Insitu Recordings

Explorasi

Resonance

Open Albums (Growing Playlists)

Mepalu Sari

Mepalu Sari (Essence of a Collision) is a collection of original compositions for gamelan instruments presented alongside electronic music inspired by them that resulted from a partnership with Burnaby North Secondary School and Vancouver’s Western Front (front.bc.ca).
The partnership began in 2019 when Balinese students were invited to write and record music specifically for the purpose of being electronically reinterpreted by students in Canada. In Bali, students were organized into groups led by an Insitu Recordings team member who provided guidance throughout the composition process. Several months later the groups convened at Antida Studio to record the fruits of their labor: 15 intricate compositions, some approaching 10 minutes. This was the first time many of the students had been in a professional recording studio, and the opportunity for professional documentation inspired creativity far exceeding our expectations and instructions. The impressive sonic tapestry captured during that session was then sent to Canada to be mixed, remixed, sampled, or otherwise reinterpreted.
Concurrently with the composition and recording process that unfolded in Bali, Canadian students were introduced to the sounds of gamelan and electronic music production. Insitu Recordings’ cofounders Jonathan Adams and I Putu Gede Sukaryana provided a hands-on introduction to gamelan performance coupled with a discussion of the historical and cultural context for new music in Bali, while Vancouver-based composers Brian Topp, Yu Su, and Kiran Bhumber taught students how to create electronic music using Ableton Live. Armed with 40+ minutes of new gamelan music, some knowledge and experience with the instruments upon which it had been played, and drawing from their newly acquired production skills, the students were then invited to create electronically manipulated reinterpretations of the compositions sent by their Balinese peers.
Both the original compositions and reinterpretations were scheduled to be premiered in 8-channel surround sound at a special event in early June 2020 that had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. In its place a full-length album was conceived that would include the original compositions alongside works inspired by them. Several established North American electronic musicians were also invited to contribute to it. The result is a collection of music born from an attempt to bridge sonic practices while simultaneously creating educational opportunities that encourage meaningful collaboration.
Imprint: Explorasi
Released: 2021/07/23
Length: 101 minutes

Album Credits

Indonesian Artists

Group 1 members: Dewa Gede Agung Kayonanda Parikesit Pemayun, I Pande Komang Gede Triadi Ditya, I Putu Diva Adi Pradana, I Made Panji Pradnya Adi Kusuma
Group 1 compositions: Langkah Kecil, Putar Balik, Bunuh Diri, Shadow, EKG (ElektroKardioGrafi)

Group 2 members: I Kadek Hendra Dwiantara, I Gede Mei Sutrisna Yasa, I Komang Galang Widnyana, Ida Bagus Pradnyananta Arimbawa, I Kadek Wahyu Baskara Dewangga
Group 2 compositions: Siklus, Kontemplasis, Bedy, Rintik, Ceki 

Group 3 members: I Kadek Divananditya, Made Pande Gangga Sentana, I Kadek Bagas Suryadinata, I Kadek Anggara Dwianta, I Putu Restu Andika
Group 3 compositions: Hujan, Faktorisasi Prima, Putar Balik, Tidak Salalu Segar, Mizu, Bandang

North American Artists

Tegan Wahgren, Scott Gailley, Sarah Davachi, Aysha Dulong, Ethan Lum, Ben Berardini, Kalyan Rath, Ashley Musa, Rohini Soedhwa, Bianca Greco, Denis Petrov, Mela Melania & Jack J, Maria Alvarez, Minimal Violence

Insitu Recordings Group Coordinators (Bali, Indonesia): I Komang Pasek Wijaya (group 1), I Wayan Situbanda (group 2), I Wayan Ari Widyantara (group 3) 
Burnaby North Secondary School Coordinator (Vancouver, Canada): Kevin Ault
Educators (Bali): I Komang Pasek Wijaya, I Wayan Situbanda, I Wayan Ari Widyantara
Educators (Canada): Kiran Bhumber, Csaba Laszlo, Yu Su, Brian Topp, I Putu Gede Sukaryana, Jonathan Adams
Burnaby North Secondary School Coordinator: Kevin Ault
Western Front Technical Support: Lief Hall & Ben Wilson
Western Front Production Assistant: Kate Woolf & Kathy Feng
Western Front Producer & Curator: Aram Bajakian

Produced in partnership with Burnaby North Secondary School and Western Front, and with support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the BC Arts Council, the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, ArtStarts in Schools and TELUS Friendly Future Foundation.

Production Credits

Recording session coordinator(s): I Komang Pasek Wijaya, I Wayan Situbanda, I Wayan Ari Widyantara
Recording date(s): 2019/12/15
Recording location(s): Antida Studio Bali, Indonesia
Video recording: I Komang Pasek Wijaya (Pasex)
Audio mixing: Jonathan Adams (Insitu Recordings)
Audio mastering: Michael Fossenkemper (TurtleTone Studio)
Video editing: I Komang Pasek Wijaya (Pasex)
Cover art: I Putu Agung Danu (Danu)

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