VF Live: Norsicaa

Malaysian disco-jazz records from the ’60s and ’70s.

In VF Live, DJs take you inside their HQs, record shops, and studios for intimate sets and mixes.

London-based DJ and Soundway label manager Norsicaa joins us for her inaugural VF Live, with a genre-spanning homage to her Malaysian heritage.

This set features “Malaysian disco-jazz records from the ’60s and ’70s, peppered with Malay pop, Islamic folkloric music, and a haunting Singaporean folk song blended with Hindustani and cha-cha-cha styles,” she shares.

“Most of my relatives live in Malaysia, where my mother is from. This is a nod to our heritage – we are primarily Chinese Buddhist, but also have Muslim and Catholic family members.

I also included a Latin-style track as Latin music and dancing was huge in South East Asia during the ’50s and ’60s, and is generally unknown other than Grace Chang (Ge Lan) who saw commercial success. In fact, Bruce Lee was Hong Kong’s Cha Cha Champion at age 18 (in 1958) before he went on to become famous for martial arts.”

In a series first, the set also features records she remastered and cut to acetate just for the show.

Watch and listen to VF Live with Norsicaa above, and check out the tracklist below.

 

Tracklist:

1. Fatimah Razak – Dahaga
2. Sharifar Noor Dengan Playboys – Insan Derita
3. Ahmad Nawab – Regent Club (Disco Version)
4. Kembara – Ekspres Rakyat
5. Ahmad Nawab – Dahaga
6. Hamidah – Tuan Posmen
7. Alice Sound – Apa Buat Tak Jadi
8. Orkes Gambus Assyabaab Karawan (with Omar Alkatiri)
9. P. Ramlee & Saloma – Malam Ku Bermimpi