Pesta Nada by Gamelan Pesel

Pesta Nada (Festival of Notes) features seven new works by I Wayan Arik Wirawan (Arik) that capture the cheerful solidarity of the players who bring them to life on his innovative Gamelan Pesel. Overall, this material leans into the uplifting and accessible sounds that contribute to the group’s popularity, though there are also moments suggesting that distant sound worlds may have stirred Arik’s imagination. The effects of mixing selonding and semar pegulingan instruments, which inspired Gamelan Pesel’s unique design, are also prominent throughout. This includes distinct melodic play invited by the instruments as they interact in the lower register, as well as the ensemble’s signature timbre, which results from the blending of selonding’s iron keys with semar pegulingan’s bronze gongs. The catchy melodies, serpentine ornamentation, and energizing rhythms of Mecanda (joking around) and Pesta (party) align most directly with the spirit of the album’s title, while the pensive Segara (sea) reconnects us with the roots of Balinese court music, and the fiery Tabuh Petegak Bebarongan Guna Geni (useful fire) showcases the group’s remarkable synergy.

Learn more about this album and see photos from the recording session:
insiturecordings.org/release/pesta-nada/

Gamelan Pesel Bio: insiturecordings.org/contributor/gamelan-pesel/