Jirapah

A love for the diversity of sounds and styles in an ever-evolving world of music inspired the creation of Jakarta, Indonesia-based band, Jirapah. First formed in the mid-2000s by Ken Jenie and Mar Galo in their New York City apartment as a personal project where they experimented with songwriting and audio production, the two soon moved to their hometown of Jakarta in 2010 and met friends who, until this day, continue to shape Jirapah's music on and off the stage. The group is currently a quartet featuring the talents of Ken Jenie (guitar, vocals), Mar Galo (bass), Yudhis Tira (guitar) and Nico Gozali (drums), each bringing their own unique character to the music.


The rich sonic palette of the band reflect the various interests of its musicians, who lead their own musical projects aside from Jirapah. As they enjoy everything from rock, jazz, hardcore, pop, psychedelic, experimental, hip hop to afrobeat, there isn't a particular musical direction that Jirapah would like to pursue. It is perhaps the desire to try many possibilities that makes Jirapah special. Their music can sometimes be tightly wound, sometimes free-formed and improvised, sometimes introspective, and sometimes superficial. Even with this variety, the group's love for good, simple tunes always shines through and this is ultimately what can be described as their character.