Parakosmos by Bottlesmoker

In conjunction with the celebration of Netlabel Day on 14th July 2017, the duo electronic Bottlesmoker from Bandung, Indonesia, has released their latest album, Parakosmos. The album itself is the first album-series to welcome the anniversary celebration of Yes No Wave Music.

The philosophy of Parakosmos lies on the journey of a person in a singular world of harmony surrounded by contrast. Parakosmos is a bundle of stories about togetherness in nature, which Bottlesmoker believe that harmony relies on two opposite things.

The main ideas throughout all the songs are about artistic rituals carry out by indigenous people in a rural area of Indonesia. The traditional ritual is a natural expression to preserve sense of balance in life.

The word Parakosmos is taken from two different meaning: Paracosm often describe as imaginary world. While the words Paradoks and Kosmos merged and create one whole new meaning which explain that everything in the universe created in pair, opposite, black and white, men and women, dark and light, and so on.

Anggung Suherman (Angkuy) and Ryan Adzani (Nobie) tried to explore unusual approach to work on this album. They did unique collaboration with American ethnomusicologist, Palmer Keen, who once carried out field recording in many locations in Indonesia. Keen managed to record and collect various exceptional sound-bite from traditional music instruments in Indonesia and documented each of them under the name of AuralArchipelago.

Parakosmos is an album which demonstrates the way Bottlesmoker give musical respond toward Aural Archipelago. They soaked up the powerful energy and values from the traditional ritual and release them into original experiences.

There are two different concepts performed by Bottlesmoker throughout the creative process in the making of this album. First, they adapt the way in which the traditional instruments played, such as the musical beat of ‘kendang’ to the rhythm repetition of ‘tarawangsa’. Second, to record singing voice of solo to choir, from Beluk performance in Tasikmalaya, to Panggaiyang in East Sumba which become the main vocalization in the album of Parakosmos.

There are 10 songs which has become one tale of a person from ‘bottom’ to ‘up’, inspired by the ritual and cultural values in ancient Indonesia. It has strong connection with harmony in nature.

‘Parakosmos’ is the fourth album from Bottlesmoker, as well as the most exceptional album with different concept and outstanding sounds.

Bottlesmoker is a music project by Anggung Suherman (Angkuy) and Ryan Nobie Adzani, from Bandung, Indonesia. Bottlesmoker has been doing lots of experiment in the songs making using toy musical instrument and custom equipment, so the sounds that produced were so unique with a hint of a pop music taste that is so catchy, and unique at the same time.

bottlesmoker.com