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‘Ayo Ke Disco’: New compilation celebrates roots of SE Asia’s vibrant dance music scene
"Ayo Ke Disco" is a joyous celebration of the region’s dance scenes that developed out of a period of increased prosperity, global upheavals and governments looking to strengthen national identity post-independence.
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Asian tigers: The cover of "Ayo Ke Disco: Boogie, Pop and Funk from the South China Sea (1974-1988)" was illustrated by Taeh-young Jeon. (Soundway Records/-)
I
t's a Thursday night in the capital. The drinks are flowing, the glitter ball is spinning and the crowded bar is grooving to the heady sounds of Marini & The Steps. But this is not Jakarta in the 1970s, this was Alice Whittington, also known as DJ Norsicaa, playing at Brilliant Corners in East London for the launch of Ayo Ke Disco: Boogie, Pop & Funk from the South China Sea (1974-1988) in late October.
Now, Norsicaa is getting ready to take the record on tour in Asia. Ayo Ke Disco is a joyous celebration of the region’s dance scenes that developed out of a period of increased prosperity, global upheavals and governments looking to strengthen national identity post-independence.
With 10 reissued tracks including Indonesian artists such as Aria Yunior, the Black Brothers, The Rollies and The Steps, alongside Malaysian, Hong Kong, Filipino and Thai artists, the compilation is an ode to an oft-overlooked region and its passionate network of vinyl diggers.
Digging deep
But putting it together was a labor of love. Based in the United Kingdom but having grown up in Australia with Malaysian heritage, Norsicaa decided that she wanted to release something that aligned with her roots, so three years ago embarked on the project that was to become Ayo Ke Disco. She quickly realized there was so much Southeast Asian music that wasn’t known or explored outside of very specific circles.
“I am just so surprised at the lack of academic interest in this region's musical history, and hope that any record labels reissuing more of this music can also contribute to telling the rich and varied stories of the scene,” Norsicaa told The Jakarta Post in an online interview on Thursday.
“There are only a handful of in-depth academic texts on the modern music industry of Southeast Asia,” she said, having scoured online journals, archival newspaper clippings and old interviews to find complete and reliable sources.
