Music
Go Beyond Japanese City Pop With These Mixes Full Of Indonesian City Pop
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Discover the neon hues of Indonesian boogie and disco.
Over the past few years, the world has slowly woken up to the criminally-underrated sounds of Japanese city pop. Thanks to a bunch of mixes, genre primers and well-researched compilations, the dreamy, cosmopolitan funk of ’80s Japan has made its way to listeners beyond its native shores.
What is probably less well known, however, is that at a similar time another country was revelling in its own sleek, city pop sheen. Indonesia is probably better known these days for its unique experimental scene, most notably the likes of the deep and doomy sounds of Senyawa. But back in the ’80s Japan’s take on pop had filtered into Indonesia, leading to a jazz and funk-heavy pop music which is just as infectious as its northern counterpart.
Thanks to these seven mixtapes, you can get the perfect primer into the artists and bands that made this unique moment in Indonesian music so special. Listen in full above, and get ready for some serious digging ahead.
