Sometimes, the title of an album could attract both curiosity and confusion in equal measure. The title of Tradeto Nurfandiasto's freshman album Kelahiran Kala Nanti (Impending Birth), for instance, might not be something that should be taken at face value considering his literal genesis had taken place 30 years ago and there was no actual childbirth that he was looking forward to in a nearby future.

Is the title too tortuous for its own good? Perhaps. But then again, Tradeto Nurfandiasto, who performs by using his first name as a stage moniker, believed the same could be said for any form of birth and nascency, which served as a major inspiration that informed Kelahiran Kala Nanti. After 30 years of stepping onto Planet Earth, the Jakarta-based singer-songwriter and producer realized that, as a human being, he would always experience moments of nascency after his actual birth, over and over again.

"It's the moments that leave a mark on my 30-year life journey so far," explained Tradeto to The Jakarta Post on March 28. "When I was born, when I stood on my own two feet, when I learned to trust and love someone, when I stumbled, when I got back on my feet again, all of those were 'birthing' moments that I didn't expect back when I was first delivered to the world. And Kelahiran Kala Nanti is about a few impactful moments that might have shaped who I am today."

'Atmospheric' electronica

Every band member has their respective reason for deciding to strike out on their own, and Tradeto is no exception. His band Glaskaca, in which he serves as a vocalist and guitarist, had made a name for itself since the release of the band's debut extended play (EP) record Identity back in 2015, which, afterward, was followed up by another EP record and a full-length studio album. For the band's rousing number "Atom", Glaskaca earned a nomination for best rock duo/group/vocal group/collaboration production at the 2019 Anugerah Musik Indonesia (AMI Awards).

Be that as it may, Tradeto felt that, in his case, his decision to embark on a solo project was rooted in what was initially a whim.

"At the time, I did quite a lot of fad projects, stuff that I wrote for no reason at all without being released. Eventually, I wanted to experience releasing music with, to put it roughly, my own idealism and with no interference by two or three other heads," he divulged.

Tradeto's official solo number, "Semu" (Pseudo), was self-released on digital streaming platforms in December 2019, having drawn in more than 109,000 plays on Spotify alone as of today. After observing public response to the track, he felt more encouraged to find out "how far I could push myself, musically", he remarked. One certain thing, however, is he was not interested in replicating Glaskaca's alternative-rock soundscape for his solo endeavor.

Personally, Tradeto was intrigued by alternative pop and experimental pop acts such as Bon Iver and Thom Yorke, all while finding inspiration from electronic rock acts such as Bring Me the Horizon. After examining the "red thread" that connects all his muses, he arrived at a conclusion: He was keen on mashing-up alternative pop with a dash of "expansive" electronic production.

"The appeal of making music electronically is how it would offer a different kind of experience once you perform it live," Tradeto enthused. "If you listen to the album, it might sound atmospheric, more elegant, and you can catch all the details. However, once the album is performed live, it's going to be a whole different situation."

Older and 'scared'

Tradeto did not hold back when it came to formulating various forms of electronic sound for Kelahiran Kala Nanti, which bowed digitally on March 15. For the exception of the more barebones tracks "Selisih" (Quarrel) featuring post-rock musician Reruntuh and "Kembali 'Tuk Mencinta" (Return to Love), all of his vocals are deliberately layered and distorted. For instance, the euphoric "Meninggi" (Boastful), a song that Tradeto described as an expression of "arrogance", electronically manipulates the artist's vocal, making it seem high-pitched and slightly sped-up.

Tradeto's sound might split hairs among the Indonesian music audiences, especially the pop purists who frown upon digitally processed vocals. Nonetheless, he assured them he had no intention to provoke his audiences whatsoever: "It's more about shaping the mood I'd like to insert into the song in question."

What about the pop purists who might take jabs at Tradeto's vocal ability instead? 

"I'm okay with that," he answered, smiling. "I'm fine if that's what people would say. I would accept that. However, this is the kind of sound that I wanted to showcase in the first place."

Moreover, Tradeto decided to see any possible reaction, good or bad, in a positive light. 

"If it annoys you, well, that means the message comes across," he later quipped.

The artist was also engaged in pushing himself, lyrically. Inspired by the fact that he would turn 30 this year, Tradeto wished to recount all emotionally significant moments that led him to who he is today from the last three decades. The album's fourth track "Berbunga", which is a wordplay, with bunga meaning both “flower” and “money interest”, documents a certain moment when he inadvertently became a vindictive person. "Selisih" archives his recurring worries in the face of life's uncertainty.

The Hindia-featured "Tentang Masa Depan / Satu Dua Langkah" (About the Future / One Two Steps), arguably one of the darkest tracks on the album, recaptures the moment when Tradeto was close to quitting music altogether because of the pandemic. He was already in his late 20s when the pandemic swept the whole country.

"The music industry was the last thing that could go on because it needed the masses and so many helping hands. Back then, I felt that I was a nobody. I had not reached the point that I had hoped and imagined before," detailed Tradeto.

Ironically, Tradeto acknowledged how "turning 30 itself" could spur on a musician's creativity, especially because "there are so many stories to tell once we transition into the thirties. So many things that, perhaps, leave such an impression on us. That's why this album comprises so many forms of expressions and explorations".

When all's said and done, Tradeto understood how getting older (and turning 30, specifically) could be a terrifying prospect, especially for musicians such as himself. Still, once he looked at his past and his present, he found his conviction that he, after all, "is just getting started" on his music journey.

"It's okay to feel worried, it's okay to feel scared. But, the thing is, you should never stop," he concluded. 

Tradeto's Kelahiran Kala Nanti is available to stream now.

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