Aki Onda Direction

Voices Beyond Asia (Drifting Music)

To achieve a new form of music beyond simply “Asia,” or to explore unexpected possibilities — these three artists have come from different backgrounds and built their careers in different urban environments. However, their work is loosely bound by their use of multiple and combined styles of music, the singularity of their unique visions, and an expressive approach that gives their work a sense of universality.

Ngọc Đại from Hanoi sings chansons that are charged with political criticism and demand freedom of expression. Senyawa from Yogyakarta have analyzed the semiotics of Western and Japanese experimental music and established a style that is sprinkled with elements from their own culture. Their recent success on many continents speaks to the fact that the uniqueness of their music can be relevant to audiences across the world. Jen Shyu from New York, in spite of her jazz background, researched folk music in many regions of Asia and created her own imaginary musical style that belongs neither to the East and West. She is of Asian ancestry, and her process of musical invention coincides with her own soul-searching.

Aki Onda Asia Research Report “Music of Asia: Its Past, Present and Future” February 8, 2016