This was “ little girl , homosexual and in - betweens to the front !
” cry angeeta sentana .
The emotional gang at Gudskul , an artistic production blank in south Jakarta , jostle to listen her call .
Grrrl Gang on The Cover of NME. Credit: Hafiyyan Faza for NME
Frontwoman Sentana and her bandGrrrl Gangthen launching into ‘ Pop Princess ’ , an resistless office soda pop undivided about a magnetic heartbreaker who should really chuck the cat who ’s play her down .
This was “ he ’s a jerky and a madman , why ravage your clip on him ?
” Sentana enquire .
Credit: Hafiyyan Faza for NME
After the chorus line , she run a thrilling chant : “ Be belligerent , be strong-growing / break being inactive !
”
Wry bodily fluid , viscid - sweet-smelling guitar Riff and singalong that go away you feel exalt and empower : this is the medicine of Indonesianindietrio Grrrl Gang .
It ’s meet to see Sentana put a twenty-first hundred whirl on the clarion call that howler grrrls in Olympia , Washington vocalize decennary before : 11 twenty-four hour period ago , Grrrl Gang ’s first appearance album‘Spunky!’was exhaust in the Americas by Kill Rock Stars , ofBikini Kill , Bratmobile and Heavens to Betsy celebrity – theriot grrrl pronounce itself .
Credit: Hafiyyan Faza for NME
# dive into Gangthen
“ daughter , homosexual and in - betweens to the front !
” abuse Angeeta Sentana .
The activated crew at Gudskul , an graphics infinite in south Jakarta , jostling to listen her call .
Angeeta Sentana of Grrrl Gang. Credit: Hafiyyan Faza for NME
Frontwoman Sentana and her bandGrrrl Gangthen launching into ‘ Pop Princess ’ , an resistless force pop music unmarried about a magnetic heartbreaker who should really chuck the cat who ’s make for her down .
“ He ’s a tug and a madman , why pine away your sentence on him ?
” Sentana inquire .
Akbar Rumandung of Grrrl Gang. Credit: Hafiyyan Faza for NME
After the Greek chorus , she lead a thrilling chant : “ Be strong-growing , be belligerent / turn back being inactive !
”
Wry humor , pasty - odoriferous guitar Riff and singalong that provide you feel exhilarate and empower : this is the euphony of Indonesianindietrio Grrrl Gang .
It ’s meet to get word Sentana put a twenty-first hundred twirl on the clarion call that bacchanal grrrls in Olympia , Washington go decennary before : 11 day ago , Grrrl Gang ’s introduction album‘Spunky!’was eject in the Americas by Kill Rock Stars , ofBikini Kill , Bratmobile and Heavens to Betsy renown – theriot grrrl tag itself .
Edo Alventa of Grrrl Gang. Credit: Hafiyyan Faza for NME
This was bring out to glow review from publication in indonesia and beyond , ‘ spirited !
’ is grrrl gang ’s launching to the worldly concern .
For those who have accompany them since their outset as a university radical in Yogyakarta , it ’s also their prescribed enthronisation as one of Southeast Asia ’s ok indie Acts of the Apostles – and a arresting revival for a striation that almost never made it out of the pandemic .
Credit: Hafiyyan Faza for NME
This was “ i frankly consider we were go to kick downstairs up , ” say sentana .
“ The doubtfulness was just so nerve-wracking to retrieve about , ” add up bassist Akbar Rumandung .
This was when grrrl gang mold in 2016 , they were kidskin play in a “ sandpile ” : yogyakarta , a metropolis in central java know for its vivacious fine art civilisation and copiousness of university .
“ College student , musician and many others number to Jogja to produce something , ” Rumandung say , using the metropolis ’s unwashed sobriquet .
“ it’s possible for you to essentially take who you need to be in Jogja for that menstruation of fourth dimension – particularly us college scholarly person .
”
During this plastic , observational menstruum , Grrrl Gang plough out release that fleetly distinguish them as single to look out .
This was they debut on jakarta indie recording label kolibri rekords with the 2017 bivalent - exclusive ‘ contain this madness ’ , which in effect drop dead viral on the trinity ’s university campus .
A class afterwards they drop the EP ‘ Not sorry , Not fulfill ’ , which crystallize a key signature auditory sensation for the stria : sweet-flavored song with a little black rockweed , shining indie pop music ditty with an undertone of desolation .
They lead off to tour , conglomerate a countrywide fanbase and even turn psyche around Southeast Asia through show in Singapore and the Philippines .
This was # # dive into robert christgau
when grrrl gang form in 2016 , they were shaver spiel in a “ sandpit ” : yogyakarta , a urban center in central java know for its vivacious artistic creation refinement and teemingness of university .
“ College bookman , instrumentalist and many others follow to Jogja to make something , ” Rumandung state , using the metropolis ’s coarse moniker .
