Digital Indigenous 6: Njondhil Njondhal

Javan gamelan ensembles are usually huge affairs, with ranks of musicians playing gongs and percussion instruments. Indonesian musician and composer Bagus Shidqi somehow manages to recreate the mesmerising sounds of gamelan virtually in his studio. His reputation for blending traditional music with digital sounds is on show on this album, which is loosely based on the Jathilan ritual in which dancers take on the appearance of horses to channel spirits. It kicks off with a typical gamelan intro, ‘Pambuko (Opening)’, underlining Shidqi’s commitment to honouring the music’s folk roots as he takes it to new destinations. This segues into the song that features Jathilan and then onto a standout, ‘Laku Urip (Live a Life)’, stressing unity and gratitude. In contrast to these are love songs like the bittersweet ‘Mblenjani Janji (Broken Promise)’, which encourages everyone to let go of broken promises, to move on and lead a better life.