Batavia Collective

Batavia Collective (BTVC), as the name suggests, is a group of Jakarta-based musicians who are equally influenced and driven by the sophistication, ruggedness and high-artistry of future jazz, liquid funk, electronic soul and everything in between, as it is by the gritty, uncompromising and hard-hitting streets of Indonesia’s capital.

Consisting of Elfa Zulham on drums, Doni Joesran on keys and Kenny Gabriel on synth bass, the trio present genre bending music that combines mind-altering synths, snazzy chord progressions, deep sub-bass, energetic grooves and neck-breaking tempos to produce a sonic feast that excites the body and stimulates the mind.

With just two single releases under their belt to date, the Jakarta based trio Batavia Collective have made an instant splash on the music scene with their infectious brand of neo-jazz fuelled funk, finding a highly receptive audience in the process.

On their latest ‘BTCV’ EP, released on genre shifting Belgian label R&S Records, the collective return, this time coming heavy handed with four new instrumental pieces, each one brimming with mesmerising melodies and dramatic passages.

As on previous singles ‘Propulsion’ and ‘Affirmation’, Doni Joesran, Elfa Zulham and Kenny Gabriel continue to enthral with a level of musicianship and musical nuance that goes beyond words, as the seasoned players drill deep into the soul of the genre and peel off four stunning recordings with ease.

At pains to not be defined or pigeonholed, BTCV explain “we are often asked what kind of jazz this is. To tell you the truth we don’t know. We don’t even know if our music can be considered jazz or not. We create the music through jamming, and afterwards, we vote on certain compositions together,” say the collective. Who said modesty was dead!