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The 10 best Indonesian albums of the year
From comeback kings to teenage romances, Indonesian artists have served up some amazing music this year.
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Relying almost solely on dynamic and atmosphere, Last Boy Picked has the eeriness of a David Lynch movie score, at times the aggression of metal but also the hypnotic pulse of ritual music. (Courtesy of Orange Cliff Records/Grimloc Records) (Label archive/Courtesy of Orange Cliff Records/Grimloc Records)
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n spite of everything that's happened over the past few years, music has provided some moments of ecstatic beauty. The Indonesian music industry, like its peers worldwide, has been hampered by the pandemic, lockdowns and the attendant economic crisis. But local musicians have not only continued to release work that encourages conversations relevant to today’s situation, they have also created works of raw emotional power and depth.
From youthful romantic emo and lush chamber pop to an internationally acclaimed experiment in music distribution, this year’s top 10 releases by Indonesian artists have pushed the boundaries of music further forward.
10. Milledenials – ‘5 Stages of Doomed Romance’
It’s catchy, heartfelt and unapologetically naive. In short, there’s not much wrong with the Denpasar-based outfit’s debut EP. Fusing elements of math rock, emo and shoegaze with sing-along choruses and chaotic guitar riffs, Milledenials capture the essence of doomed youthful romance with glorious vigor. This is the ultimate music to nurture your inner tween.
9. Swellow – ‘Karet’
Bogor-based Swellow is made up of an unassuming bunch. The group’s debut EP offers simple, slightly overdriven guitar-based 90s alternative rock about the mundane things in life: reading the news or being tired and cold on the road after a day of work. The music sort of just trudges along, and yet it is exactly this simplicity that pulls you in, and before you realize it, you’ll be humming the melodies.
