Lomba Sihir

Sometimes magic is real. Just ask Lomba Sihir.

This ensemble of some of the brightest names in the Jakarta music scene quickly gelled as a unit, which isn't always a guarantee when you gather this much talent in one place. And what a gathering of talent it is: charismatic vocalist and synth player Baskara Putra a.k.a. Hindia, versatile bassist Wisnu Ikhsantama W, hotshot drummer Enrico Octaviano, wunderkind keyboardist Tristan Juliano, firecracker vocalist Natasha Udu and ace guitarist and vocalist Rayhan Noor. With a name repurposed from a short-lived campus band of Hindia's, Lomba Sihir was born in 2019.

Following a string of shows in which every gig felt more like an exercise in euphoria, the 2020 pandemic brought a temporary end to live audience events and pushed Lomba Sihir to the next step of their evolution into a cohesive unit in which each member is free to express themselves and contribute equally.

In part due to being a band full of producers, over the closing months of 2020 Lomba Sihir quickly put together their debut album Selamat Datang di Ujung Dunia. This collection of eclectic pop songs is the band's ode to Jakarta, a love-hate letter about the trials and tribulations of growing up and surviving in the Capital City. Thanks to standout tracks such as "Hati dan Paru-Paru", "Apa Ada Asmara", "Nirrrlaba" and "Semua Orang Pernah Sakit Hati" that showcase the band's range of influences and capabilities, Selamat Datang di Ujung Dunia received much critical acclaim upon its March 2021 release and eventually landed on numerous Best of 2021 lists. In late 2021 Lomba Sihir also released the Mungkin Takut Perubahan EP that featured various versions of one of the standout tracks from Selamat Datang di Ujung Dunia; and “Pesona”, a new track that the band put out as part of their record label Sun Eater’s Sounds Cute, Might Delete Later singles series and has become one of the highlights of their live shows.

With the resumption of live events, Lomba Sihir continues to establish itself as its own thing. And as more and more people become entranced by their music, the magic spell that Lomba Sihir weaves keeps growing stronger.