Go-kart races with lawnmowers. A notorious spiritual guru and conman. A Japanese comic about depression. There’s only one band out there singing about all these things on the same record: Tarrkam, one of the main protagonists of Indonesia’s current punk rock scene that’s currently rippling with new waves of creativity.
The quintet are known for their tight but reckless, stage dive-inducing live shows, but Tarrkam are not merely about muscle and sweat. With fun, colourful musical bits accompanying what seem like random and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, the band are Indonesia’s very own purveyors of ‘egg punk’ – a recent internet-coined genre.
“Egg punk is like geeky, unstereotypical punk rock for people who listen to Devo,” explains bassist Haryo ‘Oyob’ Widi Adhikaputra. “We’re all pretty nerdy, and none of us really dress like punk kids.”
If that’s still hard to grasp, take in Tarrkam’s debut album ‘Fresh Grad’ and its bright, comic-inspired artwork, animated, quirky guitar licks, jumpy rhythm section and ’80s new wave-inspired moments. The band’s penchant for spontaneity is further reflected in their arbitrary lyrical themes, which often cover absurd cultural…
