White Shoes & the Couples Company: A Motley Crew of Indie Pop Indonesians

By: Chandra Drews

If there’s one thing Indonesians of my generation (born anytime between 1978-1988) most have in common, it’s the love for the melodies of pop tempoe doeloe that existed during our parents’ generation. Names varying from Koes Ploes, Dara Puspita, Chrisye, Panbers and even The Rollies were more-or-less ever present in the stereos of our parents during our formative years. Thus it’s not really surprising that one of Indonesia’s most recognized current bands abroad happen to embrace the old pop sound of Indonesia while simultaneously exporting the sound worldwide. Having toured the world and back again, the sextet known as White Shoes & the Couples Company are Indonesia’s answer to the independent pop phenomenon.

Dutch Indonesian Hip-Hop Producer I.N.T.: The Indonesian Production Tiger

By: Chandra Drews

I.N.T.: an I.N.T.roduction

It goes without saying that the Amsterdam based producer and DJ known as I.N.T. (Percy Samidjono) is one of the leading and most talented hip-hop producers in the Netherlands over the last decade. As part of the rap duo La Melodia (with esteemed female rapper MC Melodee), he has produced more than 5 full-length albums as well as having the pleasure of travelling the globe: from New York & Texas to Cape Town, Tokyo & Jakarta. After 15 years of work in Europe, he’s finally setting his sights on his spiritual home: Indonesia. Latitudes recently caught up with him where he talked more about his rise to the top, La Melodia, his influences as well as his plan to relocate to Indonesia.

Up & Coming: Two Jakarta Based Indie Hot Shots

By: Chandra Drews

Finally finding something that you’ve been searching for some time (yet always knew existed) can cause quite the adrenaline rush. I recently returned to Jakarta for thirty days, mainly to proceed with my wedding celebrations, but also to burrow my nose deeper into Jakarta’s burgeoning underground music scene I’ve been hearing so much about.

I should perhaps accentuate my happiness at discovering such a thriving scene, as much of the popular music scene in Jakarta reflects much of the mainstream music world – bland, unoriginal, and weak. Yet in my limited time in the capital, I managed to listen to and see performances from quite a few promising bands and solo acts that left me smiling from ear-to-ear. Two of these acts reflect just a couple of the different styles that make up the independent music-making scene in Jakarta; the underground rock based Jirapah and the jazz/electro/hip hop inspired Aryo Adhianto and Space System.

Jakarta at Sundown: Explore Jakarta by Night

By: Chandra Drews

Nightclubs & Cafes in Jakarta After-hours. You can say many things about Jakarta, but not that it's dull! Check out this top 5 Jakarta Nightlife List: Potato Head, Capocaccia, Stadium, Dragonfly & De Hooi. Let your hair down and unwind in Jakarta's current hot spots!

Eating out in The Big Durian, Jakarta Food Guide

By: Chandra Drews

With The Big Durian’s (a stinky but delicious fruit, a nickname that aptly symbolizes the capital of Indonesia) 19 million inhabitants it's no surprise that dining options are limitless. To taste the sweeter side of the capital of Indonesia, try these 4 top tips: Street food, Sundanese Food, Padang Food, and dining in the atmosperic colonial Cafe Batavia!

Indo-Rock: An Indo-European Hybrid

By: Chandra Drews

Never mind Elvis Presley and Bill Haley, the Tielman Brothers and their fellow Indo-rockers really rocked Europe in the 1950s. Pretty much forgotten in Western Europe and generally ignored in Indonesia, the story of Indo Rock is a curious one, closely intertwined with the story of Indonesian settlers in the Netherlands after Indonesia’s independence in 1945.

The sub-genre would prove to be one of the first modern marriages between western rhythm & blues/rock & roll with keroncong.

Indonesian Rock – A Documentation of Change

By: Chandra Drews

The story of the development of rock music in Indonesia is tightly related to the cultural and political changes the country faced in the last 50 years.

Chandra Drews delves into the history of rock in Indonesia:  Indonesian rock during the Sukarno years, the New Order and now.

Gamelan, a true Indonesian invention!

By: Chandra Drews

Gamelan: A Distinctly Indonesian Thing

Mention ‘Indonesian Music’ to most folks in the Western hemisphere (or anywhere else come to that) and ‘Gamelan’ would be one of the first things that’ll cross their minds.

The Gamelan reflects a huge part of Indonesian culture in general, where collectivism is considered much more important than individualism (almost all the instruments in the gamelan have to be used as part of a larger ensemble and cannot be used individually to any enjoyable degree).

Dangdut: Indonesia’s Blue Collar Dance Movement

By: Chandra Drews

Anybody ever visiting a village wedding will have witnessed it: Dangdut. An often female singer, for Indonesian standards quite scantily dressed, showing off her for Indonesian standards quite daring dance moves. Indonesia’s working class music of choice the dangdut craze continues.

Dangdut: How it all began

Ask anyone in Indonesia (and Java specifically) today what he or she thinks is the ‘Music of The People’; and their answer should be quite resounding: Dangdut!

Indonesian Music, Your Online Guide!

By: Chandra Drews and Emma Kwee

Indonesia has a rich culture of music that sadly often goes unappreciated overseas or even (more sadly) at home. This article offers a quick overview of Indonesian music, past and present, and the explosion of subcultures and scenes in the archipelago.

Indonesian Music, an Introduction

Many people in Europe often ask me to explain the essence of Indonesian music in a few short sentences. Sadly that’s almost impossible to do. So what really is the music of a country comprised of more than 17,000 islands?