Indonesia’s internet record company Yes No Wave is a curious label specializing in pop music just off the radar of common taste. Their eccentric collection of online singles and EPs range from punk to reggae to just plain weird. I’ve already reviewed two albums from this label by The Upstairs and Shorthand Phonetics but I would consider both to be on the mainstream side compared to most of what Yes No Wave offers.

So these two full-length compilation albums titled Music Beyond No Border are quite welcomed. They offer a representative array of the artists this label has to offer. Volume 1 doesn’t sound too weird at first. The three opening tracks by Dubyouth Soundsystem, Hengky Strawberry, and Jaeger Boy Transfer would sound at home in any dance party. Then it gets a little wild. There some nice punk from Coffin Cadillac, Punkasila, and Gegabah. The weird part comes from some strange tracks like Zoo’s manic babbling on “Takluk” and “Enigma of Sucker’ by the primal Denda Omnivora & The White Liars. These ten tracks should keep you fairly amused.

Volume 2 is quite similar with a little more attention to the punk and hardcore. South Beach Terror’s “Wild Sea Horse” is fun surf punk. If I ever finish my opus film Nazi Surf Bunny Zombies, this will be my opening song. The quality is not quite as consistent as the first album but there are some nice surprises. Sunsang Lelam Telak’s atmospheric jazz trio sound a bit out of place but quite excellent while Shorthand Phonetic’s atypical piano instrumental “When Women Congregate” is still rather fun. Weirdest track? Probably Bla Bla Blast’s “Rediscovering Atlantis” while Jimbodivine’s closing song “Merah” is pretty and conventional in a good way. These two compilations make a good case for checking out Yes No Wave’s other offerings.

Both albums are available in MP3 formats with tracks being in varying bitrates but no lower than 128kbps.

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Music Beyond No Borders Vol. 1
Music Beyond No Borders Vol. 2