From Indo To England: Elephant Kind Interviewed
There’s nothing like the present, and there’s no need to travel seven thousand miles, or spend twenty hours on a plane for no reason, it’s an immense decision to take. Indie rockers Elephant Kind really know, last autumn the trio took a big leap of faith, when they moved to the United Kingdom.
Growing up, singer and producer Bam Mastro, Bayu Adisapoetra, who is the drummer and bass player Kevin Septanto had admired the city from afar, and they would later take inspiration from a number of artists and bands from Britain – and America. Luckily, their hometown Jakarta, has a lot in common with its British counterpart.
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“It’s not that hard to adapt here,” attempts Mastro. It’s a melting pot, everyone’s from different parts of the world. You walk the streets, you go on the tube, and you don’t feel alienated.” The Indonesian three-piece feel settled in the UK capital, comfortable in their adopted home city. The decision to shift location came after Mola Records presented the band with an offer they just could not turn down.
Determined to make the most of their time here, working closely with their team to get things in place, they have already played a number of live dates around the country in cities like Liverpool and Manchester. “There’s a lot of support from the community,” Adisapoetra adds. “We’ve played some shows, and everyone’s been supportive, people have come up to us, they’re welcoming. As a musician that moves halfway across the world, that’s the most important thing. I’m extremely grateful for the past year, and I haven’t experienced anything negative in the industry here.”
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It can make sense to move to a big city for career progression, but it may not always be the best way to nurture the culture someone is born and bred in, yet somehow, they point to often feeling isolated back home, with “no one to look up to”. It clearly is complex topic of conversation.
The atmospheric EP release ‘Superblue’ gets them ready for a lush, vibrant chapter in their lives, as they find themselves in a different culture, and see things through a different lens, it’s a new perspective, and the ideas are fresh. Generally, musical inspiration comes from different parts of the world, however, some songs are inspired by sounds from the African continent, while others incorporate the use of Asian instruments.
Adisapoetra grew up listening to American punk groups, Septanto is into Japanese culture and Mastro grew up listening to Michael Jackson and other American greats. “Our songs are very diverse,” Septanto reflects. “We have broad influences, they come from the west and the east. There are artists that sound Japanese, but they might sing in Bahasa or English, there’s African and Middle Eastern sounds. It’s really interesting.”
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An established indie treasure in Indonesia, at least for the time being, they leave behind a loyal and dedicated fanbase, fans that have followed them for almost a decade, and it does not come without an element of worry. Having played some of the biggest festivals there, won awards and played the some of the best venues is all significant. But this move is about turning what at times can seem like a risk into ambition, it’s about transforming worry into hope and belief.
Available on YouTube, their documentary ‘From Indo to England’ tackles the big move away from their home country, and goes on to describe the passion and ambition they all share as a band.
“We have goals to play the biggest places in the UK,” enthuses Mastro. “We would like to go on a full nationwide tour. It would be terrific to experience it now that we’ve had a taste of playing to British crowds, and it’s been really great to see the response from the audiences.”
With realistic goals that are as clear as their journey up to now, with achievements that speak for themselves, it’s evident that Elephant Kind are on a roll, navigating the wonderfully creative path they have chosen, with the prospect of even better things to come in the imminent future.
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Words: Susan Hansen
Photography: Eleonora Collini
