WESTERN FRONT – Yes No Wave

A digitally rendered scene depicting wooden houses built on stilts in the water. The opaque outline of two apartment buildings can be seen in the background, creating a ghostly imposition of urban life that towers over these traditional architectural forms. At the centre of the composition, “Yes No Wave Music” is written in a silver font with pointed edges. The text is flanked with three chrome star-shapes resembling a compass rose.

Western Front is pleased to present a showcase of music from Indonesia represented by the Yes No Wave Music label run by the interdisciplinary artist and producer Wok the Rock. The showcase features live performances by Gabber Modus Operandi and Rani Jambak, and a DJ set by Wok the Rock. This presentation is accompanied by a screening of video works by Natasha Tontey and Riar Rizaldi detailed here.

Based in the Javanese cultural hub Yogyakarta, Yes No Wave Music is an online label and platform to nurture Indonesian artists and promote their activities internationally. Founded by Wok the Rock in 2007, the label is run with a DIY ethos to build a post-capitalist alternative to music industry norms. All music on the label is free to download, distribute, and even remix, reflecting the Indonesian social value of sharing communal resources, and the necessity for artists to develop their activities in spite of nominal government support and funding. In 2010, Wok and Timothy O’Donoghue initiated the monthly concert series Yes No Klub traveling throughout Southeast Asia and beyond. He subsequently co-curated Nusasonic in 2018-2022. These efforts fostered the international success of artists such as Senyawa, Gabber Modus Operandi, Raja Kirik, and Asep Nayak.

Since moving to Yogyakarta to study graphic design as a teenager, Wok’s cultural activism has continued to grow over the past two decades. He co-founded art space Ruang MES 56, curated the Biennale Jogja XIII in 2015, and organized numerous community art projects. This informs his unique interdisciplinary practice of crossing boundaries of music and visual art.

Prior to arriving at Western Front, the showcase will be presented by Debaser, Ottawa; Arts in the Margins, Montréal; The Music Gallery, Toronto; and Send + Receive Festival, Winnipeg.

Curated by Aki Onda and Wok the Rock.

About the Artists

In this photo of Gabbus Modus Operandi, Ican Harem crouches on top of an industrial table next to Kasimyn, who is operating DJ equipment. Surrounded by metal scaffolding, green light filters from behind the stage, basking the musicians in an otherworldly glow.

Gabber Modus Operandi is the duo of DJ/producer Kasimyn and artist/fashion designer Ican Harem, based in Bali, Indonesia. The group was founded following a fad staging at an underground punk concert in Denpasar, Indonesia. Their experimentation began with an obsession for the energy and intensity of Jathilan, gabber, dangdut koplo, ebeg, funkot, Chicago footwork, grindcore, and noise dance cultures, and the community parties in Indonesia’s smaller cities.

A portrait of Rani Jambak gazing directly at the camera while holding a carved mask. She is seated on a carpeted ledge and framed on either side by wood icons.

Rani Jambak is a composer, producer, and vocalist of Minangkabau descent from Medan, Indonesia. Through electronic music and soundscapes, Jambak’s work explores ecology, identity, and the socio-cultural relationship between humans and their ancestors. Her practice has also involved collaborating with Indonesian environmental organizations PPLH Borok and Orangutan Haven on ecological sound projects.

About the Curators

Aki Onda is an artist, composer, performer, and curator based in Mito, Japan, and is currently Curator-at-Large at Western Front, Vancouver. Their works are often catalyzed by and structured around memories—personal, collective, and historical. Crossing genres and disciplines, they have been active internationally in art, film, music and performance.

Wok The Rock is an artist, curator, music producer, and cultural activist born in Madiun, Indonesia, and based in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Working across the fields of contemporary art, design, and underground music, Wok’s practice focuses on experimenting with collective space. In addition to running the non-profit online label Yes No Wave Music, Wok curates the experimental music concert series Yes No Klub, is a member of the Yogyakarta-based artist collective Ruang MES 56, and is a founder of the Indonesia Netaudio Forum.

Accessibility

Please note that these performances will include the use of strobe lighting and other flashing light effects.

The Grand Luxe Hall is located on the second floor of Western Front, which is accessed by a flight of 26 stairs. While plans for a full building upgrade to facilitate access for wheelchair and scooter users are still underway, events in the Grand Luxe Hall are made available virtually via high-quality livestream (see link above). Further details about accessibility at Western Front can be found here.

Acknowledgements

Presented in partnership with Arts in the Margins, Montréal; Debaser, Ottawa; The Music Gallery, Toronto; Send + Receive Festival, Winnipeg; and Western Front, Vancouver, with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Canada and SOCAN Foundation.

Gabber Modus Operandi. Photo by Jordan Munns.

Gabber Modus Operandi. Photo by Jordan Munns.
Portrait of Rani Jambak. Photo by Ori Semloko.

Portrait of Rani Jambak. Photo by Ori Semloko.

Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.