neonomora

In a country the size of Indonesia, when a pretty little thing gets dubbed “the next big thing” there must be something pretty damn special about her. You can’t help but wonder what it is that makes her great. Right now, this is happening to a girl called Neonomora. Her one single, “You Want My Love,” released in November 2012, saw her almost instantly labeled as one of the lucky few—a girl with one of the brightest futures in the Indonesian music scene. And that’s quite a statement. So, is she that good? And does she deserve it? I’m not sure, it’s hard to evaluate when labels such as the one given to her are, more often than not, handed out according to the rules of the major music mechanics within Indonesia’s music industry. Let’s discard labelling her further and listen.

Following on from her star-status single, she got people hooked further when she released the video clip for “You Want My Love” back in February this year. With this, Neonomora lovers began to pop up all around the globe; Aussies, Americans, and folks from Southeast Asia, several European countries, and China all began paying serious attention. Several weeks ago a second single called “Fight” appeared and with this, the converted are more than willing to vouch for the validity of her aforementioned label. “Fight” is a brilliant track and has already begun to strengthen her position. When she sings “You Want My Love”, Neonomora still sounds a touch too much like Florence Welch and yes, whilst that does still make her amazing, for “Fight” she has slowly begun to search out her own path. To this self-exploration, she’s added banjo and mandolin, there’s Latin exoticism and a Middle-Eastern feel added in there too, and—just like her first—it’s definitely majestic.

When asked when her full-length debut is likely to be released, the Jakarta-based singer gave only a few hints; “The album will reach record stores this year but I can’t share the exact dates just yet but I can tell you that the songs, all nine of them, have already been through the final mixing and mastered process. I might add one more song so it’s 10 in total. Why? After all the positive responses I have received, my mood has been boosted, and I’m changing. This additional song will summarise my evolution.”

Born in 1988 as Ratih Suryahutamy, she’s actually not a newcomer to performing and started to sing at three years old. Her first performance was on Christmas night, back when she was still little and lived in the United States. Her mother used to be a singer, her brother is a musician, and the only thing she’s very sure about is that she was born to sing. Her talent must come from her DNA.

What else do we know? Her brother, Bam Mastro, will be included as a main collaborator for her upcoming first record. The main theme of the album is her life journey, and chronicles how the seed of Neonomora came into the universe and continues to evolve. Therefore lyrics will cruise around the topics of love, hatred, betrayals, death, loss, respect, gratitude, vows, birth, rivalry, conspiracy, and politics. Or as she puts it, “Life in all its ups and downs summed up in poetry full of melody.”

Expand your horizons to Neonomora and you’ll soon understand why Indonesia is one of the most respected music entities in Southeast Asia. Go ahead, google her. - THE BEAT MAGAZINE

Newcomer Neonomora hasn’t been on the Indonesian music scene for long, but the 25-year old is quickly making her mark. Trend-aware publications such as Nylon and Hai magazine have dubbed her everything from “The Chosen Act,” one of the “Musicians That Will Shine in 2013,” and “Indonesia’s Most Anticipated Music Talent.”

Those are quite weighty praises for an artist who only has two official singles out, but despite her minimalistic resume her obvious talent shines through.

Playing an eclectic blend of off-kilter electronica and R&B flourishes, the first thing listeners will notice about the songstress — real name Ratih Suryahutamy — is the powerful and soulful range of her voice. Sounding very global-ready, Neonomora’s music bears little-to-no resemblance to most Indonesian musicians out there. And it’s not just the music; Neonomora’s visual presentation is market-ready, showcasing the hippest side of urban-Jakarta young adults.

Her first single “You Want My Love” was released on radio and the Internet last November. The song showcases Neonomora’s potent vocals, which are slightly reminiscent of megastar Beyonce, and a rich production that involves tribal-like percussion and heavily processed ’80s-sounding drums.

The decision to publish one song at a time is a scheme of genius as it gives each track a chance to stand out while building anticipation for a full-length release.

According to the singer, her first musical love was for heavyweights such as Bing Crosby, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra.

Neonomora began singing Jazz classics in cafes around town but quickly found herself wanting to branch out of her “comfort zone.”

She then began incorporating all of her various influences to create her own style, one that blends the classics with the modern, utilizing a fair balance of digital and analog equipment. An obvious interest in tribal beats shines through.

“I would say [my music is] folk rock with a touch of electronic,” she said.

Neonomora’s just-released second single “Fight!” continues her minimal-yet-successful streak of maintaining quality control and her mystique. A hypnotic synthesizer line backed with tribal chants lay upon Neonomora’s commanding vocals.

According to the singer, “Fight!” is to showcase a harder side of her; one that “You Want My Love” only hinted at.

“From the beginning, I’ve always wanted to showcase vocal qualities, and not just an image. ‘Fight!’ really shows my vocal [abilities],” she explained.

The song itself is a call-to-arms against plenty of things, according to Neonomora.

“It could mean the fight against poverty, the fight for justice, or anything else that you find important. Through this song I aim to encourage listeners to fight for what they want — fight in a positive manner. Listen to your heart and do things positively,” she added.

Neonomora has high hopes for her music and no room for cynics.

“Music is a universal language,” she said. “To me it is a medium that can bring unity above all differences. Therefore, I don’t want my music to speak only to certain communities, ethnic groups, cultures or races, but [for it] to speak for everyone and to be accepted by the souls of all people in the whole wide world.”

You can listen to Neonomora’s singles at neonomora.com. - THE JAKARTA GLOBE

Let’s be frank and admit that the current music scene in Indonesia has the tendencies of being a tad bit superficial and highly adherent, devouring off each other’s creativity and ideas, ending up being identical or severely similar. This chameleon-syndrome has subtly affected the growth of music, both in the indie and mainstream industries; everything just sounds the same. In the midst of questioning the identity of music in our country, a 25 year-old Indonesian native, Neonomora, has stepped in and became an instant game changer. The velvet curtains aren’t closing anytime soon for this hell of a treat.

At first, I was doubtful. I thought it was just another band that had a meaningless name, with low-quality recording and lyrics that are as deep as a goldfish tank, hence, I thought that Neonomora was no different. But oh dear, how wrong was I. This is definitely not what I had in mind. Ratih Suryahutamy, started singing at a young age, growing up with jazz introduced by her parents; music and Neonomora were a match made in heaven. It seemed out of the question how she possessed her diva-like gift, with her family’s background and a legendary list of muse, it is foreseen that she belongs in the highest peak of musical charts, both local and international. Her kind of music is one of the firsts in the country; mainly justified as ‘folk rock with a touch of electronic’.

‘You Want My Love’ was her first official single, released in November 25th, 2013, undoubtedly became an internet sensation among local music enthusiasts. What was not to love? The drums and the synths that dominated the song, along with a three-minute of powerful yet haunting ambiances, a dynamic intertwine between today’s music and 30s jazz voice, the song was the freshest I’ve heard in a while. Her first single was followed by the second release within a six month interval, entitled ‘Fight’ that distinctly differs compared to her first radio-friendly song. ‘Fight’ highlights Neonomora under a different light, a mash between Florence Welch’s bold edginess and an influence of the great goddess of jazz, Ella Fitzgerald. The song involves strength, both vocally and musically, a character that local music tends to lack, it’s safe to say that Neonomora is leaping beyond a measurable threshold.

With merely two songs to gain fast international recognition, Neonomora is definitely on the spotlight. Great expectations are thrust upon her, so sit back and wait for her voice to echo even louder than ever. - SVANAPAPER.com