Tip! Jakarta’s avant-garde collective Uwalmassa returns with EP3, a mesmerizing 12” vinyl release that further cements their status as pioneers redefining the boundaries of gamelan tradition. Released via the forward-thinking Sundial imprint, this EP is not merely a collection of tracks but a bold manifesto—a sonic bridge between Indonesia’s ritualistic past and its electrifying, experimental future.
For the uninitiated, Uwalmassa operates at the intersection of reverence and rebellion. Rooted in the dense, metallic timbres of gamelan—the centuries-old ensemble tradition of Java and Bali—the collective wields its gongs, metallophones, and drums not as museum artifacts but as living, breathing tools for innovation. On EP3, they channel this ethos into a kinetic tapestry of sound, where the hypnotic pulse of ancestral rhythms collides with avant-garde textures, creating something wholly contemporary yet steeped in cultural memory. The record’s genius lies in its fearless reimagining of structure. Uwalmassa eschews linear progression, opting instead for a dynamic interplay of shifting tempos and layered polyrhythms that feel both organic and meticulously engineered. Tracks unravel like fractal patterns, their unconventional arrangements challenging the listener to surrender to a fluid sense of time. Metallic tones shimmer and dissolve into dissonance, while percussive motifs mutate unpredictably, evoking the chaotic beauty of Jakarta’s urban soundscape.
What sets EP3 apart is its ability to balance tradition with futurism. The collective’s reverence for gamelan’s spiritual core—its role in ceremony, storytelling, and communal identity—is palpable. Yet they stretch these foundations to their breaking point, injecting glitchy electronics, dissonant harmonics, and improvisational daring. The result is a sound that feels ritualistic yet revolutionary, as if ancient deities were summoned through a modular synth. Lyrically sparse but emotionally vast, the EP thrives on tension. Moments of meditative calm—a lone saron melody, the resonant decay of a gong—are abruptly ruptured by frenetic, almost industrial percussion. This push-and-pull mirrors Indonesia’s own cultural duality, where tradition coexists with rapid modernization. Uwalmassa doesn’t just soundtrack this duality; they embody it, transforming ancestral codes into a universal language of experimentation.
Sundial’s press release aptly frames EP3 as a “timeless vision,” and the descriptor rings true. This is music that feels both ancient and eerily prescient, a dialogue between epochs. For listeners unfamiliar with gamelan, the EP serves as a thrilling entry point—a gateway to its complexity, recontextualized through Uwalmassa’s daring lens. For connoisseurs, it’s a revelation, proving that tradition need not be static to remain sacred. In a global music landscape hungry for authenticity and innovation, EP3 stands out as a masterclass in both. Uwalmassa doesn’t just “expand the conversation” around gamelan—they ignite it, forging a path that honors the past while charging headlong into uncharted territory. This is not just an EP; it’s a declaration that ritual can be radical, and that the future of Indonesian music is in brilliantly restless hands.
