The values that Pable upholds are not only absorbed from those who work in the same field as us – textiles, sustainable industry. Sometimes, the same melody is heard from friends who are in a field far different from Pable. It is Rizky Rinaldy, or familiarly called Mas –a term used to address male friend in Javanese language– Rizky, an old friend of Pable who is in an arena far from Pable, more precisely music.
Mas Rizky is a disc jockey or DJ based in Surabaya. Although he claims that he DJs in all genres and media, the soul-funk genre and vinyl media are the arenas where he shines the most. It is very difficult to find a vinyl DJ in Surabaya like Mas Rizky, especially in a niche genre that has a special segmentation in society such as the 90s soul-funk genre. So, Pable came to knock on his door, which was immediately greeted with a relaxed and warm chat that was accompanied by the vinyl spins from his small set in the background.
Mas Rizky’s vinyl collection consists of a wide range, both old and new songs, and from various genres. However, Mas Rizky personally admits that his soul is in soul-funk. Mas Rizky still plays digital media when DJ-ing, but according to him, vinyl is an appreciation of the physical form of music production. Vinyl seems to be a manifestation of the hard work of various parties, starting from songwriters, music directors, singers and instrumentalists, labels, and producers. By buying and playing vinyl, we are appreciating the existence and services of these people. When the stylus or needle on the turntable or vinyl player is dropped, Mas Rizky feels that the spirit of the song is conveyed well. The experience of listening to music through vinyl is certainly different from listening through a digital music player.
For readers who may not be familiar with how vinyl works, let Pable introduce to you. Vinyl or black discs are a symbol of the revolution in musical art, making music that was originally only able to be performed live, can be recorded and played anytime. Vinyl itself has been widely used as a medium for recording music in Indonesia since the 1950s, starting with the Lokananta recording studio in Surakarta and the Irama recording studio in Jakarta. When we listen to music through a digital streaming platform, the principle will be different from recording with vinyl or black discs that are recorded analogously. The question is; how can a metal disc record or record sound, furthermore, how can the disc play back a song that has been recorded? The answer is easy: sound vibrations carved into the metal surface.
In simple terms, a song is played live, then the vibrations are scratched into grooves or lines on the record. The stylus on the turntable is tasked with passing through the groove, then producing the same vibrations as those that have been recorded. The turntable then processes these vibrations into sounds that our ears receive. This is why playing vinyl produces a much more realistic sound – because what we hear is exactly the sound that the musician played.
Since the advent of CDs and digital music recording in the 90s, the vinyl industry has declined (Guo, 2022). However, there was an increase in production and interest in vinyl in the 2000s, allegedly due to nostalgia and authenticity factors (Mall, 2021).
Mas Rizky fell in love with vinyl since the 90s, when funk soul songs began to spread in Indonesia. Studying in Jogja, Mas Rizky was actually closer to the world of communication marketing and multimedia. He made DJ-ing a hobby and a side job that he enjoyed. In the past, he often composed songs for advertising purposes, became a music director for events, and became a DJ for hotels and restaurants.
His background in communication marketing made Mas Rizky understand the relationship between the design and function of a building with the nuance or mood of the music needed. Mas Rizky touched on the concept of Geometric Chemistry; how songs blend with listeners through psychoacoustic interpretations of the music. In addition, it is also necessary to adjust the condition of the room to the music being played. Therefore, Mas Rizky works very carefully and with consideration when preparing music for certain clients. For example, the music needed for a hotel lobby is certainly different from a restaurant because it will produce different vibes, and will affect listeners in different ways. To do this, experience and sensitivity to the mood of each music are necessary, because music affects a person’s experience in a certain place.
You can watch Mas Rizky spinning records on his personal Instagram account, @md.rizkyrinaldy, as well as several videos on The Vinyl Chick YouTube channel. Mas Rizky’s song choices and ability to present smooth transitions between songs will amaze you.
Sitting and chatting with Mas Rizky made Pable realize that we don’t always have to be on the mainstream. Appreciation for authenticity – in Mas Rizky’s case, vinyl, and in Pable’s case, recycled materials – will always take a lonely path. However, sometimes it only takes one song or one piece of cloth to remind you that anything that starts from love and passion will not easily lose its flame.