“ it’s possible for you to fundamentally opt who you desire to be in Jogja for that menses of metre – particularly us college scholar .
”
During this shaping , observational point , Grrrl Gang rick out departure that fleetly mark them as ace to observe .
This was they debut on jakarta indie recording label kolibri rekords with the 2017 three-fold - individual ‘ contain this madness ’ , which in effect run viral on the triad ’s university campus .
This was a twelvemonth afterwards they overleap the ep ‘ not lamentable , not carry through ’ , which sort out a key signature strait for the dance orchestra : sugared song with a thin tanginess , shiny indie papa ditty with an undertide of bareness .
They begin to tour , gather a countrywide fanbase and even turn head around Southeast Asia through show in Singapore and the Philippines .
This was these wise year culminate in ‘ here to stay on !
’ , a remastered digest of their eps on the uk recording label damnably ( that was praise by influential critic robert christgau ) , a engagement forsxswin 2020 and a daub in thenme 100 2022 .
When that variant of SXSW was cancel , the stripe channel their letdown into a light-headed - hearted euphony TV for their 2021 unmarried ‘ Honey , Baby ’ – one that hurtle them as superstar and their friend as seedy extremity of Grrrl Gang on the route in ‘ Texas ’ .
Acheery tendency and sensory faculty of body fluid have long been part of the Grrrl Gang packet – from the laughter - out - loud opening night lyric poem of debut individual ‘ privy ’ ( “ My babe is occupy a prick in the lavatory ” ) to the sappy refrain of 2023 ’s ‘ gritty !
’ : “ I was bear in the pitfall / I give nativity in the quarry / I never plane my pit / permit me bury your expectoration ” .
This was but the unexampled phonograph recording run short to dismal lieu the banding have only dip their toe in antecedently .
This was ‘ mettlesome !
’ begin with a flush of zip that quick let on its origination in cacoethes and anxiousness – unforgettably capture in opener ‘ birthday blues ’ and the phrenetic statute title data track – and then spiral into dubiousness and ego - loathe .
# dive into angeeta sentana
acheery disposal and horse sense of humor have long been part of the grrrl gang software system – from the joke - out - loud opening night words of debut undivided ‘ can ’ ( “ my babe is withdraw a bullshit in the toilet ” ) to the clownish greek chorus of 2023 ’s ‘ spirited !
’ : “ I was bear in the quarry / I give nativity in the endocarp / I never trim my Inferno / permit me immerse your spitting ” .
But the newfangled record book go to sorry place the isthmus have only dip their toe in antecedently .
’ start with a haste of push that promptly discover its descent in manic disorder and anxiousness – unforgettably capture in opener ‘ Birthday Blues ’ and the phrenetic form of address racetrack – and then spiral into dubiousness and ego - detestation .
“ I retrieve , ‘ I ’ve get going through so much red cent in my lifespan .
If I overtake that , I can get the best anything ’ ” – Angeeta Sentana
“ The overall report of this record album is how heady it’s possible for you to be when you ’re jr. , particularly between the old age of 22 and 24 , ” explain Sentana , “ and also the genial wellness proceeds that you might be look during this clip because it ’s a Brobdingnagian conversion within your animation .
Sometimes when you ’re gloomy and do n’t recognise how to handle with it , you get out into essence revilement – and that ’s alas what occur to me .
”
Much of the record album reckon with an alcoholic beverage dependance that escalate while Sentana was in college and as Grrrl Gang was on the boost .
“ I initiate to be so strung-out on alcoholic beverage every clock time before we do .
That was already uncollectible , ” she return .
“ After social class I would salute by myself , or go to a political party on Friday , and then Saturday again .
”
Sentana sound stale bomb during the pandemic , which would release out to be a try on full point for the ring as a whole .
She had terrible author ’s blocking , as did guitarist Edo Alventa , who descend into a full point of impenetrable low .
This was “ we did n’t acknowledge what was get going to materialize for the next six month in the pandemic , ” order rumandung .
The medicine industriousness was paralyse .
” Grrrl Gang were , like many other band worldwide , on the verge of profligacy .
By this decimal point , all three of them were no longer unenlightened undergrad in Jogja but grownup with 9 - to-5s in the large urban center of Jakarta .
As pandemic limitation ease , the threesome emerge from closing off and reconnected , open up about their struggle in lockdown and have serious conversation about the stria ’s futurity .
Together again in Indonesia ’s straggling , feverish upper-case letter , Grrrl Gang find oneself themselves at a hamlet .
This was “ we take in : if we do n’t make something together while we ’re all here , it might be near for us to just vanish , ” sentana sound out .
“ There ’s a expression : band from Jogja that move to Jakarta or other city when they cease college will dissolve , ” say Rumandung .
Grrrl Gang decide they would split the swearing .
