Paras: The Playlist
To enrich the reading experience of the Paras book, we have curated a playlist that charts nearly a century of Balinese music’s evolution. This assembled collection features 28 songs, spanning from 1928 to 2023, and includes a diverse range of musicians from Bali, Indonesia, and beyond. The playlist not only showcases Balinese artists but also highlights international acts whose work incorporates elements of Balinese music, whether through instrumentation, scales, progressions, or underlying philosophies.
To listen to the playlist, visit Paras’ Spotify account here. The complete song list is as follows:
Buaya Mangap (1928)
Written by unknown
Arranged by Gamelan Gong Kebyar of Belaluan
Performed by Gamelan Gong Kebyar of Belaluan
Although Bali was part of the Dutch East Indies by 1928, the island’s rajas (kings) had only been fully subdued in 1908. This ‘puput,’ or ‘end,’ of the regional kingdoms, while marking their fall, also ushered in a new era. The dismantling of their power and wealth triggered a decentralisation and democratisation of the arts, spreading them to the banjars. Simultaneously, the Dutch introduced modernity through fashions and technology, and the 1920s saw a growing influx of European and American cruise ship travellers to Bali’s idyllic shores.
The Bali Hotel, opening in 1928 within earshot of Gong Belaluan’s rehearsals at their balé banjar, quickly became a center for artistic performances tailored to international audiences. Yet, Balinese artistic innovation remained rooted in the indigenous tastes and passions of both artists and their local communities. Notably, the Buaya Mangap gamelan composition attracted international attention. Ethnomusicologist Colin McPhee transcribed it for piano as Tabuh Telu, and Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, fascinated by gamelan music, incorporated McPhee’s transcriptions into his concert repertoire. In 1942, Bartók and his wife performed McPhee’s Balinese Ceremonial Music, including Buaya Mangap, for two pianos at Amherst College. Furthermore, Bartók integrated elements of Balinese gamelan music into his own composition, Mikrokosmos, in 1940.
Mikrokosmos, BB 105, Vol. IV: No. 109 From the Island of Bali (1940)
Written by Béla Bartók
Arranged by Béla Bartók
Performed by Béla Bartók
Between 1926 and 1939, Béla Bartók composed Mikrokosmos (Hungarian: Mikrokozmosz), a collection of 153 progressive piano pieces organized into six volumes. Published in 1940, these works were initially presented with the subtitle Progressive Pieces for Piano, emphasising their didactic purpose. When Ernst Roth of Boosey & Hawkes suggested Progressive Piano Pieces in Modern Idiom, Bartók declined. He reasoned, “in 20, or let us say in 40 years this work will cease to be ‘modern.’ And what does it mean ‘modern’? This word has no definite sense, can be misinterpreted, misunderstood!”. Notably, From the Island of Bali is featured within the fourth volume of this comprehensive collection.
Very Nice is Bali Bali (1956)
Written by Léon Pober
Produced by unknown
Performed by Patience & Prudence
Bali Bali, very nice. Bali Bali paradise. Plenty of fish, and plenty of rice. High in mountain, deep in valley. Very nice is Bali Bali…
Despite lyrics that paint a clear picture of Balinese life and scenery, the music of this song is unexpectedly reminiscent of a Westernised version of Chinese music, a departure from typical Balinese musical styles. The mystery surrounding this song is deepened by the fact that it was recorded by sisters Prudence and Patience McIntyre, who were only 11 and 14 years old at the time, leaving its background largely undocumented.
Full Moon (1960)
Written by Eden Ahbez
Produced by Eden Ahbez
Performed by Eden Ahbez
To live in an old shack by the sea and breathe the sweet salt air. To live with the dawn and the dusk, the new moon and the full moon, the tides, the wind, and the rain. To surf and comb the beach and gather seashells and drift-wood, and know the thrill of loneliness, and lose all sense of time, and be free…
This song, a piece from Eden’s Island (The Music Of An Enchanted Isle), is a sonic reflection of the life lived by its creator, Eden Ahbez. He believed that the greatest treasure was free time, and he structured his entire existence around that principle. Imagine the music born from nights spent under the Hollywood sign’s ‘L,’ from years of contemplative study of Asian mysticism. His lifestyle, sleeping outdoors, a diet of nature’s simplest gifts, and a budget of USD 3 a week, wasn’t merely a quirky choice; it was the crucible in which his artistic vision was formed. The music isn’t just a composition; it’s an echo of a life dedicated to the pursuit of time, a life that valued experience over acquisition—the ultimate luxury.
