Indie as The Freedom of Expression Media of Youth

Indie as The Freedom of Expression Media of Youth

By Ayu Mika 

 

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Nowadays , indie music is popular in Indonesia. A lot of young indie musicians appear that bring a new vibes of indie. I starting listen indie genre from a song “Peradaban” by Feast a years ago, this song full of critics about social that related with our life, full of meaning and implicit messages in its song. This song is the result of creator mind about this life.

What is indie ?

Independent music or often referred to Indie music is produced Independently from commercial record labels, a process that may include recording and publishing. This genre began with the difficulty a group band that had its own idealism DIY (do-it-yourself) music to enter the record labels but the record labels had their own the criteria that are different with them. Most of all record

labels regarded that genre cannot be enjoyed in the community, lacking quality and did not follow the current music market, they were afraid making no profit, consequently that group bands go the other way to introduce their work to public in indie way; recording and publishing themselves. Their work is anti-mainstream unlike any other song in the market, generally have their own markets for the type of song they offer.

The first appearance indie in indonesia?

I started to interest this genre when I listened a song “Peradaban” by Feast a rock music group from Jakarta, I thought that Indie first appeared from Jakarta it turned out from Bandung . As a country that has many admirers of music, the influence of indie music began to stretch naturally starting in the 90s, especially in Bandung. Where PAS Band as a new idol is able to sell 5,000 copies of the album without a major label. After that, the appreciation of the community especially the youth towards indie music is quite high.

Besides PAS band there is also Mocca a band from Bandung that emerged in the late 90s through retro nuanced music resulting from a blend of swing, Bossanova, Swedish pop and jazz. Mocca's success in indie was marked by their album sales figures of more than 100,000 copies. After Bandung, several big cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Malang, share in having the same passion to choose music freedom, indie.

Grimloc & FFWD Records is the independent label record from Bandung that become a place of indie musicians to work, they also raised many indie bands in Indonesia. Indie record companies provide a platform for post-punk, indie pop, electronic, metal, alternative rock bands, etc. They divide fairly between labels and bands, DIY idealists (Do It Yourself) for marketing, art, and production guided by their belief in freedom of expression, innovation and diversity with the simple aim of spreading and introducing the music they like.

What makes indie music attractive for youth?

Most of indie music lovers are youth ,as a youth I feel there was a time looked for my identity, I like something about anti- mainstream and unique so in this genre I found it. The indie band giving new vibes for their song with lift up about life experience, social portraits, social critics and illustrate the current situation of society. The indie bands today are more in terms of creativity, music and genre that is packaged more unique, they brave to take the social critics theme in to their song like Efek Rumah Kaca, Jason Ranti, Silampukau, and Tiga Pagi. However, the uniqueness made them has many fans.

The youth interest with something about freedom, unique, anti-mainstream and rebellious. Their life is not far with music because music can express their moods and  minds. Loving indie music is the right way because it can be made them free to express many things. indie bands have their each characters music to convey their idealism, you only choose a indie band that you like, such as Payung Teduh with their Pop Keroncong Jazz , Nadafiksi with blends distinctive sounds of jazz flow such as contrabass, flute, jimbe, sadatana, and guitar synthesizer, Jirapah with slow rock with uniq sounds etc.

 

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