Ali incorporate Middle Eastern culture with elements of 70’s Indonesian rock, cinematic soul, afro beat, funk and disco to create a new groove and sound to add to the vibrant and contemporary Indonesian music scene. Formed in Jakarta by drummer John Paul Patton and vocalist/bassist Arswandaru Cahyo, Ali builds on the influence of Middle Eastern art, music and language (the lyrics are all in Arabic) - which over centuries has assimilated itself deep into Indonesian culture and way of life. Absar Lebeh on guitar completes the trio for recordings, and they add dynamic percussion to complete the live quartet. They are now bringing this unique ‘Middle Eastern Beats with South East Twists’ to festivals and shows all over the globe such as KEXP Radio, Roskilde, Fuji Rock, and Meredith.