Djanger Bali (1967)
Written by I Gede Dharma
Arranged by Bubi Chen and Tony Scott
Performed by Bubi Chen, Benny Mustafa, Jack Lesmana, Jopie Chen, Kiboud Maulana, Maryono, and Tony Scott
Djanger Bali is a landmark hybrid jazz album, fusing jazz with traditional Indonesian music, performed by American jazz clarinetist Tony Scott and the Indonesian All-Stars. This group, which included Jack Lesmana, Bubi Chen, Benny Mustafa, Maryono, Kiboud Maulana, and Jopie Chen, later became iconic figures in Indonesian jazz. Significantly, Djanger Bali represents the first Indonesian-international fusion album, preceding Guruh Gipsy by nearly a decade.
Palewakia (1971)
Written by I Gede Manik
Arranged by Gamelan Gong Kebyar of Belaluan
Performed by Gamelan Gong Kebyar of Belaluan
From the village of Jagaraga in Buleleng, Bali, came I Gede Manik, a master of dance and karawitan. He gifted the world Palawakya Dance, a Kebyar form that defies expectations. Unlike typical dances, Palawakya requires the performer to weave together three distinct skills: dancing, the melodic recitation of ‘mewirama,’ and the intricate playing of the gamelan, or ‘megambel.’ This unique blend of disciplines makes it a notoriously challenging piece.
Monkey Chant (1974)
Written by Jon Field and Tony Duhig (contains interpolation of Balinese Kecak Dance created by Wayan Limbak and Walter Spies)
Produced by Jon Field and Tony Duhig
Performed by Jade Warrior
In their 1974 album, Floating World, Jade Warrior, a pioneering British band, incorporated elements of Balinese music, making them one of the earliest to do so. While the album itself is a jazz-rock-classical crossover conceptually rooted in Japanese tradition—the title Floating World directly translates from the Japanese ukiyo, which describes a hedonistic, urban lifestyle detached from nature—it features Monkey Chant, a song distinctly infused with Balinese influence. This song prominently interpolates the Kecak dance, making the Balinese inspiration readily apparent.
Sound Chaser (1974)
Written by Yes
Produced by Yes, Eddie Offord (contains interpolation of Balinese Kecak Dance (created by Wayan Limbak and Walter Spies)
Performed by Yes
In their 1974 album Relayer, progressive rock giants Yes incorporated the distinctive Kecak chanting into Sound Chaser. This song, a virtuosic blend of jazz and rock reminiscent of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, explores the relationship between transcendental subconsciousness and rhythm through its lyrics.
Tjandra (1975)
Written by Eberhard Schoener
Produced by Eberhard Schoener
Performed by Eberhard Schoener
The German pioneer Eberhard Schoener, celebrated for his 1960s fusion of classical music and electronic instrumentation, including popularising the Moog synthesiser in Europe and collaborating with Tangerine Dream and the Police, embarked on a pivotal journey in the 1970s.
This journey led him to the Indonesian island of Bali, where he encountered the gamelan orchestra led by Balinese masters Saba And Pinda. Their collaboration resulting in three albums recorded at the Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur: Bali-Agúng in 1975, Trance-Mission Bali-Symphony in 1991, and Harmonia Mundi in 1993.
This collaboration was vividly demonstrated in a live performance on the German TV show Am Laufenden Band, coinciding with the release of Bali-Agúng. This performance showcased a rich cultural exchange, with Saba And Pinda and Schoener’s German colleagues blending Indonesian kendhang, kemanak, and gangsa instruments with Western instruments like guitars, Moog synths, and drum kits. The performance was visually enhanced by traditional Balinese dancers joining in the latter half.
A key aspect of Bali-Agúng was Schoener’s approach to electronics, which served as a counterpoint to the Indonesian music, rather than an attempt to imitate it.
