As a cultural entity that now belongs to the world, Ska, which originated in Jamaica, is also appears in Indonesia. One of the manifestations of this folk music, as in the form of the work of The Skatalites. Something that then also transforms through the 2Tone movement in England with The Specials and Madness, then from America through the likes of Operation Ivy, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Voodoo Glow Skulls, No Doubt and Sublime.
Ska also certainly has become part of the music industry in Indonesia to this day. And continue to grow. Tipe-X with their many platinum awarded albums since their debut, has even become one of the biggest crowd getters in the Temasek region. Souljah, through their frontwoman’s clever narration in their repertoire, became one of the successful units with very massive listener statistics on many music streaming platforms.
The mid-1990s was a time when ska was so widespread, from the tip of Sumatra to eastern part of Indonesia. From Jakarta, the movement of ska was born from many places in the city, Pejaten, Cawang, Rawamangun and Komplek Chandra Pondok Gede become several “sources” of ska units which later became role models to this day. Other cities also have the same big roles, such as Bandung, Yogya and other cities in Central Java, Surabaya, Malang, as well as Sumatra and cities in eastern part of Indonesia.
A glorious year indeed, also a premature one yet too exploitative to ska, a rise-and-fall situation, but of course becoming the historical foundation. A synthesis which then delivered so many faces of Indonesian ska.
Herewith we bring you our own notes about the many faces of ska in Indonesia.
(Words:Sam, English Supervision:Yedi)
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1. Sixtols - Love Song
This band is one of the ska pioneers who came from the city of Jakarta in the early 90s. Infused with the spirit of skinheads, they present a powerful ska composition through their self-titled debut. Their enthusiasm is one of the reasons why many music units in other cities in Indonesia play ska. Sixtols is an urban saga that will continue to be told!
2. Rage Generation Brothers - Sad Enough
This strong attitude and phenomenal trio is also one of the frontliners who spread ska in the country. Their debut album “Our Life Style” became one of the important histories for a sidestream music industry in the early 2000s. They influenced lots of music outfits in many part of Temasek region. Even though "only" 2 songs have ska infusions, this album and the Rage Generation Brothers will also be a part of ska history in Indonesia.
3. Agent Skins - Time To Skins
In a parallel time to the Sixtols & RGB moment from Jakarta, Bandung city also has a music unit with ska infusion in the spirit of skinheads. Agent Skins is a music unit that influenced many Bandung based ska-punk outfits in the future. To trace them, we can start through the song "Time To Skins", one of their songs from the historical compilation album; “Bandung's Burning! Vol.1” (1997). This song even inspired a ska-punk compilation from Bandung two decades later, “Time For Skunx!”
4. Skalie - Sexy Molly
This music unit, can be called as bossmen of ska in the country since the mid-1990s, which still survives to this day. With the 2Tone-ish formula, Skalie became one of the ska units that were always headlining many gigs in the early days of ska in Indonesia. From their sophomore album “For Sale” (2007), this song has become one of the faces of ska in Indonesia.
5. Waiting Room - Ruang Tunggu
“Ruang Tunggu” is the proto-album of ska in Indonesia. Released in 1997 (later re-released on 2020), this album became a marker in the journey of ska in the country. With hardcore elements, this charismatic veteran's musical outfit is also one of the cause that stimulate the growth of ska in Indonesia. As a single, “Ruang Tunggu” and Waiting Room themselves indeed brings a lot of facts and history to today.
6. Shaggydog - Rudy’s Story
The only example of a solid ska collective unit in Indonesia can be seen through Shaggydog. Their determination since the first day has not only led them to survive until now. They became the inspiration for many ska units that followed, truly an auteur!. From a narrow and dark alley in the corner of Yogya, they have traveled on many continents bringing their music. A special power from a ska darling this country ever owned. Their repertoire has become an anthem for many people. “Rudy's story” is one representation of their charming compositions.
7. Noin Bullet - Bakakak Hayam
The charm of Bandung, as a city or as a source of lots of charming music works, is indeed powerful. Likewise with the list of ska units from this city, first, Noin Bullet. Their work has been recorded on the albums “Bebas”, “Manusia” and several compilations. “Bakakak Hayam” is a song from those who were a part of the early days of ska in Indonesia. A legacy that has helped shape the face of ska in Indonesia until now.
8. Artificial Life - I Wanna Skank
A qualified ska unit that always delighted many scenesters and aficionados in the 90s was a never ending topic. Although the album sales figures were not special, this unit managed to become one of the epitome of Indonesian ska. Their work is like having an efficacious spell to make them dance. Together with the names above, this unit also took part to put some colour for Ska in Indonesia. A phenomenal dirty reggae outfit from the capital, D'jenks presents a homage to and with their role models in the EP "I wanna skank" two decades later. A simple “why” from us about Artificial Life is. . “I Wanna Skank” (!)
9. AlaskaQ - Wind & Sky
We once wrote about this ska unit from West Jakarta. They have been involved in ska from a young age in Indonesia. They actively teamed up with many world ska scenes. From the Philippines, to the latest prestigious various artist projects from the London Intl Ska Festivals music imprint. The song Wind & Sky from AlaskaQ is one of the works that adds another color to the face of Indonesian ska we had chosen.
