Raja Kirik – Phantasmagoria of Jathilan Review

What does Raja Kirik sound like?

Channelling Indonesian ceremonial dances into the electronic age.

The review of Raja Kirik – Phantasmagoria of Jathilan

Jathilan is an acronym for Jarane jan tjil-thilan, which roughly translates from Indonesian as the horse that dances irregularly. Jathilan is a type of trance-like folk dance inspired by horses that is popular in Java. It came into being after the Java War as a way to deal with feeling oppressed following defeat by the Colonial Dutch Empire. Bamboo horses were created to show appreciation for the Javan rebels and shows were put on to provide a symbolic victory against monsters, demons or colonisers.

It is against this backdrop that Raja Kirik created their 5 act performance album ‘Phantasmagoria of Jathilan’. It plays out like a one hour show, with each act, or song, bringing a fresh attack against the senses. Put simply, everything in this performance is viscerally aggressive. From the raging bamboo drums to the grizzled horns and sirens to the distortion effects of the guitars that tear up the speakers – this album is brutal. Everything is also built upon repetition and whether that’s percussion, bass, guitar, traditional instruments or vocal cries – it is designed to invoke a state of trance within the listener. It does a fantastic job.

Alongside Raja Kirik are singer Silir Wangi and performer Ari Dwianto. Silir’s voice ranges from battle cries of war to outpourings of sorrow or loneliness. We don’t get to enjoy Ari Dwianto’s dance purely by listening to the album but if you attend a live performance, Ari is likely to be in full performance mode.

The central force of the album is Raja Kirik’s ability to merge the traditional with the electronic. He fuses tuned percussion, guitars and electronic effects together seamlessly like a Javanese industrial rave. It is one of those albums where you’ll hear different samples and loops each time you listen. Whilst some tracks have an atonal quality to them, melodies are bountiful elsewhere. ‘Perangan’ has moments of circus craziness. ‘Slompret Slompret’ has beautiful Gamelan and prayer bell runs. The stunning 17-minute closing piece ‘Waru Doyong’ has a bassline to rival any club track. You just have to dig underneath the distressed and fire-crackling exterior as every instrument has been damaged and crumpled by rage and regret. Drums machine gun across each other – part ancient and part electronic. Harsh winds crack and hiss. Every sound is filled with a whip crack and I love it.

Raja Kirik has placed ‘Phantasmagoria of Jathilan’ slap bang in the crosshairs of trance and shamanism. You’ll feel every musical rush and surge through your body as each act whips up a frenzied orgy of drums, voice and effects. It is one of the best experimental albums I’ve had the pleasure of discovering in the last year and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys darker ritual or traditional Indonesian music.

Recommended track: ACT V: Waru Doyong

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