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PREORDER
Ships When IN STOCK.
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ARTIST
TITLE
Nusantara Beat
FORMAT
CD
LABEL
CATALOG #
GB 180CD
GB 180CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
11/14/2025
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The highly anticipated debut album from Amsterdam-based Indonesian psych-folk ensemble Nusantara Beat has finally arrived. Having built a rapidly rising reputation through captivating live performances and a string of acclaimed 7" singles (Bongo Joe Records), this self-titled album powerfully extends an already potent musical vision. A mesmerizing collection of eleven original tracks, Nusantara Beat delves deep into the group's Indonesian ancestral roots, and thrillingly weaves together hypnotic folk melodies, vintage Indo-pop, pulsating psychedelic grooves and contemporary sonic textures. Nusantara Beat grew out of Amsterdam's vibrant music scene, with several of its members previously playing in Dutch groups including EUT, Jungle by Night and the Turkish psych ensemble Altin Gün. But it was the allure of exploring Indonesian sounds that cemented their alliance. Released in 2023, "Djanger" is a beloved song describing the movements of a Balinese dancer. "Kota Bandung," also released in 2023, is a 1970s classic describing the capital city of West Java. And 2024's "Mang Becak" is another '70s pop track based around a conversation between a woman and a becak (bicycle rickshaw) driver, delivered in Sundanese, the local language of West Java. Across these three singles, Nusantara Beat paid heartfelt tribute to the tradition of "Sunda Pop" -- the Indonesian pop sensation that, from the 1960s onwards, blended traditional Sundanese music with contemporary pop sounds such as psychedelia, surf music and funk. Nusantara Beat have staked out a daring place in modern music, paying homage to the tradition of Sunda Pop, while reinvigorating it for the 21st century with pristine production techniques, modern synthesizers and deep grooves. Now, with their self-titled debut album, Nusantara Beat have gone one step further, writing, recording and producing eleven scintillating original songs that have their roots deep in tradition while stretching out into bold new worlds. The ethereal mood of the traditional Javanese and Balinese gamelan percussion ensemble can be heard to striking effect, underpinning the heavy twang of a surf guitar and whooshing synth sirens. And, throughout the album, samples of Balinese gamelan instruments add extra depth, along with the sounds of traditional instruments such as the kecapi zither, the kendang drum and Balinese gongs. Most of the lyrics -- written in English and translated into Indonesian -- deal with the complexities of modern love, with a bittersweet pop sensibility perfectly suited to Megan's gorgeously delicate vocal style. Atmospheric, mesmerizing and timeless, it's a perfect example of the magic Nusantara Beat weave. Nusantara Beat is the sound of an utterly unique musical collective, forging new ground with a breathtaking freshness and a seductive sense of folk history that echoes through the decades.
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