Released on tape, as well as digitally through Bandcamp, Derby Days is meant to capture the spirit and the sound of loud electric guitars being played by young people to often small but dedicated crowds at underground gigs over the past decade.

Peter Andriaan Walandouw, cofounder of Anoa Records, said the compilation was an effort to document the scene and to show support for the music he and others loved.

“We want to map out the current landscape of Indonesian indie rock, the bands and their characters,” Peter said. “And also we want to show that there is a supportive ecosystem for the scene, regardless of whether the bands get big or not.”

The name Derby Days is taken from the title of a song by Mutombo, a very short-lived band that was meant to be a joke. The band didn’t reveal its members’ names and only played two shows. It was made up of Pandu “Fuzztoni” of ZZUF, Alvi Ifthikar of Gascoigne and Peter himself, who also plays in Sugarsting. All three bands are on the album.

It’s a reference that illustrates the tight-knit and artistically cross-pollinated nature of the community, where it’s not uncommon for someone to be in a band or two, run a label and book shows while also cheering for their friends’ bands on stage.

Rocking listen: 'Derby Days' compiles songs from a number of Indonesia's best indie rock bands. (JP/Courtesy of Leeds and Anoa Records)

While the term “indie rock” has been increasingly widely used, encompassing bigger artists that can play stadiums, such as local bands Barasuara and Efek Rumah Kaca, as well as more chill guitar pop like American indie star Mac DeMarco, Derby Days focuses more on the raw side of indie rock, with many of its bands heavily influenced by the 90’s American college rock slacker sound, as embodied by Pavement, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.

“Obviously, Zaka [of Leeds Records] and I picked the bands with our own bias and subjectivity, but we went for bands that we think really define the current state of the local indie rock scene,” Peter said.

The Barefood effect

Arguably, the scene really took off in 2013 when Anoa Records released Barefood’s monumental EP, Sullen. Receiving much critical acclaim and selling well – and still highly sought after – the EP brought a lot of attention to the band and gained them a lot of new fans. But more importantly, it created a sense of excitement and thrill in the scene, paving the way for a new generation of indie rock bands.

The band’s bassist and lead vocalist Rachmad Triyadi said he remembered being confident in the EP, but its success also owed a lot to its timing and the cultural moment.

“Around 2009 and 2010, people were really into buying physical albums, and Anoa as a label, at the time, succeeded in recreating the spirit of an indie label through more proper management, a clear identity and mass promotion at a time when only bigger labels such as Demajors had the balls to do it,” Rachmad said.

“Plus, bigger acts such as Morfem were already massive and familiarized the audience with the guitar-oriented alternative rock sound,” he continued, “so Barefood and Anoa Records just happened to release Sullen at the right time.”

Same frequency, better networking

Starting off as a fan of Nirvana and Sonic Youth, Andi “Idam” Fauzi ended up forming Reid Voltus (2005-2012), possibly the first band from Bogor, West Java, to perform a dissonant brand of indie rock. At the time, like many other cities in Indonesia, Bogor was dominated by pensi (music festivals held by students at school), and in the underground, metal, punk and hardcore were the go-to music for the youth, leaving Reid Voltus in an awkward position.

“At the time, we weren’t asked to play that often. No one sounded like us,” Idam said, laughing. “Even our friends were confused by our music. ‘Is this grunge? Why does it sound like this?’”

However, the band did get some support from communities in Jakarta and Bandung, something they were grateful for.

Indie stars: Barefood is one of the most well-known bands taking part in the compilation album. (JP/Courtesy of Barefood)

Fast forward to almost a decade later. Idam has just released a debut EP with his new band Swellow. He says things are better now.

“Nowadays, there are more labels open to releasing this type of music, and there are more indie rock gigs being organized,” he said. “It’s nice to play for people who really enjoy this sound and are on the same frequency as you.”

The members of Much, an indie rock outfit nearly 900 kilometers away in Malang, East Java, have had a similar experience.

The band’s guitarist, Dandy Gilang said that in the beginning, among the existing hardcore punk scene and the folk-pop pensi crowds, the band didn’t know where it belonged.

“We weren’t heavy enough but also not soft enough, and that often confused people,” Dandy said. “But over time, our network of friends grew wider. Many people supported us, and we got to play more shows.”

The more the merrier

As the country’s indie rock scene has grown more diverse and better connected, Derby Days looks to give a platform to a number of different bands and represent their take on the sound.

“Anoa Records and Leeds Records simply want to support them,” said Zaka Sandra Novian of Leeds Records. “If the bands become popular, then that’s a plus for them.”

Neither label is a stranger to compilations. In April, Anoa Records released Ocean Blender: Indonesian Shoegazer Compilation Vol. 2, while late last year, Leeds Records put out Supersub!.

“Compilation albums are like having all your favorite dishes on one plate,” Zaka said.

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Derby Days: Indonesian Indie Rock Compilation will be released on July 17 on Bandcamp and at The Storefront.  The physical album can be ordered through Anoa Records and Leeds Records on their Instagram pages.