Woodhenge (1979)
Written by Mike Oldfield
Produced by Tom Newman
Performed by Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield, in contrast to the prevalent trend of Western musicians simply borrowing or sampling Balinese musical elements for pastiche, chose a distinct path. This involved utilising the instruments themselves, but embedding them within modern musical compositions—a method shared by fellow innovative musicians and producers such as Björk, Brian Eno, Robert Fripp of King Crimson, and Steve Reich. Specifically, Oldfield employed a range of gamelans and other Balinese percussive instruments across at least three of his works: Woodhenge (1979), The Wind Chimes (Part II) (1987), and Nightshade (2005).
新舞踊 (1981)
Written by Yellow Magic Orchestra (contains interpolation of Balinese Kecak Dance (created by Wayan Limbak and Walter Spies)
Produced by Haruomi Hosono and Yellow Magic Orchestra
Performed by Yellow Magic Orchestra
The Tokyo electronic trio Yellow Magic Orchestra, led by Haruomi Hosono, incorporated samples of Kecak chanting on their song 新舞踊 / Neue Tanz from the album Technodelic. This innovative use of Balinese vocal elements was made possible by the custom-made Toshiba LMD-649, one of the earliest digital samplers. The integration of Balinese musical elements into Japanese popular music reached a significant peak in 1988. For the soundtrack of the animated cyberpunk film Akira, musical director Shōji Yamashiro prominently infused numerous Balinese musical instruments and sounds into the score, effectively enhancing key scenes and character development. Later, Yellow Magic Orchestra members Haruomi Hosono and Ryuichi Sakamoto continued to explore these influences, using selections of Balinese and Javanese gamelan instruments in their individual works, including Paradise View (1985), the scores for Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) starring David Bowie, and Island (2020).
Discipline (1981)
Written by Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and Bill Bruford
Produced by King Crimson and Rhett Davies
Performed by King Crimson
Within gamelan [ensemble] itself, it would be inconceivable to have gamelan as a natural part of the so-called industrial capitalist culture. The natural product of our [western] particular culture is the star [soloist showmanship] system. You couldn’t conceivably have stars within gamelan, it simply wouldn’t be possible. So if you’re not particularly fond of the star system, and yet that’s your culture, what would happen if you adopted some of the forms of gamelan where you took the idea that everyone has autonomy? You have somewhere between a democracy and a true anarchism. Not an anarchy, an anarchism. Where, not so much there is not any ruler, but that everyone has equal ruling authority. If you like, what would be the effects on the relationship in a band if, not only do you share all the money equally – which we do – and you don’t have a boss – which we don’t – what happened if you use those musical forms which would underpin that kind of society?
– Robert Fripp (on how King Crimson adopted the spirit of gamelan in the 1980’s)
After a seven-year hiatus, King Crimson returned with Discipline, an album marking a radical departure from their previous work, Red. Instead of focusing on raw power, Discipline explored intricate textures and interlocking melodies played across diverse meters, drawing inspiration from Balinese gamelan music. This approach is exemplified in the title track, Discipline, where the band—two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer—each perform distinct parts in separate meters or time signatures, creating a seemingly fragmented yet ultimately harmonious whole. Each instrument has equal role and complements the others without overpowering them, embodying a gamelan orchestral mentality, not just simply using gamelan instruments.
I’ve Been to Bali Too (1984)
Written by John Schumann
Produced by Trevor Lucas
Performed by Redgum
You’ve been to Paris and you’ve been to Boston. You’ve been to Fiji and You’ve been to London. But you can’t impress me. ‘Cause I’ve been to Bali too…
To promote their fourth album, Frontline, Australian band Redgum released I’ve Been to Bali Too as its lead single. This humorous and upbeat track vividly captures the experience of traveling to Bali in the mid-1980s. The song is packed with vivid details, referencing airline ‘Qantas’ (and ‘its nickname the flying kangaroo’), the Balinese capital ‘Denpasar’, backpacker hubs like ‘Kuta’, ‘Legian’, and ‘Poppies Lane’, local transport (‘bemo’), and the common tourist ailment ‘Bali belly’. The lyrics, ‘took my bag and mozzie coils to Peliatan, it’s there where my Bali trip really began. Been there, done that, I’ve been to Bali too. Tourists from Holland, Britain, and France. late night puppet shows, Legong Dance…‘, paint a picture of typical 1980s tourist activities, particularly in Ubud and its surroundings, where cultural experiences and European visitors were prevalent.
