Monday 29 August 2016

Senyawa - Calling The New Gods

Many years ago, before the internet, you would have to stay up to silly-o'clock at to catch amazing gold that would be buried late at night by stupid television execs. Every now and then there would be a quite extraordinary find. Later, when videotape arrived you could set up a recorder to run through the night, and then see what, if anything, you had 'caught' at a more sensible time. This wonderful film took me straight back to those days.
It follows these two as they perform in all sorts of different places in Jogjakarta, from rural to city, and the music (just vocs and an incredible instrument called bambu wukir - bamboo spear) is semi-improvised to fit each setting. The filming catches each environment perfectly.
Fans of Popol Vuh and Magma will explode when they hear this stuff! Their influences seem to be Metal; local tribal styles and, clearly,improvisation.
Look, just watch and listen it's beautiful

See?
Hats off to the director Vincent Moon (he seems to work as Petites Planetes as well)
Ok now the good news is they're coming to the UK (well Newcastle!) this October.

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