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View all search resultsBetween mountain and sea, ASEAN's music evolves
At Sarawak's Rainforest World Music Festival, indigenous melodies blended with jazz, rock, funk and electronic music, demonstrating how tradition continues to thrive through collaboration and reinvention.
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Opening act: Malaysian music icon M. Nasir performs on June 26, 2026 before thousands of concertgoers on the opening night of the Rainforest World Music Festival at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Sarawak, Malaysia. His set drew one of the festival's largest crowds as fans sang along to his classic hits. (Courtesy of RWMF/-)
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s dusk settled over the foothills of Mount Santubong in Sarawak, Malaysia, the sounds of drums, bamboo instruments and electric guitars drifted through the rainforest, mingling with waves rolling in from nearby Damai Beach.
At the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) in late June, musicians from Southeast Asia and beyond blurred the boundaries between tradition and modernity, blending indigenous melodies with jazz, rock, funk and electronic music while demonstrating how cultural heritage continues to evolve without losing its roots.
Among the performers was Indonesian ensemble Sambasunda, returning to the festival more than two decades after its first appearance in 2004.
"The greatest challenge is not choosing between tradition and modernity, but finding a balance between the two." — Ismet Ruchimat, founder and composer, Sambasunda
Founder and composer Ismet Ruchimat said the group had presented a more traditional repertoire during its debut. This year, however, Sambasunda embraced contemporary influences while remaining firmly grounded in Sundanese musical traditions, with renowned sinden (singer) Rita Tila continuing to perform entirely in Sundanese.
"The greatest challenge is not choosing between tradition and modernity, but finding a balance between the two," Ismet told reporters before taking the stage.
That balance extended beyond the music itself. This year's lineup included younger musicians, among them Ismet's own son, whose creative ideas often challenged his father's artistic vision.
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