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Local sounds: New music from Indonesia to start the week with
From dangdut to hip-hop and punk rock, these seven fresh tracks by homegrown talents will make you briefly feel good about your day.
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Fresh elements: Surabaya folk duo Silampukau turns to dangdut on their new track. (Instagram/Courtesy of Silampukau)
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he past few weeks hasn’t been the best time for Indonesia as a new wave of coronavirus infections hits the country. Fortunately, that hasn’t stopped a lot of young talented artists from continuing to produce quality music. From huge sounding modern hip-hop sounds, folk-infused dangdut, to wistful synth-pop, here are a few tracks released recently by Indonesian young musicians worth listening to.
Sugarstar - Tellabye
Having been an enigma in the alternative scene for almost two decades due to their lack of presence—no official releases except for a bunch of MP3s floating around the internet—Sugarstar’s talent spread by mouth thanks to their handful of legendary performances in the 2000s and the meticulously produced shoegaze tracks by guitarist/producer Joseph Saryuf of electro-poppers Santa Monica and Sinjitos Records fame. Their recently released new track “Tellabye” is a floating, dreamy number that recalls the best of the genre and is a good reminder why they have such a cult following.
Basboi - Bismillah (feat. Kamga)
Transitioning into adulthood is never easy, especially if you’re trying to achieve your dreams. On his gospel-influenced “Bismillah”, Rapper Baskara Rizqullah, aka Basboi, reflects through his journey, expressing humility “And when i thought so naively i'm almost there / I realized with my own eyes i only moved a square”, dealing with self-doubt and pushing himself to keep going, “Bismillah i pray my fire wont stop burning.” It’s a universal message that many won’t have a hard time relating to. The track’s funky basslines and tight production also make it addictive to listen to.
Silampukau - Dendang Sangsi
Surabaya duo Silampukau are known for their storytelling folk music, but on “Dendang Sangsi” they go for something more straightforward. They sing in Indonesian, “Failures often have to be pardoned / for the illusion of oneness / for the facade of stability / for peace,” most likely voicing their disappointment over the government’s handling of the pandemic. Even more surprising, however, is the band’s new foray into dangdut while also borrowing elements from other traditional music. “Dengan Sangsi” is almost danceable while also being lyrically very relevant with the current state of Indonesia.
Sol Ara - Bad New Day
Adopting new moniker Sol Ara after using her own name for a while, young singer/songwriter Saphira Singgih sings about weathering that storm that often comes with adulthood “I put my lipstick on / On a bad new day / Know I’m on my own / Pretending to know the way.” With its chill electronic beat, sweeping synth and Saphira’s wistful singing, “Bad New Day” is a chill synth-pop number that, unlike her previous gloomier efforts, feels just a tad more hopeful and makes for great company late at night.
Matter Mos - Pronoia (feat Ariel Nayaka & Kay Oscar)
With the help of an electronic music producer, Akmal Rizky, “Pronoia” sounds huge for a modern hip-hop track. The bass has that oomph and everything sounds crisp. Mixing a lot of different styles, from trap to electronic, Matter Mos shows a lot of confidence in his artistry. On “Pronoia,” the closing track of his new album of the same title, the rapper is iterating his belief in himself, in taking the world by storm, and not caring about other people. “Won’t you just go at it / Make your move what it do? / Fuck being cool, you do you.”
Boredom - Crystal Clear
If you like your punk rock less on the fast side and more on the melancholy side, then Boredom may scratch that itch for you. “Crystal Clear” showcases the band’s ability to tap into the alternative sound that has a wider appeal without sacrificing the genre’s energy and sense of urgency. The lyrics may be a tad too dramatic and high school-y, but the songwriting is solid and the melodies get stuck in your hand.
Juang Manyala - We (feat Cholil Mahmud & Gardika Gigih)
A mother’s prayer for her child is a powerful thing. On “We” (in Bugis Bone, a local language from South Sulawesi, the word means “women”), Makassar born musician Juang Manyala teams up with pianist Gardika Gigih and vocalist Cholil Mahmud of Efek Rumah Kaca fame to deliver a lush folk-pop number whose lyrics resemble those prayers, full of hope and encouragement. For immigrants living far away from their hometown, much like Juang himself, the song packs an emotional punch.
Disclaimer: The song was first released in September 2020, but recently a short movie adaption of the song, simply titled "We" has been made available on YouTube, and is worth watching.
