Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
ABOUT
Suarasama was formed sometime in the middle of 1995, led by Irwansyah Harahap and Rithaony Hutajulu. Both are teachers of the Ethnomusicology Department at the Faculty of Culture Studies, University of North Sumatra, Medan, Indonesia.
Irwansyah Harahap in his works has conducted much investigation into the world's musical concepts, and among them are the musical cultures of Africa, the Middle East, India, Pakistan's Sufi, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, as well as Northern Sumatra (Batak and Malay).
Suarasama has produced four albums: "Fajar Di Atas Awan" (1998), "Rites of Passages" (2002), "Lebah" (2008); and "Timeline" (2013). The first album was produced by Radio France Internationale (RFI), France in 1998 and played in RFI radio branches all over the world. One of the songs from that album titled "Fajar Di Atas Awan," was published in "Music of Indonesia 20: Indonesian Guitars" by the Smithsonian Folkways Recording, 1999 in Washington DC, USA. In 2008, this album was reissued in the form of CD and LP by Drag City Chicago, USA, and distributed in several countries around the world. One of the songs from this album, "Fajar Di Atas Awan," has been published again in a compilation CD as a cover month CD of Uncut Magazine, London.
After the Drag City release, the Suarasama album was considered to be one of the 5 best World Music albums of the year by the San Francisco Chronicle; one of the 10 best World Music albums of the year by Uncut Magazine London and one of the 10 Best Albums of October 2008 by Global Rhythm Magazine, USA. The fourth album "Timeline" was included in Uncut Magazine's 38th and 45th playlist in 2014 and listed as one of Uncut Magazine's Best Albums (thus far...) and Best Album Halfway. Five songs of Suarasama have appeared in a film "Un-common Sound: Songs of Peace and Reconciliation" which has been broadcast on ABC News in the USA in Nov 2014. The album has been reviewed by more than 35 magazines, both printed and webzines, in America and Europe, due to Suarasama's "World Music" approach that was considered "new" by several of the world's music critics.
Irwansyah Harahap in his works has conducted much investigation into the world's musical concepts, and among them are the musical cultures of Africa, the Middle East, India, Pakistan's Sufi, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, as well as Northern Sumatra (Batak and Malay).
Suarasama has produced four albums: "Fajar Di Atas Awan" (1998), "Rites of Passages" (2002), "Lebah" (2008); and "Timeline" (2013). The first album was produced by Radio France Internationale (RFI), France in 1998 and played in RFI radio branches all over the world. One of the songs from that album titled "Fajar Di Atas Awan," was published in "Music of Indonesia 20: Indonesian Guitars" by the Smithsonian Folkways Recording, 1999 in Washington DC, USA. In 2008, this album was reissued in the form of CD and LP by Drag City Chicago, USA, and distributed in several countries around the world. One of the songs from this album, "Fajar Di Atas Awan," has been published again in a compilation CD as a cover month CD of Uncut Magazine, London.
After the Drag City release, the Suarasama album was considered to be one of the 5 best World Music albums of the year by the San Francisco Chronicle; one of the 10 best World Music albums of the year by Uncut Magazine London and one of the 10 Best Albums of October 2008 by Global Rhythm Magazine, USA. The fourth album "Timeline" was included in Uncut Magazine's 38th and 45th playlist in 2014 and listed as one of Uncut Magazine's Best Albums (thus far...) and Best Album Halfway. Five songs of Suarasama have appeared in a film "Un-common Sound: Songs of Peace and Reconciliation" which has been broadcast on ABC News in the USA in Nov 2014. The album has been reviewed by more than 35 magazines, both printed and webzines, in America and Europe, due to Suarasama's "World Music" approach that was considered "new" by several of the world's music critics.
