Sounds From The Corner : Live #16 Silampukau

“Duh gusti aku kesasar di jalur Indie, terima sablon kaos dan kadang gantungan kunci.” - Doa 1

Is folk easy? Neither discounted Yamaha acoustic guitars or cultural discrepancies among millennials should be blamed, but for the last five years I’ve found too many premature folky fellas with checker shirts pulling bland Pecknold or Vernon moves.

I can tell you 7582 reasons why Indonesian folk bands are dull and predictable, but I am keen to elaborate one fact: that Surabaya duo Silampukau are simply genius storytellers. Folk is not easy, because there’s so much more than three chord trick, roadtrip lyrics and flannel shirts. Folk might be simple, but its modesty is punishing.

Let me put it this way, Silampukau boys are sharp and spot on because of one reason. They have harnessed the most powerful part of folk music: Narrative. When I listen to Dosa, Kota dan Kenangan, I hear vulnerability. I hear honest memories. I hear cities’ cruelty. I hear myself. This vulnerable narrative travels so far beyond the music, it reaches strange places in your head, plays with your mind. Trust me, you don’t want to talk about anything technical when you can find witty phrases like “entah merlot entah Cap Orang Tua” put stylishly with grace and virtue in a song.

Another forte that still lies within their songwriting is the semiotics around Surabaya. Bravery around fusing different lingos is bold and refreshing. In front of Silampukau, Surabaya is broader than a city: it breathes humanity, a thirsty establishment, an idea of filthy and matured introspection. Again, this approach is brilliant, localizing context and giving Surabaya its own soul as a musical reference. Of course, this is not new in folk music generally, but definitely au courant in its own way, especially in Indonesia.

I want to tell you more about Silampukau’s potential to “disrupt” Indonesian folk, but I think the best way to value them is to watch this session. Sounds From the Corner presents: Silampukau! - Teguh Wicaksono

00:20 Balada Harian
04:35 Malam Jatuh Di Surabaya
08:43 Puan Kelana