Balungan

The 13-member band kicks off its debut, Kudu Bisa Kudu, with the nostalgic steam whistle and intentionally garbled boarding call of “Javanese TGV”, but as soon as the driving bassline gears ups, it’s clear that we’re riding a 21st-century conveyance. Gang vocals, hairpin-curve guitars, and accelerating arpeggios played on tuned percussion also announce that this is a multicultural journey—and in fact the group is made up of seven of Java’s most open-minded gamelan virtuosos, plus six equally adventurous rock musicians from the south of France.

PERSONNEL:

• Guigou Chenevier (drums)
• Loïc Guénin (keyboards)
• Laurent Frick (vocals)
• Gilles Laval (guitare)
• Laurent Luci (guitare)
• Franck Testut (bass)
• Setyanto Prajoko (gamelan)
• Sudaryanto (gamelan)
• Tri Widiantoro (gamelan)
• Setyaji Dewanto (gamelan)
• Sutikno (gamelan)
• Bagus Ariyanto Seputro Nasution (gamelan)
• Desyana Wulani Putri (gamelan)

TRACKS:

• 01. Javanese TGV
• 02. Bruits d'Eclats
• 03. Wewarah
• 04. Gameland
• 05. Meet
• 06. Nikiniku
• 07. XGY14
• 08. KethéK Saranggon
• 09. Poulet Mort
• 10. The Guy I am
• 11. Beteng
• 12. Kangen