My time in Yogyakarta was too short and too frustrating. There only two days. One day I was sick from the home made wine the Harsh Noise crew in Solo had given me the night before, and the next day it rained all day. My host, Australian ex-pat Tim O’Donoghue, was severely limited by a badly broken foot. Despite everything, Yogyakarta completely enchanted me. I will be returning in January to get to know the city better, and – who knows? – perhaps my year-long journey searching for a new home has found an answer.

I shared the bill with Indra Menus, one of the shining lights of Jogja Noise Bombing. Once again: more electronic music I actually liked. 🙂

Jogja Noise Bombing is a curious phenomenon. Basically, a bunch of people head out on motorbikes with little guitar amps and home-made synthesizers, find some public place with a power outlet, plug in, and “noise bomb” until someone makes them stop. Punk rock meets Harsh Noise meets Occupy meets Street Theater meets INDONESIA. Except: not really. I have now travelled much of the world looking at all the global variations of electronic music, and Jogja Noise Bombing stands out as a true original. This is not any sort of mimicry of anything in the West. This is very homegrown and Indonesia. Their own concept, their own circuit designs, their own streets, their own noise in their very very noisy and amazing country.

I am not the only person to notice this. Google “Jogja Noise Bombing” to get a sense of the international attention generated. Beautiful.

Indra Menus