In the Heart of Sumedang: Field Recordings from West Java

Two divergent sides of Sundanese music culture are highlighted in this exemplary set of field recordings from the highlands of West Java, Indonesia. Book-ending the album are extended examples of Sundanese Reak trance music. Opener ‘Overture’ is a vivid demonstration of the style; full of driving percussive rhythms performed on a variety of instruments – from gamelan to hand drums. Closer ‘Reak Lugay Pusaka Pajajaran’ adds the raw, drone-like sound of tarompet (a double reed wind instrument) amplified through a mobile speaker to the accompaniment of hypnotic beats and vocal caterwauls. Live performances feature wild, anarchic dancing and it’s easy to see how this hyper-energetic style has often been compared to punk rock. Far quieter but just as beguiling are the examples of Tarawangsa trance music. Made using two instruments – the jentreng (seven-stringed zither) and the tarawangsa (two-stringed fiddle) – the music has historically been used at rituals to honour deities and ancestors. Of the three tracks here, the highlight is ‘Pamapag / Gelar Mataram / Panimang / Limbangan’ in which slow-building, repetitive rhythms guide listeners towards a trance-like meditative state.