ALUGARA
Experimental gamelan music
J. Mo'ong Santoso Pribadi
Bilawa Ade Respati
About
Pribadi and Respati at Latent Sonorities concert, Morphine Raum, Berlin, 2023 (photo: Eunice Maurice)
Alugara is a duet project by J. Mo’ong Pribadi and Bilawa Ade Respati. They perform contemporary / experimental gamelan music either on traditional gamelan or self-built instruments, with live electronics and visual performance. The musical style deviates from the traditional gamelan music, while respecting the philosophy thereof: collective music making on the border of improvisation and composition.Behind the intricate rhythmic density, inharmonic timbre, and large pallets of tuning characteristics of the gamelan, lies the algorithmically generated sound, processed sound samples and large cluster of synthesized drones. Self-built instruments by Mo’ong Pribadi added further sonic possibilities of found objects, while keeping remnants of the gamelan music recognizable. The visual that accompanies their performance captures this interplay between the traditional and the contemporary: abstract shadow figures, geometric elements placed in mathematical configuration, and visual collages that transfigure forms.Alugara’s music is an attempt to answer the question, how would gamelan music of today will sound? What kind of collective negotiation still taking place where strict communal rules are replaced by individual aesthetic expression? Their music transcends beyond the often imagined gamelan music, on the border of sonic frontier thereof, while keeping its essence.
Latent Sonorities (2023)
Upcoming Album (TBA 2025)
Please contact us if you're interested in listening to the demo for our upcoming album.
Artist Bio
J "MO'ONG" SANTOSO PRIBADI is an experimental music composer and instrument builder, born in Bangkok and raised in Java. His work focuses on decolonial music, seeking to reconnect with and reinterpret the sounds of the Archipelago—"Indonesia." Mo’ong's practice is driven by a profound desire to reshape cultural expressions, honoring their origins while adapting them to modern contexts.Mo’ong's work spans diverse genres and multidisciplinary collaborations, including modern dance, theater, contemporary puppet theater, installation art, and performance art. In 2015, he launched the Limbah Berbunyi project, composing music from instruments made of found objects and waste materials. He also initiated the Sound-Making Objects project, pushing the boundaries of unconventional materials in music-making.As part of the experimental duo Raja Kirik with musician/composer Yennu Ariendra, Mo’ong explores the war of narratives during the Dutch occupation of Indonesia. His latest project, Takkak Takkak, a collaboration with Shigeru Ishihara (DJ Scotch Egg), merges experimental sounds and cross-cultural influences into genre-defying performances.Mo’ong has also contributed as a sound designer and composer for several independent films, further expanding his creative reach.
Bilawa Ade Respati is an Indonesian musician and performing artist based in Berlin. He performs on the Javanese Gamelan and the guitar, composing music for both instruments. In his works, Respati pursues a syncretic approach: from music information retrieval to the performing arts, from the art of Javanese Karawitan to algorithmic music composition. His artistic interest lies in the dialectic between tradition and innovation, as well as the revaluation of tradition in contemporary life.Formally trained in Engineering Physics, he specializes in acoustic signal processing and music information retrieval, especially on the analysis of Javanese gamelan music. Parallel to his formal training as an engineer, he is also learning classical guitar, Javanese gamelan, and music composition, from various teachers as well as autodidactically.Respati's work outputs ranges from music for dance theatre to web audio installation. His wide interest translates to many collaborations. Besides his duet project with Mo'ong, his recent collaborators include the choreographer Ruben Reniers (under rubarb dance & art), the lighting designer and visual artist Emese Csornai, and the puppeteer Lisa Björkstrom.
Contact
Bilawa Ade Respati
Email: [email protected]