What you see is exactly what you get with Margasatwa. Sweeping hair worthy of Pantene commercials, bright colours with bold prints, and of course the requisite sunglasses—plus an afro as the cherry on top. Everything about them screams ‘70s rock and psychedelia, which is a definite core in this Malaysian five-piece band’s music. Of course, the band pulls in other influences to complete their sound: jazz flourishes, traditional Malay folk melodies, poetic lyricism, swelling ballad crescendos. Above all, soars the resonant voice of frontman Kimal, whose magnetic presence and vocal prowess ties together Margasatwa’s unique brand of Nusantara rock. While in Singapore for Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts 2026, the band gave us a little taste of their fusion sound with two songs from Seribudaya, their hit 2024 album: Perasaan and Bah Tangga. Audio recording & mixing: 4th Wall Studios Video: Lee Jing Wei