a mesmerising odyssey into the traditional sounds of indonesia

Jakarta born, Sydney based DJ, producer and singer Putrika pays homage to her roots with a delicate mix brimming Javanese lullabies, traditional Indonesian instruments and a smattering of her own productions.

Could you please tell us a little bit about your journey into music? What were some of your early inspirations and when did you decide to start making music, singing and DJing?

I guess making music, singing and DJing all followed different timelines. I grew up in a family that loves music. My dad is an audiophile and takes great pride in his audio system. He loves testing out different speakers and playing a wide range of music, from jazz to world music. I also grew up with grandparents on my mum's side who were active in church and I would often accompany them to choir rehearsals as a kid. My grandpa was an amazing singer and dancer - he sang like every day. Everyone said his voice resembled that of American country singer Jim Reeves. My grandpa on my dad's side played piano. Every time we came for a visit he played us songs on a piano, always with his vintage metronome.

My parents took me to singing and piano lessons when I was in primary school. They didn’t make me do them, I asked them to be enrolled.  I wasn’t the best at piano but I couldn’t stop singing since then. I started writing lyrics and recording my random songs when I was in Year 7. I played in various bands from high school through university, but after four different bands, we all went our separate ways.

In 2018, I was introduced to Ableton by a friend from primary school in Indonesia. He taught me how to use it and I became hooked, deciding to go solo. In 2020, Putrika was born during lockdown.

For DJing, I learned from Australian DJ Ayebatonye in 2017 through her Irregular Fit collective. She taught about ten POC how to DJ and even threw a party for us to play at the Red Rattler Theatre in Marrickville. I’ve always loved discovering new and old music to share and it feels great when people enjoy my music selections in my DJ sets.

How did you decide to approach your lazydaze mix? Was there a concept you were going for?

Dari Subuh ke Subuh - From Dawn to Dawn

I approached this mix like a day cycle experienced during a holiday in Indonesia, particularly around Java - waking up at dawn and moving through morning, daytime, afternoon, night time, and back to dawn again. The tracks I chose feature traditional Indonesian instruments like gamelan and angklung, as well as sounds that are similar to them. The two tracks with lyrics are my own. The third song at the beginning is called ‘Rebirth’ and features the chants of “Lahir, Raga, Terang, Hidup,” which translate to “Birth, Body, Light, Life.” It serves as a mantra to start the day as a new person. Towards the end of the mix, you’ll find my rendition of a Javanese lullaby called ‘Lelo Ledung’ to lull you to sleep.

Are there any favourite tracks or moments in there for you?

I’ve always loved tracks that feature ambient sounds in the background, like birds chirping or water flowing. They give me a sense of the moments the artists experienced while creating the songs. I particularly like Cybe’s ‘The Moon is Shining Above The Ricefields.’ It transports me back to a small village in Java, surrounded by green rice fields after the sun sets, just like the title of the song. His album, Tropisch Verlangen, is a must-listen as it captures the sounds of his travels to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Bali, and Java.

You recently travelled around Australia. What was your favourite part of the trip and what is one of your lasting memories?

Oh, so many good memories! I think living in a swag for a month which was more comfortable than I expected. Seeing the night sky filled with millions of stars and no light pollution was amazing. I also miss having a fire most nights. Hmmm, my favorite part of the trip… that’s a tough question. Uluru and Kata-Tjuta were incredible! However, my favourite moment was driving on a dirt road to a more secluded area that could only be accessed by a 4WD vehicle. My partner and I visited places that weren’t on our itinerary, one of which was Finke Gorge National Park. We camped by the riverbed and swam in the Finke River, which is apparently the oldest river system in the world.

One of my lasting memories is from when we went to K’Gari in Queensland. We camped by the beach and it was one of the best camping spots we had on the trip. One morning around 7am, I woke up and heard a beautiful sound coming from the distance. I went out of the swag and saw a pod of whales jumping in the water from a distance and singing. They did that for almost half an hour. It was so surreal.

You’ve been producing a series of tracks, ‘Outback Tunes’, based on certain places/landscapes that inspired you during your trip. In what ways do nature and memory inform the music making process?

I guess I’m a very nostalgic person in a way. I can get mellow when I hear a certain song, experience a specific moment, smell or see something that reminds me of past memories. I wanted to capture that feeling in the songs I produced. With ‘Outback Tunes,’ I created the track during and after the trip. Because we did a lot of driving from one place to another, I looked at my surroundings and began to play with sounds that evoked certain feelings from those moments. For the songs I made after the trip, I chose my favorite photo taken at each location and experimented with sounds inspired by them. The music complements the photos and videos I captured to keep those moments forever.

It’s a chill Sunday afternoon at home. What album are you reaching for?

Kings of Convenience - Riot on Empty Street.

I listened to them a lot when I was in high school. Sundays are usually my house cleaning/baking/laundry/chill days, so it’s nice to play their music on my speakers while I roam around the house and sing along to the album.

What can we expect from Putrika for the remainder of 2024?

I’ll be sharing more ‘Outback Tunes’ every week on my Instagram. I’m also working on my debut album, which I hope to release next year! I just never know when to say, “That’s it!” with my own tracks, especially when you work as a solo producer. There are always little things you want to change or edit the more you work on them. But it’s almost done!

Check out the full tracklist for Putrika’s mix over at SoundCloud.