{"id":401992,"date":"2025-09-18T00:18:54","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T16:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/?p=401992"},"modified":"2025-10-20T19:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T11:00:01","slug":"batavia-collective-inside-jakartas-jazz-rebels-redefining-indonesias-soundscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/batavia-collective-inside-jakartas-jazz-rebels-redefining-indonesias-soundscape\/","title":{"rendered":"Batavia Collective: Inside Jakarta’s Jazz Rebels Redefining Indonesia’s Soundscape"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jakarta<\/a> is loud. It\u2019s humid, unpredictable, full of contradictions, and somewhere between the chaos and the groove, Batavia Collective was born. For those unfamiliar, the Jakarta-based trio \u2013 Elfa Zulham (drums), Doni Joesran (keys), and Kenny Gabriel (synth bass) \u2013 has been turning heads across Southeast Asia\u2019s underground music circuit. Jazz-trained, club-raised, and 100% live, Batavia Collective\u2019s music is as much a product of their city as it is a rebellion against its noise.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their latest EP, <\/span>CODED<\/span><\/i><\/a>, released under Syndicate Singapore<\/a>, is a potent culmination of everything they\u2019ve been building towards: an improvised, analog-heavy fusion of broken beat, ambient textures, and post-club melancholy. But before we get into that, let\u2019s rewind a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jakarta as Muse<\/b><\/h3>\n

In our interview, Elfa and Kenny described Jakarta with a mixture of exasperation and affection. They cited the traffic, food, and chaos as central to the city\u2019s identity, and inevitably, to their own. Kenny described the city as hectic, while Daniel noted how it constantly tests one\u2019s patience.<\/span><\/p>\n

This chaos, however, mirrors their musical ethos. Batavia Collective doesn\u2019t use setlists or backing tracks. Their shows are built in real time, responding to the energy of the room. Elfa likened their approach to that of DJs, constantly adapting to the crowd, while playing as a fully live band. The result is unpredictable, but grounded in groove, much like the city that shaped them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even their name is rooted in place. “Batavia”, the colonial-era name for Jakarta, hints at the historical and cultural density that informs their sound. Every track is a timestamp of city life: frenetic, heavy, fleeting. Tracks like “<\/span>Senopati Shuffle<\/span><\/a>” nod to nightlife districts, while deeper cuts reference local legends and social movements.<\/span><\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not just the soundscape of Jakarta that bleeds into their music, it\u2019s the spirit. The trio finds inspiration in the chaos, using the unpredictability of the city as a metaphor for their own improvisational method. And in doing so, they channel Jakarta\u2019s chaotic spirit into something deeply rhythmic and expressive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Batavia
Photo: Denny Novikar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three Minds, One Pulse<\/b><\/h3>\n

Elfa, Doni, and Kenny come from formal jazz training but found their chemistry in the freedom of the club. Their music, often described as experimental jazz or electronic fusion, sidesteps neat categorisation. Think Squarepusher meets Sun Ra at a basement rave in South Jakarta.<\/span><\/p>\n

And like any close-knit group, creative friction is part of the process. \u201cWe used to argue on stage,\u201d Kenny laughs, “like, really yell at each other mid-show. Now we use in-ear monitors so we can cue each other quietly. It changed everything.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Touring has only strengthened that bond. From Wonderfruit to Art Basel Hong Kong, the trio has jammed with a Mexican vocalist, a Jarana player (Mexican traditional guitar), an Indian synth player and a Japanese violinist. “One time in France,” Daniel Adisumarta, their manager, recalls, “they pulled other musicians up on stage, none of it rehearsed. It was wild.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Their influences span continents and genres. \u201cWe grew up listening to everything. Hip-hop, gospel, funk, soul, UK broken beat, Detroit techno,\u201d says Kenny. \u201cBut jazz was our foundation. And from there, we started bending the rules.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Live, Not Looped<\/b><\/h3>\n

What sets Batavia Collective apart from many other electronic acts is their commitment to live performance. No backing tracks. No safety nets. Just gear, guts, and groove. Each show becomes a one-off moment: beautiful, imperfect, human.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Mistakes are part of it,” Elfa says. “Some of our best tracks started as mistakes on stage. Daniel would record the set, and later we\u2019d build a song around a 30-second jam that wasn\u2019t even planned.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Their philosophy embraces spontaneity. This ethos shines in their stage presence. Explosive one moment, meditative the next. Each show is a negotiation between the musicians, the space, and the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We usually get there early,” Kenny said, “just to feel the vibe and know what to do. We read the room, then we play.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Decoding <\/b>CODED<\/b><\/h3>\n

Which brings us to the new EP. <\/span>CODED<\/span><\/i> is four tracks of distilled emotion, from the heavy, heady pulse of “Rush” to the meditative unraveling of “Signs,” featuring Singaporean experimental vocalist weish<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

“‘Signs’ was just a demo at first,” Kenny explains. “We didn\u2019t plan vocals. But weish came in and transformed it. Her voice didn\u2019t just sit on the track; it haunted it.” The result is a ghost ballad built for post-club introspection, a standout on an already exceptional release.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band never re-recorded the track after receiving weish\u2019s vocals. “We didn\u2019t use a click or metronome, so we couldn\u2019t overdub,” Kenny explained. “It just became the final version.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The EP plays like a live set: an arc of tension, release, and return. From the bruk energy of “Rush” to the ritualistic layers in “Ring the Bells” (featuring Kamga), each track adds another facet to the narrative. \u201cWe wanted to simulate a live experience in a studio format,\u201d Elfa noted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dream Collabs and Dancefloor Philosophy<\/b><\/h3>\n

So what\u2019s next? Besides a tour across Hong Kong, Mongolia, Singapore, and France, Batavia Collective has a dream list: Thundercat, Mark Pritchard, Shabaka Hutchings. “We love the idea of expanding the trio into a collective, even just for one show,” says Elfa.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked what they want audiences to take away from a show, Kenny was candid: “We make sure that the audience have the feeling that they are happy or they forget about everything. That\u2019s the whole thing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

And when they\u2019re not making music? Basketball is their shared off-stage obsession. “My life is just music and basketball,” Kenny said. “If I get tired of writing music, I watch NBA. Twice a week, we play.”<\/span><\/p>\n