The allure of Ali’s tropical-cool psychedelia

Ali’s journey remains one of eclecticism, exploration, and an unshakable rhythm. Hailing from Jakarta, Ali has rapidly evolved into one of Southeast Asia’s most captivating musical exports.

Formed of vocalist Arswandaru on bass, Absar Lebeh on guitar, and John Paul Patton aka Coki on drums, the spellbinding band from Indonesia, have carved a cult fanbase for themselves by blending Middle Eastern-influenced funk, 1970 Indonesian prog-rock, and psychedelia into their unique sound.

Their shared passion for music, particularly rare 60s and 70s South East Asian disco, has positioned them as a unique force in the global music scene. While the crisis derailed many creative projects, the band found ways to strengthen their identity.

Ali started in Jakarta in 2019, just before the world came to a standstill, the band quickly bonded through cycling and studio jam sessions.

“We did a lot of cycling together,” shared Arswandaru, emphasising how time together outside the studio translated into cohesive music-making.

“It can sometimes get quite boring just hanging out in the studio, so we decided to cycle to really strengthen the bond and get closer outside the studio.”

This endearing, camaraderie-first cavalier was very much in motion during their recent stint in Victoria, Australia, where they performed with Polarize at the Balnarring Bowls & Social Club and enjoyed some downtime surfing and playing tennis.

They then performed at When Pigs Fly NYE Festival, and kicked off the first week of 2025 at Punters Club Fitzroy—where this interview took place.

We sat at the rooftop, smoking kretek (clove) cigarettes and exchanging polite pleasantries on the weather (Naarm at its finest; cold, summer evening), and of course, music, and how they have enjoyed a serendipitous flow for their rather nascent career, starting out with a few singles under their belt.

“Our approach is organic, focused on crafting something fresh from the roots while reflecting our cultural influences,” Arswandaru clarified.

“I am a big fan of music from the ‘60s and ‘70s, which are very inspiring to me,” adds Coki.

Following their successful 'Malaka' release in 2023—their follow-up album 'Patterns' which will launch February 21 this year, will see a similar far-out groove, with meandering melodies, and perhaps some prominent Arabic vocals. Their followers eagerly welcomed this entrancing style with open arms—a style that incorporates reference points from Arabic-infused rhythms, and West-African syncopated guitar riffs.

They enjoyed domestic appeal by performing shows around Indonesia, but that began to spread quickly on a global scale when international booking requests came in—first from France’s Les Recontres Trans Musicales 2022 in Rennes, which was then followed by an Australian tour.

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Since then the band has boasted big-scale international shows such as Fuji Rock in Japan, Best Kept Secret Festival in the Netherlands, and their first foray into the UK and European touring circuit in 2024.

Their summer tour was both a learning curve and a triumph, with international audiences embracing their unique sound.

“It was surreal to play in Europe for the first time. Being onstage in a completely different cultural context and seeing audiences groove to our sound was humbling.”

This warm reception energised the band, who took it as an affirmation of their global potential.

The upcoming year sees Ali building on this momentum. A mini-album tour is slated for February, followed by a US tour in March (including SXSW in Austin, Texas), and a festival appearance in Paris. They’ll also return to Europe and expand into Japan, reflecting their global ambitions while staying grounded in their Indonesian heritage.

“We want to connect with audiences everywhere without losing what makes us unique,” Arswandaru says.

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Ali’s creative universe extends beyond music. Becoming increasingly known for their eclectic, street-dapper style, creatively-led visual identity has always been intrinsically tied to the band—they are often draped in retro-inspired suits, quirky vintage polos and shirts, and leather boots when on stage or in photoshoots.

Apart from style on and off stage, they also look to balance their musical world with their creative endeavours—both Coki and Absar are still very much involved with their established bands (KPR aka Kelompok Penerbang Roket and The SIGIT respectively).

Absar is also a prolific skater, while Aswandaru is an illustrator and graphic designer (responsible for the band’s merchandise designs and event posters), and occasional DJ—he was also an additional member of the Bandung-based psychedelic rock act, Mooner).

When asked about balancing their commitments, they mutually agree that there have been no undesirable clashes or conflicts.

“We’re keeping busy with gigs across all bands, but whenever Ali gets invited to perform, we coordinate schedules with our managers. It’s worked out well so far, and everyone is supportive,” says Coki.

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Their journey, marked by collaborations with skateboarding brands and music peers, continues to enrich their aesthetic.

“Skateboarding taught us about community and individuality,” Absar says, drawing parallels to their approach to music.

Adam Halliwell of Melbourne/ Naarm-based psych-jazz fusion group Mildlife, whom the band regards as their favourite guitarist, collaborated on the track 'An Najma', where he played the flute.

“Moments like that remind us why we love making music,” Absar shared, reflecting on the joy of working with an artist who inspires them deeply.

Meanwhile, illustrator Aaron Lowell, illustrator has inspired the band to explore new ways of incorporating visual identity.

From conceptualising album artwork to designing immersive visuals, the band sees creative potential in weaving Lowell’s artistry into their creative universe, and has engaged him as the artist behind the artwork and cover design of 'Patterns'.

“We’ve always admired Aaron’s work as an illustrator, and we love how he blends his design sensibilities with our music,” Aswandaru shared.

Ali’s ambitions in music production lie outside the traditional confines of a live performance, and they have expressed interest in composing film soundtracks - even dreaming of scoring a silent movie.

“We’ve always been fascinated by the interplay of sound and visual storytelling.”

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Ali’s fusion of cultural pride, Southeast Asian psych-rock revivalism, and boundary-pushing creativity makes them an essential presence in today’s global music scene. Their album release and tour schedule signal that 2025 could be yet another memorable year lined up.

“We hope to visit and perform in more places that we’ve never been before—like Iceland, Brazil, Mexico, and South America.”

“We’re excited to bring our music to new audiences and places around the world,” they concluded.

Farah Azizan is a freelance writer for Mixmag Asia, follow her on Instagram.

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