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Weird Genius signs with Astralwerks label
Astralwerks is a part of Universal Music Group (UMG) that focuses on dance and electronic music.
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EDM group Weird Genius has been signed by with Universal Music Group through Astralwerks. (courtesy of/Weird Genius)
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ndonesian EDM trio Weird Genius has signed with Astralwerks, a part of American label Universal Music Group (UMG) that focuses on dance and electronic music.
“It is an honor to become the first act from Asia to sign with Astralwerks and join their great roster of global dance artists,” Weird Genius said in a statement.
The trio has made headlines in recent months after releasing the single “Lathi” (Tongue) which has been streamed more than 100 million times. The track reached number 1 on Spotify’s main chart in Indonesia and ranked second on the Global Viral 50 Chart.
“'Lathi' is the hottest record to come out of Southeast Asia in recent months and we are excited to help them reach new audiences around the world, both now and across future releases,” Toby Andrews of Astralwerks said.
Founded in 2016, Weird Genius consists of Reza Oktovian, Eka Gustiwana and Gerald Liu. They have performed in various events such as Bangkok’s Viral Fest, Jakarta’s SHVR festival, YouTube’s FanFest Indonesia and Soundrenaline in Bali, as well as becoming the opening act for the concerts of American electronic duo The Chainsmokers and Netherland's Yellow Claw in Jakarta in 2018.
Released in February, “Lathi” is a collaboration between Weird Genius and singer-rapper Sara Fajira from East Java's Surabaya. The song combines electronic dance music with traditional elements, especially Javanese instruments. Narrating the dark side of a relationship and how a person can have the courage to deal with it, the song features English lyrics as well as Javanese inspired by ancient Javanese proverbs.
An internet challenge called #Lathichallenge helped push the song's popularity as it regularly appeared on video-sharing platform TikTok in May. According to kompas.com, the challenge was popularized by young Indonesia-based beauty vlogger Jharna Bhagwani, who transforms her makeup look from beautiful to scary.
Dance maestro Didik Nini Thowok also joined the hype by creating a video that shows him dancing to the song. Didik wears various forms of makeup, costumes and masks, which quickly transform his appearance from beautiful to scary.
Astralwerks was established in New York in 1995 with a focus on the emerging electronic and ambient scene. It has released works from The Chemical Brothers, Swedish House Mafia, Halsey, Porter Robinson, Phoenix and Fatboy Slim, among others. Astralwerks Asia was launched in September 2019. (gis/wng)