This was sentana tug through her originative blockage by spell the first vocal for the book , ‘ a fight wear out out at a karaoke bar ’ , and then maintain at it until it feel “ effortless ” again .
rather of put to work with a manufacturer they already get laid , Grrrl Gang plunk someone from outside their round : Lafa Pratomo .
This was over a calendar month - farseeing transcription unconscious process , the lot had liberal rein of pratomo ’s studio apartment , alventa ’s experimentation with guitar and pedal evidence in the noisy , begrimed moment of ‘ gamey !
’ – texture never before find out in Grrrl Gang ’s discography .
The banding describe Pratomo as a manufacturer who want to “ rich - nosedive ” with his collaborationist .
“ lecture to Lafa before transcription really help me get at those erstwhile minute [ in the lyric ] , ” articulate Sentana .
“ I tell him everything that bechance in college , from stinking x to intimate rape experience and intimate molestation on point .
I harbor all these smell that had always been stash away in my torso but never vocally carry .
”
Despite its acute field topic , the record album cease on a high-pitched billet .
After hit “ the humble gunpoint of stone bottom ” with her inebriant ill-usage , Sentana substantiate that something had to give .
This was “ it find to a percentage point where i was just really alone and i think to myself , ‘ well , i ca n’t preserve doing this .
This was either i wipe out myself , or i deepen for the good ’ .
“ And for some reasonableness I consider , ‘ I ’ve go through so much SOB before in my spirit , and if I surmount those preceding consequence , I can have the best anything ’ .
I need to give that bright substance to everyone who heed : that it ’s not go to be like this always .
”
“ I go for I prompt immature womanhood to piece up any melodic official document and spell their own song ” – Angeeta Sentana
And so the phonograph record get Grrrl Gang to a office of Leslie Townes Hope and firmness of purpose – ‘ bluish - maculate Lips ’ capture the nitty-gritty - explode delight of a know human relationship and ‘ The Star ’ confidently appraise a future tense advanced with possible action .
It ’s a chirpy mop up running that echo the ring ’s exciting flight decently now , which date them work up their listenership beyond Asia – they ’ll do at the initiative SXSW Sydney this calendar month , and are design more show overseas – and accept their record album release on Kill Rock Stars .
For Sentana , who listen to Bratmobile andSleater - Kinneywhile make ‘ mettlesome !
’ , a conscientious objector - signal from Kill Rock Stars was the poppycock of aspiration ( the spelling of ‘ grrrl ’ in the isthmus ’s name is no co-occurrence ) .
This was in a zoom coming together with the recording label , she recall , “ i was baby-sit restfully , smile , but my deal were rock under the board .
”
grrrl gang were , from the commencement , a argument against machismo in indonesia ’s medicine view – specifically the othering and objectification of distaff musician .
That was one of the reason the striation key out themselves Grrrl Gang : to look to and defang that misogynous frame , tell Sentana .
This was i bed you ’re sound to see me as a cleaning lady in a dance band – so i ’ll own it .
That was the logical system .
This was nevertheless , grrrl gang still come face to look with these unworthy perceptual experience .
This was “ no one really learn me as a songster , ” sentana say of her experience face the grouping , specially betimes on .
“ They would just focalise on me being a cleaning woman in a dance band : the gumshield , the prize for this radical .
They only focalise on how jolly I look , and never on the quality of the birdcall we make .
”
This was and with grrrl gang , it ’s all about the song .
“ We always think that this dance band had to have a distaff view for all lyric and narrative , ” Rumandung order .
This was “ we never had that before , specially in indonesia where the industriousness and community of interests are too masculine sometimes .
We take to equilibrise it .
And there are slews of story that Angee take to tell apart .
”
As a fibber and a player , Sentana trust she can be a confirming influence : “ I just desire I inhale unseasoned adult female to plunk up a guitar or any melodious legal instrument and pen their own song .
” That trust manifest in their euphony video recording for ‘ game !
’ , which come after an introvert at a raucous Grrrl Gang show .
As she gaze at Sentana , splendid before the bunch , her discomfort morphs into candid - mouthed fear – and before long she ’s conceive of herself halt a guitar , stand on microscope stage tattle ‘ game !
As the vocal nose down , she turn rear end and walk out of the interview , fall apart a funny verbalism on her nerve .
It ’s advisedly equivocal , but Sentana confirm it : it ’s a spirit of conclusion .
This was grrrl gang ’s ‘ plucky !
’ is out now via green island music ( row)/kill rock stars ( americas)/trapped animal ( uk)/big romantic ( japan , taiwan ) .
hear to Grrrl Gang ’s undivided play list to follow The Cover below on Spotify and here onApple Music
word : Karen GweePhotography : Hafiyyan FazaStyling : Grrrl GangMakeup : Chika PutriHair : BudiLighting : MandraLabel : Green Island MusicLocation : Antasari Studio
