Rizki, incorporating fiery colors that perfectly complement the band’s brand of anthemic pop rock music.
Hope + Love: reanimated edition is just the beginning of a new era for lightcraft, and the band enjoins both fans and new listeners alike to stay tuned for things that are to come in the future. While that’s all in the works, Hope + Love: reanimated edition is now available on your favorite music platforms, so stream or download it today!