To further promote the song, a music video was filmed across various Balinese locations. These included Tandjung Sari Hotel in Sanur and Sanur beach itself (featuring vocalist Michael Atkinson in a ‘Bali Travel Service’ t-shirt on a jukung boat), the streets of Kuta and Legian, Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati in Ubud, and scenic village and rice field areas with Mount Agung in the backdrop.
Mr Suharto Man (1985)
Written by David Bridie and John Phillips
Produced by David Bridie and Richard Girven
Performed by Not Drowning, Waving
Mr Suharto Man, a song by the another Australian band Not Drowning, Waving, recounts the devastating story of the Indonesian military’s invasion, occupation, and genocide in Timor-Leste (East Timor) under President Suharto’s rule from 1975-1999. The invasion was justified, from the Indonesian perspective, by the Balibo Declaration, which claimed East Timor’s desire for integration with Indonesia. However, this declaration, later derisively termed the “Balibohong Declaration” (where ‘bohong’ means ‘lie’ in Bahasa Indonesia, thus making it ‘Bali Lie Declaration’), was actually drafted by Indonesian intelligence and signed in a secret hotel in Bali.
The subsequent Indonesian occupation was marked by severe human rights abuses, including torture and massacres, constituting the East Timor genocide. Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik himself estimated that 50,000 to 80,000 East Timorese were killed in the first two years alone. Despite this brutality, resistance persisted throughout Indonesian rule. In 1999, a United Nations-sponsored act of self-determination led to Indonesia relinquishing control. Finally, on 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste emerged as the first new sovereign state of the 21st century.
Durma (1985)
Written by unknown / traditional
Arranged by Gong Gede Orchestra
Performed by Gong Gede Orchestra
To truly grasp the essence of Durma, it’s essential to understand its dual nature, its ability to convey both atmosphere and meaning. First, consider the word “durma” itself, which translates to tiger in classical Javanese. This association with a powerful and potentially dangerous animal explains why Durma is frequently used to set a mood of fear, tension, or even sadness. It’s the perfect poetic form to create a sense of unease or foreboding.
However, the word “durma” also has a connection to the word “derma,” which signifies generosity and the act of sharing. This second meaning allows Durma to serve as a vehicle for moral and ethical reflection. It often addresses situations where individuals, after receiving blessings or achieving prosperity, fail to maintain their ethical standards. It’s a subtle yet powerful reminder of the importance of gratitude and the obligation to share one’s good fortune.
Durma is commonly found in stories that depict conflict, both on a grand scale, like wars, and on a personal level, like internal struggles. Through these narratives, Durma conveys profound life lessons. It underscores the importance of our social nature, reminding us that we are all interconnected and reliant on one another. It’s a poetic expression of the values of gratitude, generosity, and social responsibility.
Amlapura (1991)
Written by David Bowie and Reeves Gabrels
Produced by David Bowie, Hugh Padgham, Hunt Sales, Kevin Armstrong, Reeves Gabrels, Tim Palmer, and Tony Fox Sales
Performed by Tin Machine
David Bowie’s band, Tin Machine, titled their song Amlapura, the fifth song on their second album, after a small town on Bali’s east coast. The name ‘Amlapura’ itself combines ‘amla,’ meaning fruit, and ‘pura,’ meaning place, and the town serves as the capital of the Karangasem Regency. Bowie had a deep connection to Bali, visiting the island multiple times. He was among the first to see the Amandari resort during its construction, prior to its October 1989 opening. While Bowie never owned a property in Bali, his Caribbean home on Mustique was designed with Balinese influences, featuring landscaping by Made Wijaya, the same designer responsible for Amandari’s grounds. Notably, Amlapura was also released in a Bahasa Indonesia version, with lyrics co-written by Setiawan Djodi, an Indonesian businessman and musician from Surakarta.
David Bowie, who died in 2016 after a private battle with cancer, requested cremation in Bali and the scattering of his ashes in East Bali, a wish fulfilled by his wife, supermodel Iman Abdulmajid.
