10 Photos of Lokananta, Indonesia's first and legendary music studio

This is the Holy Grail of Indonesian music.

10 Agustus 2016 10:01

Brilio.net/en - Indonesia has plenty ofmajor record labels, but 60years ago there was just one.Lokananta in Solo, Central Java, opened in 1956, as the country's first record label and later its first music studio.

Built in 1956 onthe instruction of Indonesia's first president, Soekarno to show that Indonesia could produce itsown vinyl records. At thetime, Western gramophone records dominated broadcasts atRepublic Indonesia Radio (RRI).

Lokananta started out as theofficial vinyl records manufacturer for RRIaccording to its official website, Lokananta was initially called Pabrik Piringan Hitam Lokananta Jawatan Radio Kementerian Penerangan Republik Indonesia(the Lokananta Radio Records Factory Office of theMinistry of Information of the Republic of Indonesia).

In 1961, Lokananta's core business developed into a record label specializing in folk songs, performing arts and publising books and magazines.

It became arepository of historical recordings. You can still find the original 'Indonesia Raya' thenational anthem,Soekarno's speech atthe first Asian-African Conference in 1955 and the 'Genjer-genjer' song strongly associated with the 30 September Movement and Indonesian Communist Party.

The studio is modernizing and music is still recorded there today.

1. Inside aroom forconverts analog records to cassette tapes.

Lokananta Music Studio
2016 brilio.net/brilio.net

2. Hallway of the Lokananta terrace building where photos of employees andlongtime Information MinisterHarmokoaredisplayed. Harmoko inaugurated the studio in 1985.