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The 'greatest Indonesian album of all time' gets a vinyl reissue
For the first time since its release in 1977, the critically acclaimed soundtrack album Badai Pasti Berlalu has been officially pressed and released on vinyl.
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Making his mark: Famed composer Eros Djarot signs the vinyl reissue of the 1977 “Badai Pasti Berlalu“ soundtrack album for fans during its release on Sunday at Sonaa Space in Senayan Park, Central Jakarta. (PHR Pressing/-)
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istening to the 1977 soundtrack album Badai Pasti Berlalu (The Storm Will Surely Pass) is always a magical experience: you are soothed by the gentle voices of Chrisye and Berlian Hutauruk on the mic, the twirling melodies from Yockie Suryo Prayogo and Debby Nasution on the keyboard, and the thundering drums by Keenan Nasution and Fariz RM behind the kits.
It is only natural, then, that Indonesians long for a more pristine sound than the crackle and fuzz that have enveloped these sounds for decades on the album’s cassette tapes, however charming they are. Even the nation’s hailed composer Erwin Gutawa has attempted to capture the sound’s brilliance by rearranging the music in a 1999 release, which was eventually pressed into vinyl records.
But the original 1977 version had never been made into vinyl. Nearly half a century later, the album has been reissued on vinyl for the first time, showcasing its rich sound textures thanks to the people behind PHR Pressing, a local vinyl pressing plant established in 2023 by the Piringan Hitam Recordstore (PHR) and label Elevation Records.
It was no small feat, either: the project took seven months to complete and required numerous remasterings in the best studios across Europe, including at Third Man Records owned by rock icon Jack White of The White Stripes fame.
And the results do not lie: During the vinyl’s release party on Sunday at Sonaa Space in Senayan Park, Central Jakarta, the magical harmonies arranged by composer Eros Djarot decades ago filled the room loud and clear.
“This project could not have been done by PHR Pressing alone. We had a lot of help from record labels, musicians and music or art enthusiasts in general,” Johan Mantiri, CEO of PHR Pressing, said on Sunday.
