Dwiki Dharmawan – Rumah Batu (2018) review – Art Rockin

From the initial moments, there is euphoric beauty with flute, piano, and floating percussion, followed by nimble eastern integration with a collision of Weather Report, Il Baricentro, Arti+Mestieri, and ECM polish. So tight, so perfectly performed, it makes you jealous. It is to be expected with these magnificent musicians, a team with purpose and proven track records, with a number of combinations and other releases.

The recording is not without variety. ‘Paris Barantai’ (track 2) begins with a classical piano intro, playful and almost cartoonish for a few seconds. Quickly the body of the song unfolds with Sa’at Syah, who also plays flute on several tracks, coming in on vocals. A short part followed by development of percussion and multi part piano, and dynamic changes in a smooth ascension. Nguyen Le performs some frisky and biting lead guitar lines throughout, as well as some sympathetic soundscapes. Although many styles bubble up along the way, a distinct eastern Indonesian fusion keeps strong companionship amongst it all.

‘Impenan’ (track 3) tosses a gorgeous beaming female vocalist upfront named Dewi Gita, who is an Indonesian star of her own. With a utopian and exotic musical frame that alone, is magical beyond belief, the composition will leave you melted with a smile on your face. Several of the eight cuts are extended over ten minutes (10:39/11:43/12:24/14:14) which allow time for the music to travel, expand, and resolve in truly gratifying ways. Dharmawan has such a mass of incredible experience and creativity, it is a marvel to hear what he releases with each project. He often moves from piano influences of Keith Jarrett, to Keith Tippett. Comfortable with classical and jazz, and all that goes beyond. ‘Rumah Batu’ is another feather in his hat. Bringing together this brilliant keyboardist/composer/producer, with unreal bandmates like Asaf Sirkus (drums), Yaron Stavi (upright bass), Nguyen Le (guitar), Carles Benavent (bass), and the many other fabulous singers, percussionists, Nyomann Windha’s Gamelan Jass Jegog (Balinese Gamelan & percussion orchestra), and flutes, was yet one more grand achievement for Leonardo Pavkovic of the evergrowing and unmistaken MoonJune Records label out of New York.

The 14:14 ‘Rumah Batu Suite, Part 2 – Perjalanan’ (track 6 – and composed by Dharmawan, Le, Benavent, Stavi, and Sirkis) will shake you from your shoes, with its bold many moods blow out, from avant garde to meditative carpet ride. At the end of hearing the entire album, you realize you have been a part of several strong emotional movements. The whole thing is quite a celebration of joy, calm, transcendence, and inner peace. But most of all, a complete and full engulfment into an exceptional musical experience. RECOMMENDED.

Reviewed by Lee Henderson 10 – 10 – 2018

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  • […] l’album “So far so close”, sorti l’an dernier chez Moonjune Records, ce label américain édite un nouvel album de Dwiki […]
    —Musicinbelgium : DHARMAWAN, Dwiki – Pasar klewer | Dwiki Dharmawan (19/10/2016)
    Musicinbelgium.net : DHARMAWAN, Dwiki – So far so close
  • Maju Terus Musik Atjeh, Dengan Mengedepankan Asas Seuramoe Mekkah akan mengangkat Martabat Kande Dimata Dunia..Beusaban Pikee Nak Saban Seunang.
    —AtjehonLine.com (06/12/2011)
    Launch of KanDe ‘Meukeondroe’
  • Om Dwiki, konser Menembus Batas tahun ini ada???
    —Danuve (22/07/2010)
    KONSER MENEMBUS BATAS
  • where i can watch the videos... thanks before
    —indyastari (16/07/2010)
    World Peace Orchestra presents The Soul of Indonesia
  • Syabas buat Dwiki Dharmawan Orchestra..ianya adalah diantara konser yang terbaik yang pernah saya tonton walaupun hanya di kaca tv..Ada konser ini telah dirakamkan ke dalam bentuk cakera padat?Jika ada,saya ingin sekali memilikinya..
    —ida (25/09/2009)
    KONSER MENEMBUS BATAS
  • Setelah mendengar album ini, saya bangga sekali rasanya jadi Orang Indonesia. Betapa kekayaan budaya kita (yg dalam hal ini adalah musik daerah tradisional) begitu kaya dan indah, kali ini yang diangkat adalah musik daerah timur indonesia. Setelah diolah oleh orang-orang berbakat seperti Dwiki Dharmawan mampu menjadi sajian yang sangat berkelas, kolaborasi antara alat musik tradisional seperti sasando, dan keyboard yang dikemas dalam bentuk Orkestra menjadikan Album ini sangat layak untuk diapresiasi dengan nilai yang sangat tinggi. Terus Berkarya Musisi Indonesia, dan mari ikut serta Memvoting Taman Nasional Komodo masuk kedalam 7 Keajaiban Dunia yang baru.
    —Andian (15/08/2009)
    CD Dwiki Dharmawan – World Peace Orchestra now available
  • om gw ingin bli kasetnya tapi harus mesen ya, jauh bner kalau mesen,sayakan di palembang, pasti mahal harganya blum ongkos kirimnya,saya ingin bnget mempunyai c.dnya
    —roy (13/07/2009)
    CD Dwiki Dharmawan – World Peace Orchestra now available
  • anda bs memesan via WartaJazz.com, dan nanti akan di kirim via TIKI. silakan kontak sales@wartajazz.net atau telp ke 021-8310769
    —admin (07/07/2009)
    CD Dwiki Dharmawan – World Peace Orchestra now available
  • Saya tertarik dengan album WPO ini, apakah selain memesan juga bisa ditemukan di toko musik? Kalau iya, di toko mana ya?
    —Gomat (30/06/2009)
    CD Dwiki Dharmawan – World Peace Orchestra now available
  • Beautiful music, amazing talent of Dwiki and a great production...im very proud to play within this project as a special guest. Kamal M
    —Kamal Musallam (12/06/2009)
    CD Dwiki Dharmawan – World Peace Orchestra now available
  • HAloo Cross Culture Music sangat membuat kita gelisah Jalan teruuus Salam
    —dwiki (07/02/2009)
    “Ilir-ilir” Concert in Beijing
  • Salam kenal Mas, kami pernah juga mengkolaborasikan musik Sunda dan Tionghua, di link ini http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWWEm_xI27U mudah-mudahan suatu waktu kita dapat bekerja sama. Terima Kasih
    —Andry Harmony (04/01/2009)
    “Ilir-ilir” Concert in Beijing

Electronic Press Kit

Dwiki Dharmawan is among Indonesia’s most gifted and celebrated music personalities: a multi-genre keyboardist; skilled composer and producer, and; a conscientious peace activist, equally committed to ecological preservation.

EPK