When Indonesian designer, art director, DJ, and producer Harry Septiandry—who works under the alias Munir and Midnight Runners—was just seven years old, his uncle gave him a copy of Positive Force’s We Got the Funk, igniting in him a relentless urge to crate-dig. Ever since, he’s been on a mission to unearth records from the most obscure era of Indonesian popular music, opening doors for curious listeners who may otherwise have had limited access, considering how much of this music was only available decades ago, either on cassette or ludicrously expensive vinyl LPs. “I have been traveling around Indonesia collecting music since junior high,” Septiandry says, “and have gained knowledge on singling out rarities, understanding the distinct sounds of disco, boogie, and synthpop that evoke a special feeling during that era.”
By “that era,” Munir is referring to the peak years of Indonesian music that followed the country’s independence in 1945—a time period that fuels not only his obsessive crate-digging, but his career as a producer. Though it flourished initially, the scene quickly came under threat when Sukarno, the nation’s first president, took steps to quash it on account of its Western influences. He imprisoned musicians like Koes Ploes who performed Western-style rock and roll, and instructed Indonesians to develop their own “modern music” instead. In response, record labels such as Irama, Lokalanta, and Jackson began producing contemporary regional songs rooted in traditional music, ushering in a soulful pop tradition that the public quickly embraced, thanks to the rise of popular composers like Bing Slamet, who re-interpreted well-known standards.
However, when president Suharto swept to power in 1967, he instituted a new order, one that welcomed the influence of Western pop culture. No longer confined to the margins, artists were able to experiment more freely, and Indonesia was exposed to a wide range of electronic genres and instruments imported from Japan. “[It] allowed musicians and listeners a little freedom just to make and listen to music,” Munir explains.
Despite this political shift, accessibility and ownership of local vinyl were still limited. The popularity of disco grew, but record production was expensive, and rights were mostly sold exclusively to local broadcast stations. Due to the rarity of these records, “ it was rare for local DJs to play local disco music releases, and even if they did, it would be the few famous hits,” Munir says. “It made me even more determined to keep digging and uncover gems from my homeland, and make them more accessible to the public.”
It was in that spirit that Munir assembled the compilation Tanamur City – Indonesian AOR, City Pop, and Boogie – 1979 to 1991. Released on Cultures of Soul, the collection—named after the first discotheque in Jakarta, a destination for local disco aficionados and tourists that even attracted celebrities like Muhammad Ali and Chuck Norris—features carefully curated tracks with an ’80s city pop feel, mirroring the advent and availability of Japanese-made musical instruments in Indonesia. “By then, many recording studios were already established and had the latest Japanese gear, which was allowed to be imported to Indonesia,” he says, “so there was definitely that city-pop influence, sprinkled with a bit of Jakarta flavor.”
Historically, Munir’s production has served as a vehicle to recycle old music into new forms. There’s the Nusantara Disco edits, which are a series of remixes honoring the Indonesian party scene of the ’70s (“Nusantara” is an old Javanese term used for parts of the Southeast Asian region; it spans Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southernmost part of Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, East Timor, and sometimes Taiwan). It was an era when disco dominated, and turntables were still a novelty. (DJs didn’t make their way into the circuit until the early ’80s.) His Asia/Africa Edits release, inspired by the 1955 Asia Africa Conference in Bandung, remixes the African records he found crate-digging in Indonesia.
He takes the same approach to his original music. This year’s Komputer EP showcases a fresh take on mid tempo electronic production, fusing the traditional and contemporary by way of funky bass lines, soft, new-age synths, and dubbed-out breaks, all strung out in typical Midnight Runner fashion. Moving forward, Munir plans to keep building and cultivating his record collection. He can’t help it; shining light on music that never enjoyed significant commercial success will always be his preferred thrill. “Instead of always trying to play catch up with the next new thing, why not use existing resources of ideas and inspiration that we have?”
Below are some broader selections that pay homage to the vibrant soundscape of Indonesian disco.
Perky Club
Perky Edits Discotheque Series 1
On this five-track EP release, Jakarta-based collective and music label Perky Club presents a compilation of cheeky disco remixes courtesy of producers from Jakarta and Bandung. Standouts include Merdi’s take on ABBA’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight),” as well as a rework of The Mike Theodore Orchestra’s “Wonder Man”, by KIMOJI, who also was responsible for Perky Club’s premiere release “WORN OUT VOL.1“).
Fariz RM
Sakura
Fariz Rustam Munaf, also known as Fariz RM, is a renowned singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Indonesia. Released in 1980, Sakura became a seminal household hit with its contemporary fusion of Japanese instruments and a touch of city-pop sensibility; its standout track, “Selangkah Keseberan”—another boogie-funk classic—has been signal boosted by local Indonesian bands such as White Shoes & The Couples Company, who did a cover of the track.
White Shoes & The Couples Company
“Senandung Maaf “
White Shoes & The Couples Company is a popular pop band that incorporates elements of jazz and disco into their music. “Senandung Maaf” features smooth melodies, groovy basslines, and rhythmic guitar work for an sophisticated spin on Indonesian disco.
Dea
Canine Carnival
Dea Barandana is Indonesia’s stalwart DJ, curator, record collector, and producer. His Canine Caricalon EP is a standout example of how disco can evolve into a multi-faceted, cosmic delight. A premier release on Bless You, Sound Metaphor’s sub-label focused on contemporary productions, both tracks are a perfect meld of tropical and percussive, rare-groove rhythms, breathing new life into the timeless classic disco spirit.
Zodiac Music
The Unforgotten Edits 002
Zodiac Music is an extension of the cultural brand’s focus on music production and releases, and their second edition of The Unforgotten Edits release features cuts by Japanese DJ and producer MUTO and Jakartan Circus Return aka Arvin Fajar. An EP serving a medley of funky, italo-disco-inspired tracks, Circus Return brings to the table highlights in the form of a Chicago-chugged bassline banger with “Mysterious Girl,” and a classic Studio 54-esque number with “Remember Forever” – a true disco sensation.
Dara Puspita
The Garage Years LP
Vinyl LP
Dara Puspita, an all-female rock band from the ’60s and ’70s, took numerous cues from disco across their career, creating lively and danceable tracks that resonated with Indonesian youth. A classic entry in the Indonesian pop canon, The Garage Years LP enshrines their pioneering blend of jangly, harmonic rock and disco grooves, and by extension, their importance to the development of Indonesian disco as a whole. “Pesta Pak Lurah”, with its upbeat tempo, catchy melody and lively instrumentation, is a quintessential example of Indonesia’s disco at its peak, and reminder of when the genre ruled dancefloors in clubs and live band performances.
