Pleasure Noise: a Sundanese take on hip-hop.
While many Indonesian artists are paving their own individual ways, a group from West Java is embracing its roots and combining them with Western influences. Pleasure Noise is a Sundanese hip-hop collective rapidly gaining recognition in the Indonesian scene, building a movement that represents their community in a way that might just be revolutionary.
Sunda is the western part of the island of Java. Its people differ from the rest of Java in culture and language, were historically an independent kingdom, and have a strong sense of identity and community. Pleasure Noise highlights the value of that culture while experimenting and innovating, blending sounds they grew up with alongside ones they are newly discovering.
Their track Garut Jang Dunya is a modern reinterpretation of the Sundanese spirit of togetherness, with the sulit (Sundanese flute) and gamelan samples incorporated in their sound. Through their music and their growing presence on social media, Sundanese people feel heard and seen, and the collective plays an important role in shaping how the Sundanese are perceived.
Listen to Garut Jang Dunya here and follow the collective on Instagram: @pleasurenoise.
The full, in-depth story can be found in the printed Endy Magazine, Issue No. 1: The Nusantara Issue.
