Javanese tradition meets ambient experimentation in ‘Dreaming in Gamelan’

‘Dreaming in Gamelan’ pairs Canadian musicians Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill in a focused exploration of West Javanese gamelan through an electro-acoustic lens.

Brennan brings deep experience from the Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan and a long career across classical, contemporary, and collaborative projects. McNeill draws from extensive film and television scoring work, as well as experimental releases under his Maple Mountain Sunburst moniker.

The ‘Dreaming in Gamelan’ project began in 2001 during the scoring of a CBC documentary and has now been completed with additional composition and electronic treatments derived from the original sessions.

Rather than treating gamelan as an exotic reference point, the album works from its core ideas: tuned metal percussion, interlocking rhythm, and sustained harmonic shimmer.

“There’s all kinds of strange and beautiful in this music. It’s otherworldly and completely transportive—and I think these are the qualities that Bill and I were after with the ‘Dreaming In Gamelan project’,” explains McNeill.

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Using hand-forged instruments made by Javanese maker Tentrem Sarwanto, Brennan and McNeill shape nine concise pieces followed by a ten-minute finale, moving between sparse bell tones, gentle piano passages, and moments of denser rhythmic flow.

Ron Searles’ Dolby Atmos mix emphasises depth and clarity, giving the music clear spatial definition.

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It’s exactly what you’d imagine when you hear “gamelan”, and then some. Metallic yet gentle, the music carries a nostalgic quality, especially when layered with soft piano tones that create an otherworldly atmosphere. The timbre remains bright and intricate while still soothing and meditative.

Blending West Javanese gamelan traditions with contemporary ambient electronics, the album doesn’t lull you to sleep; instead, it draws you steadily deeper into its spell.

Listen to and purchase here.

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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