Gamelan Guitar (1997)
Written by John Fahey
Produced by Cul de Sac
Performed by Cul de Sac and John Fahey
John Fahey’s highly influential style is considered the foundation of American primitive guitar, a genre characterised by its self-taught nature and minimalist approach, a term borrowed from painting. In the mid-1990s, he collaborated with the Canadian rock group Cul de Sac, resulting in the 1997 release The Epiphany of Glenn Jones. Notably, Fahey’s compositions Gamelan Collage and Gamelan Guitar directly mimic the Balinese gamelan pentatonic scale on guitar.
Caka 1922 (1998)
Written by Dewa Budjana
Produced by Dewa Budjana
Performed by Dewa Budjana
The musical journey of Dewa Budjana took a spiritual turn in 1998 with the release of Nyanyian Dharma, a Hindu devotional album. This independent project became a collaborative showcase, drawing in the talents of renowned Indonesian musicians. From jazz composer Indra Lesmana to vocal powerhouse Trie Utami, and his own Gigi bandmates Thomas Ramdhan and Budhy Haryono, alongside Ronald Fristianto, the album was a testament to Budjana’s vision. Supported by the Bali Tourism Board, Budjana’s self-produced work introduced Nyepi, named after the Balinese New Year’s Day—a day of silence, fasting, and meditation. Trie Utami lent her vocals to Nyepi, which was later transformed into the instrumental piece Caka 1922, which found its home on his solo debut, Gitarku, released in 2000.
Poppies Lane Memory (1998)
Written by Bimbim
Produced by Slank
Performed by Slank
Slank’s Poppies Lane Memory, a song that names five enigmatic female figures associated with hard liquor, drugs, and psychotropics, was penned by Bimbim, the band’s drummer and co-founder, in 1993. However, it wasn’t until 1998 that the song was officially released on their seventh album, Tujuh. The song’s title references the infamous Poppies Lane in Kuta, a hotspot for backpackers. Years later, in 2021, Slank shared an uncensored live recording of the track from a 2010 performance at the Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta on their YouTube channel. Bimbim himself encouraged listeners to seek out this live version, stating, “So if you want to know who Dissa, Petty, Corrine, Mira, and Joy are, listen to the recording at the Hard Rock Cafe,” suggesting it reveals the song’s true meaning.
Amok!: I (2000)
Written by Evan Ziporyn
Arranged by Evan Ziporyn
Performed by Evan Ziporyn and Gamelan Galak Tika
What if a first-rate American musician seriously studied Balinese gamelan and started to combine it with electric bass, bowed bass, and processed samples of gamelan sounds, all done with a sympathetic ear out for techno and rock? Well, one has, and his name is Evan Ziporyn. Take a listen to the third track of Amok! and elsewhere on this CD to hear the results
– Steve Reich
Professor Evan Ziporyn’s musical trajectory, spanning Balinese temples and global concert stages, began with formal studies at Eastman, Yale, and UC Berkeley, under the tutelage of Joseph Schwantner, Martin Bresnick, and Gerard Grisey. A pivotal moment occurred in 1981 with his initial trip to Bali, where he studied with Madé Lebah, Colin McPhee’s 1930s musical informant. This experience was further solidified by a Fulbright scholarship in 1987. During the 1980s, while residing on the West Coast, Ziporyn immersed himself in Balinese music as a member of Gamelan Sekar Jaya, composing three pieces that uniquely integrated Western instruments.
Ziporyn established Gamelan Galak Tika in 1993, creating a space for groundbreaking compositions that fused gamelan and Western musical elements. (The name itself, while often translated as ‘Galactic Gamelan,’ also carries deeper meanings: ‘galak’ means ‘fierce’ or ‘ferocious’ in Indonesian, and ‘tika’ is the ancient Balinese calendar system.) This fusion has led to fruitful collaborations with numerous Balinese ensembles, such as Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Sentieri Selvaggi, Gamelan Salukat, and Gamelan Semara Ratih, highlighting an ongoing cross-cultural musical dialogue.