10. Sentimental Moods - Choo Choo
Gladly, we’d like to write about this instrumental ska outfit in Indonesia. A witty musical transformation from many ska pioneers in the country. They genuinely pack their works, powerful effort. They happily brought the repertoire of children's songs in ska, they traveled the history of nationalism through beautiful ska compositions, and did not forget to have fun with Star Wars. A sentimental yet crucial concept indeed. Choo choo from Sentimental Moods is one of the most diverse ska faces in Indonesia that we picked.
11. Aimee! - Hitam
One of the cities in the central part of Java, Semarang, is an important element that keeps ska growing. Almost two decades since its establishment in early 2000, Semarang Ska Fest is still one of the most popular ska events that supports ska in Indonesia till now. Likewise with Aimee!, this ska unit maintains the vibe of parade in their own ska works. Hitam is a song that they shared to be one part of a ska unit in the country who added another colour into many faces of ska in Indonesia. A great parade of ska from the city of Semarang!
12. Sir Iyay - Tahu Krispy
One of the absolute charms again comes from the city of Bandung. Sir Iyay, a sceneter who is actively involved in many real movements of ska. Once a member of the charismatic Don Lego unit, he was also one of the founders of the musical imprint White Cat Liars, and became an important figure behind the party series “Mari Berdanska“. Apart from that, one solid thing he did to add another face of ska in the country was an infusion of traditional touch into his ska repertoire. His exploration went smoothly, he combined the keroncong music and ska flawlessly. Tahu Krispy can be your intro to know what he did in the name of Indonesian variety of ska faces.
13. Monkey Boots - Menuju Johar Baru
This music unit from Johar Baru, Central Jakarta is a ska outfit who grew up with interesting moves in their works. Their discography is here to enrich the list of ska releases in Indonesia. One of the works from Monkey Boots we underlined was the ode “Menuju Johar Baru” (2017), a mature composition from a ska unit with massive fan militancy.
14. Youngster City Rockers - Simbiosis Kapitalis
From the city of Malang, these young men who started out in the BMX and skateboarding subculture have a big cling into ska. This ska unit with the dense and loud energy from guitar distortion and the hanky-panky of brass section are one of the proponents of ska-punk that we highlight in this issue. Through the EP "Skapunk Vacation" (2006) and LP "Into Deep" (2013) they have brought the diversity of ska in this country to various countries through their last independent tours. “Simbiosis Kapitalis” is one that can represent the great passion in ska from Youngster City Rockers.
15. Denny Frust - Make You Groovin’
This one, is another ska soloists in Indonesia, he is identical with his positivity lyrics. His singing ability is also very soulful. He often presents his acrobatic vocal exploration in many gigs, this, then injects a different energy into his ska compositions. The soul power of Denny Frust who is nicknamed as "Indonesian Prince of Ska" can be enjoyed in the song “Make You Groovin'”, a reason for us to write him as one of the variations in many faces of Indonesian ska.
16. Caltonette Serenade - Semua
Loaded with rocksteady blueprints in their music, this outfit from Jakarta comes with a prestige touch. They were once involved in a prestigious project with Mad Butcher Records (Germany). The frontwoman’s strong vocal character blends into this authoritative music. A well distilled kind of work from Caltonette Serenade can be heard in their song “Semua”
17. The Gravelites - Brentford Road
The presentation of a rich yet meaningful scene from a very slick production also appears in the long list of many faces of ska in Indonesia. This time, come from the city of Salatiga. The trio who call themselves The Gravelites are stealing the public attention by their genius interpretation of the vintage ska nucleus through their 2 consecutive albums “Seven Deadly Skank! Vol 1” (2020) and the most anticipated “S-Town Original” (2021). Apart from the lexicon of ska they put into the title of their instrumental tracks wittily, the sound treatment in their production is something that we should underline as well. The face of ska in Indonesia is certainly more diverse with the addition of a repertoire from The Gravelites, one of which we can hear in the song Brentford Road.
18. Heavy Monster - Got No Job
They released their debut single "Tonight" in 2001, then with their debut album "One Message One Love" (2007). This ska unit from the city of Surabaya still survives to this day. The personnel also remain active as scenesters in this city and become the bridge for many transformations of the Jamaican music nexus in the country. Through the song “Got No Job”, we add another list as part of the face of Indonesian ska in this article. From the sound of Heavy Monster.
19. Taman Impian - Tiger Skank!
One of the other colors in the face of Indonesian ska also comes from the central part of Indonesia, the city of Makassar. The variety of compositions in their debut “Eargasm” (2019) is so plural. Many touches come from the nexus Jamaican sound. One of the highlights of this album, their production approach to bring the sound into their set. Tiger Skank! that taken from this debut, can represent the idea of ear orgasm through the joyous energy from Taman Impian.
20. Highmoon - Prelude in Corpore Sano
The ska unit from the area of Cipinang, East Jakarta has a fairly solid color in addition to the face of ska in the country. Starting their first step in 2010, High Moon have embraced their own fan base through the albums “Awal Pencerahan” and “Kehidupan & Batas Waktu”. They have a unique element in their compositions that carries the sense of Betawi’s culture. This kind of scale, their power and charm is the things that can give them a massive loyal fan base as well. We can trace this through the song “Prelude in Corpore Sano” from their sophomore album.
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