Noise is serious shit
Film Screening 17.04.2024 18:00
By Hilman Fathoni
Presented by Cedrik Fermont and Ranav Adhikari
FREE Entry Donations welcome
ACCESS Our space is accessible by wheelchair
Noise is Serious Shit, Documentary by Hilman Fathoni, Indonesia, 60 mins, Original with English subtitles
Noise music in Indonesia is now starting to gain its own place. Starting from social media-based networks, the noise scene can be found in almost all corners of Indonesia. Today's local noise scene can stand on equal footing with other underground music that has received the spotlight earlier.
Starting from noise bombing on the streets, small gigs in art galleries and music clubs, even getting spots at big music festivals in Indonesia such as Pesta Pora, Joyland, Rock in Celebes and Synchronize Fest as well as international ones at Nusasonic and CTM Festival. It is not uncommon for Indonesian noise acts to tour other countries in Asia, even Europe and America. Among them are Yogyakarta-based Senyawa and Indra Menus.
Yogyakarta, which is known as a music laboratory, is able to provide a vehicle for its musicians to explore boundaries. Apart from the two above, there are also noise acts who join communities such as Jogja Noise Bombing. As one of the collectives that introduces noise to the general public with its noise bombing movement and annual festival, Jogja Noise Bombing provides a platform for many noise acts to do networking with each other at the global level.
Apart from them, the noise scene in Yogyakarta already existed and developed before. Starting from the SKM duo, namely Ari Wulu and Jompet, who have been active since the mid-90s, as well as the Asian noise rock group, Seek Six Sick, which was born in the late 90s and has become a significant influence in the noise scene.
Marjuki "Kill The DJ", who is active through the events "Mencari Harmony" and "Parkinsound", also displays a lot of intersections between noise and electronic music. Followed by the Yes No Wave label which releases many local noise and experimental projects.
The spread of noise in Yogyakarta is what is interesting to make a documentary film about. Hilman Fathoni is a noise artist with quite a number of stage names, from DJ MO)))dara to Palasick and also a music archivist that took this interest.
Considering the long distance since the appearance of Bising, a documentary movie about people who play noise music in Indonesia, Hilman started thinking about making a follow-up documentary film. Yogyakarta was chosen as the city area where the documentation would be made.
In 2014–2015, the interview process began with several musicians based in Yogyakarta, starting from Ari Wulu, Rully Shabara (Senyawa), Indra Menus, label owner Wok The Rock, as well as synthesizer makers Ucok (Lifepatch), Lintang (Kenali Rangkai Pakai) and others. This interview material was then combined with footage of the noise performances taken as early as the year 2000.
The film editing process, which began in early 2016, was abandoned because Hilman moved to Jakarta for work. The initial version of the film, entitled Jogja Noise: The Movie, is 75 minutes long, unedited and has no transcript. In May 2016, an early version of this film was screened at the Persami Experimental event held by Jogja Noise Bombing in Watu Lumbung. At the Jogja Noise Bombing Festival 2020 at Loops Station along with several other short films, this documentary had its title changed to Noise is Serious Shit, a phrase uttered by one of Jogja's noise legend, Krisna Widhiatama (Sodadosa) which reflects the seriousness of these noise acts.
In 2023, Hilman Fathoni, who returned to Jogja, decided to collaborate with Yudhabrit as editor of the film to then cut the duration to 62 minutes and add English subtitles. In October 2023, Noise Is Serious Shit was brought by Indra Menus to conduct its first screening at the Gamut Labyrinth event in Zurich (Switzerland).
Upon returning from Switzerland, Indra Menus and Hilman Fathoni agreed to go on a film screening tour to several cities as part of the road to Jogja Noise Bombing Festival 2024. It is planned that this film will be screened in 32 cities around Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Hong Kong between 15 February and 3 May 2024. Meanwhile the Jogja Noise Bombing Festival 2024 itself will be held on 4-5 May 2024.