Lagu Délem (2003)
Written by Colin McPhee
Arranged by Steffen Schleiermacher
Performed by Steffen Schleiermacher
The allure of Balinese gamelan transformed Colin McPhee, a Canadian composer who initially studied under Edgard Varèse. This fascination led him to Bali, accompanied by his then-wife Jane Belo (later divorced), marking a significant shift from his traditional Western compositions. McPhee, a pioneer in ethnomusicological study of Bali, not only transcribed numerous regional melodies for two pianos but also developed a unique musical style. Characterised by a profound attention to individual timbres and the intricate layers of rhythm, his work became a beacon for later Minimalist composers. McPhee’s journey to Bali was more than a mere interest; it was a complete immersion in a highly formalised culture, a ‘paradise of gorgeous sound,’ as some described it. This dedication culminated in his Balinese Ceremonial Music, whose three movements were crafted between 1934 and 1938, showcasing his deep engagement with the island’s musical traditions. Part composer, part scholar, McPhee represented an extreme example of Western artistic flight to the Orient.
Colin McPhee’s Lagu Délem was reimagined by Steffen Schleiermacher and included on his 2003 album, Hommage à Walter Spies. This album honours Walter Spies, a Russian-born German artist of diverse talents: a primitivist painter, composer, musicologist, and curator. Spies is particularly remembered for co-creating the Kecak Dance in 1932 and co-founding the Pita Maha art movement in 1936.
Virus (2011)
Written by Björk and Sjón
Produced by Björk
Performed by Björk
The gameleste, a unique instrument featured in Björk’s Biophilia project, combines the distinct sounds of Indonesian gamelan and the celeste. Constructed with Indonesian gamelan-like bronze bars housed within a celeste framework, this instrument is the collaborative work of British percussionist Matt Nolan and Icelandic organ craftsman Björgvin Tómasson. It was commissioned by Björk for her seventh studio album and multimedia performance project, Biophilia, to bring the rich timbre of an Indonesian gamelan instruments into a compact, acoustically playable, and MIDI-compatible form. Designed with chromatic tuning, the gameleste serves as the main musical instrument on the album’s songs Virus and Crystalline.
Sangkakala (2018)
Written by Gabber Modus Operandi
Produced by Gabber Modus Operandi
Performed by Gabber Modus Operandi
Driven by a desire to reimagine high-speed electronic music through a local cultural lens, Indonesian DJs Kasimyn and Ican Harem formed Gabber Modus Operandi. They aimed to evoke the raw energy and transcendental experience of street Jathilan performances, a traditional Central Javanese art form characterised by its lengthy duration and trance-like finales. This artistic intent materialised in 2018, when they began crafting a fusion of gabber, metal, punk, noise, dangdut, Jathilan, and diverse Indonesian traditional music elements. The name Gabber Modus Operandi, a witty adaptation of the ’90s Yogyakarta group Geber Modus Operandi, marked this evolution. Their song Sangkakala, a dynamic combination of gabber and Balinese pereret melodies, was released on their debut album Puxximaxxx through Yes No Wave Music.
In 2022, Kasimyn’s artistic journey reached a new milestone with collaborations on Björk’s Fossora, contributing to three songs; Atopos, Trölla-Gabba, and the album’s title track Fossora, as well as appearing in their music videos.
Design as Reduction (2018)
Written by Brian Eno
Produced by Brian Eno
Performed by Brian Eno
Brian Eno’s original soundtrack for the 2020 documentary about influential industrial designer Dieter Rams—whose sleek designs for consumer electronics are directly reflected on the album’s sleeve—demonstrates Rams’ profound impact on Eno’s own minimalist musical approach. The soundtrack features subtle tones reminiscent of gamelan timbre, sparse arrangements, and clean textures.
Island (2020)
Written by Haruomi Hosono
Produced by Haruomi Hosono
Performed by Haruomi Hosono
Haruomi Hosono’s soundtrack album for Malu, a 2020 film depicting a mysterious and poetic tale of enduring sibling discord between sisters in Malaysia and Japan, opens with the song Island. The song’s ambiguous nature easily blurs the lines between traditional Japanese music and the sounds of tropical islands. Notably, ‘malu’ translates to ‘shy’ in both Malay and Bahasa Indonesia.
