Ardhito Pramono Presents Old Indonesian Pop Through Wijayakusuma Album

Ardhito Pramono (Script Records)

JAKARTA - It didn't take long for Ardhito Pramono to return to music. A debut full album titled Wijayakusuma was released today, Wednesday, July 13.

Through Wijayakusuma, Ardhito released his first album after completing his rehabilitation last June. This album was also released through Aksara Records which is back in operation after 13 years.

There are many things that are new from Ardhito's debut album, because it is the first time he has released a single in Indonesian with the same title. Wijayakusuma's song is a pop track with a touch of orchestral instruments and gamelan and sinden. This surprise came from Oom Leo's (Narpati Awangga) criticism of Ardhito because his music lacked an Indonesian touch.

“I see a lot of bad effects from my works that use English so far, for example, new musician friends who finally choose to use English in their works. I don't want our language to disappear to be replaced by a foreign language in a work," said Ardhito Pramono.

The lyrics themselves are divided into several acts. In the first part, Ardhito Pramono contemplates his life as a human being. The sinden part sung by Peni Candra Rini seems to be the climax of this song. Wijayakusuma is something fresh from Ardhito Pramono's discography so far.

“This album is about the anxiety, the regret, the beauty, and the things that have happened in recent years. Through this album, if I wanted to vent and take pictures of some of the events that happened," he said.

Ardhito also wrote, produced, and recorded the entire process of Wijayakusuma's album in Indonesia. This time, he performed a pop album inspired by Keenan Nasution, Margie Segers, Chrisye, Rafika Duri, Dian Pramana Poetra, Rien Djamain, Utha Likumahuwa, to Candra Darusman.

“I think this album will be an album that I release every 30 years. Because honestly I don't know when I can make songs like this again. It's only once in 30 years. Like a coincidence that happens when people are playing jazz, that coincidence will not happen again,” explained Ardhito Pramono.

This album contains 8 new tracks including Wijayakusuma which can be streamed.