Photo credit: Deby Sucha
LAIR (pronounced “lah-eer,” a local dialect for the Indonesian word of ‘lahir’, meaning ‘birth’ or, roughly ‘being born’) is a Panturan-soul/funk outfit hailing from Jatiwangi, West Java, Indonesia, a city once celebrated as the country’s largest manufacturer of clay roof tiles. As an artist troupe each with their own practices, the name is interpreted further into continuously giving birth to something, be it music, thoughts, experiments, narratives, and the like. It serves as a platform or an ongoing research institution for each of its members.
Formed in 2018, LAIR’s music, lyrics, and its presentation are vivid, inherently gaudy (in a good way), and honest. The band takes a sizable chunk of inspiration from classical/traditional Panturan Tarling, a form of grassroot musical/performance art popular amongst the people of the northern coast of West and Central Java.
In classic Tarling performance semantics, the musicians are usually bound to give an opening performance (an ‘offering’ for the audience, if you will) which are lovingly referred to as “Tatalu” (or “Tetalu” in Cirebonan). LAIR’s aptly titled new single, “Tatalu,” serves as an opening for a new chapter as they announce a new album with Rotterdam/Tokyo record label Guruguru Brain in collaboration with Bandung’s Orange Cliff Records, and working together with Go Kurosawa (Kikagaku Moyo) as the record’s producer, and singer/songwriter Monica Hapsari as collaborator.
“Tatula” is an opening anthem for the album, in which the band tries to emulate the frenetic scenery of the Pantura route, the band’s native region. In “Tatula,” they try to trace—and also draw influences from—the lineage of the contemporary local Panturan culture that is heavily assimilated with Chinese culture. Percussionist Tamyiz Noor’s rebana (local equivalent of the tambourine) rhythm draws influence from Indo-Chinese roadside performance of the Barongsai / Lion Dance or Sar Ping commonly held in Pantura regions, while lead guitarist Tedi Nurmanto explores riffs that he imagined could fit into Chinese action movies
‘Ngélar’ will be released on February 23rd via Guruguru Brain.
LAIR are:
Karyssa Matindas (Ica) – vocals
Tedi Nurmanto (Tedi) – vocals, lead guitar
Andzar Agung Fauzan (A’af) – vocals, bass guitar
Tamyiz Noor (Tamtam) – vocals, tambourine, percussion
Kiki Permana (Kiki) – percussion
Pipin Muhammad Kaspin (Pipin/Kutreng) – vocals, rhythm guitar
With longtime collaborator
Monica Hapsari (Monic) – vocals, synthesisers, bells
‘Ngélar’ track list & translations:
1. Tatalu (The Prelude/The Offering); –
2. Pesta Rakyat Pabrik Gula (People’s Revelry for the Sugar Factory);
3. Tanah Bertuah (Prospers of the Land);
4. Hareeng (In Delirium);
5. Boa-Boa (Perhaps);
6. Bangkai Belantara (The Ruins of the Forest);
7. Kawin Tebu (Mingling of the Noble Cane);
8. Setan Dolbon (The Demon, Dolbon);
9. Gelombang Pemecah Malam (Ripples of the Night);
10. Mencari Selamat (Seeking for Land of Salvation)
DeClunk 