Grand Theft Atma (2020)
Written by Agha Praditya, Arya Triandana, and Bayu Krisna
Produced by Rollfast
Performed by Rollfast
Grand Theft Atma is a parody of the Grand Theft Auto branch from American game developer Rockstar Games. In Grand Theft Auto, the main character is gangster, redneck, and a group of elitists, shooting guns at each other, stealing vehicles etc. In Grand Theft Atma we Imagine if Grand Theft Auto takes place in Bali. We exchange the vehicle theft for soul theft and psychic battles
– Rollfast
Rollfast, a Balinese psychedelic-rock band, released Grand Theft Atma on their YouTube channel on 23 March 2020—the day before Nyepi, the Balinese New Year’s Day. This release was a deliberate act by the band to provide a substitute for the Ogoh-Ogoh parade, a significant Balinese ritual involving the creation and parading of large, monstrous effigies representing evil spirits, which are then burned. This parade was cancelled that year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following the resignation of its two members, Rollfast underwent a transformation, changing their name to Gangsar. They subsequently re-recorded Grand Theft Atma for their 2024 eponymous debut album. ‘Atma’ is a Sanskrit word for ‘soul’.
Bade (2022)
Written by I Gede Yogi Sukawiadnyana and I Gusti Nyoman Barga Sastrawadi
Produced by Gorong Gorong Records
Performed by Kadapat
Kadapat, a musical project from Balinese composers I Gede Yogi Sukawiadnyana (Yogi) and I Gusti Nyoman Barga Sastrawadi (Barga), released their debut album in 2022, featuring a bonus track titled Bade. Kadapat, deeply entrenched in Balinese tradition, often perform gamelan music for religious and customary ceremonies. However, they also embrace contemporary influences, striving to blend traditional Balinese sounds with Western electronic music. Their work explores themes of Balinese mysticism, including black and white magic, and showcases how the island’s sacred culture adapts to the rapid influx of urban culture and technology. The “bade” itself, in Balinese tradition, is a multi-tiered, elaborately decorated cremation tower made of bamboo. It serves as a symbolic vehicle, transporting the spirit of the deceased to the afterlife during the Ngaben ceremony, the traditional Balinese cremation ritual.
F.I.A.S.O.M. Pt. 1 (2022)
Written by Maya Arulpragasam and Rayiv Munch (contains interpolation of Janger Bali written by I Gede Dharna)
Produced by M.I.A. and Munchi
Performed by M.I.A.
On her sixth studio album, M.I.A. presents Freedom is a State of Mind (F.I.A.S.O.M.), a two-part track that features interpolations of the traditional Balinese song Janger Bali, written by I Gede Dharna in the 1920s. M.I.A.’s record label confirms that the songs were recorded in Bali. Janger Bali has a history of reinterpretations, including a 1967 jazz version titled Djanger Bali by the Indonesian All-Stars and Tony Scott. Furthermore, Guruh Gipsy’s song, Janger 1897 Saka, also drew from parts and melodies of this traditional song. Guruh Gipsy’s version is featured on Paras’ website archive due to its prescient commentary on Bali’s cultural degradation and overdevelopment, written and published over 40 years ago; however, the song is not available on any streaming service, preventing its inclusion in this playlist.
Pray for the People (2023)
Written by unknown
Produced by Bernardo Faustino López
Performed by Putu Oka Sruti, Wayan Derni, Ketut Nariant
For nearly a decade, artist Bernardo Faustino López meticulously created three-dimensional, spatial audio recordings of repertoires from some of the world’s longest-standing cultural traditions. These recordings, made in collaboration with universities, institutions, and various organisations, involved artists and musicians from Australia, Indonesia, Turkey, France, and Spain, and the resulting material was shared with these partners. A portion of these recordings has been made publicly available in the documentary Concert Evolution – The Journey of Songs in Search of Health, which can be experienced in 3D audio on the Internet Archive and in spatial format on platforms like Apple Music and TIDAL. Utilising a scientific sound sampling system manufactured by DPA Microphones – Bruel & Kjaer Sound & Vibration Measurement A/S laboratories, the recordings ensured high-fidelity spatial capture. Pray for the People is one of six compositions created and performed by Balinese musicians specifically for this project.