NPR's 'All Things Considered' Review Sambasunda Quintet: Java

National Public Radio's (NPR) 'All Things Considered' has recently broadcast a review of Sambasunda Quintet's acclaimed 'Java', released on Riverboat Records. 

Banning Eyre, the senior editor at Afropop, reviews the album stating that while the enchanting music contains a hint of sadness, it simultaneously feels uplifting. Furthermore, he also states that 'Sundanese music is one of those traditions you don't need to understand to appreciate'. The tradition is both welcoming and aesthetically haunting at the same time. Eyre reflects on the key elements of the ensemble which are the kecapi, a boat-shaped zither; the suling, a wooden flute; and the female vocal. The programme discusses a musical paradox: the modern sounds of Sunda were solidified in the 1960s under President Suharto. His regime had banned most foreign music in an effort to reinforce regional identity. Eyre states that 'Generations later, the Sambasunda quintet is a refined, beautiful fruit of a rather ugly intrusion into artistic freedom'.

Listen to the programme online here!