Who is Arash Buana?

Arash Buana is an Indonesian multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer. He has been creating music since the early 2000s, blending together traditional Indonesian sounds with modern production techniques. Arash’s music has been featured in films, TV shows and video games, as well as being performed live at international festivals.

Early Life and Career

Arash Buana was born in Indonesia in 1982. He began playing guitar at the age of twelve, soon expanding to other instruments such as bass, drums, synthesizers and percussion. He studied music production at college before beginning his professional career as a multi-instrumentalist and producer.

Musical Style

Arash’s music is heavily influenced by traditional Indonesian music, combining the sounds of gamelan, kacapi, angklung and suling with electronic production techniques. His songs often feature intricate percussion lines, atmospheric synths and soaring vocal melodies. His sound has been likened to glitch hop, world music and chillwave.

Collaborations

Arash has collaborated with a range of artists from around the world, including jazz trumpeter Eric Vloeimans (Netherlands), flautist Frans Vollink (Holland), guitarist Olivier Sliepenbeek (Belgium) and rapper MC Jahanam (Indonesia). He has also worked with filmmakers on soundtracks for short films such as ‘The Birdman’ (2015) and ‘The Rainmaker’ (2018).

Live Performances

Arash has performed live at numerous international festivals including Indonesia’s Java Jazz Festival (2008), Holland’s Noorderslag Festival (2010) and Belgium’s Boomtown Festival (2013). He has also appeared on radio shows such as BBC Radio 3’s ‘World on 3’ (2016).

Awards and Accolades

In 2009 Arash won an award for Best Instrumental Album at the Indonesian Music Awards. His song ‘Tropical Rainforest’ was featured on the soundtrack of the hit videogame FIFA 2012. He was also featured in the book ‘One Hundred Great Jazz Guitarists’ by Robin Meloy Goldsby (2010).

Discography

Arash has released four studio albums to date: ‘Jazz Tribute to Indonesia’ (2006), ‘Tropical Rainforest’ (2009), ‘Inner Voice’ (2011) and ‘Lullaby for Gamelan Ensemble’ (2014). He has also released a number of singles, EPs and compilations.}