A Bunch of Teenagers Form Darkwave Act Camlann And Release Debut Album [Indonesia]

Yo…what were you doing as a teenager? We certainly weren’t releasing albums…definitely writing music, but nothing as exceptional as this.

Camlann is Indonesia’s answer to Iceage; a teen post-punk outfit that is quickly taking over the local music scene, with sights set farther afield.

Formed in early 2019 by middle school friends Ony Godfrey (vocals, guitar), Bayu Triyudanto (bass), and Fauzan Pratama (synthesizer) – all under 16 years of age – Camlann soon followed with their debut EP The Arrival (August 2019).

The Arrival also caught the attention of German label Cold Transmission Music, who is introducing the Indonesian teens’ debut full-length album, The Forgotten Lost Fragments, today.

Like the country of their origin, Camlann is a trove of disparate cultures and influences. 80’s post-punk and darkwave filters into their sound through influences like The Cure, Clan of Xymox, and Joy Division. But unlike some who still strut their Unknown Pleasures t-shirts claiming post-punk purity, Camlann is not stuck in the past. Though young, the band are ardent students of their niche, finding inspiration in contemporary artists like She Past Away, Drab Majesty, and Kælan Mikla.

Like many of their influences, Camlann appeal to religious themes and imagery in their debut album The Forgotten Lost Fragments. However, unlike the appeals to Norse mythology, ritualistic satanism, or other esoterica which many goth-leaning bands have historically held high, Camlann takes a different route.

Woven into their dark yet dreamy musings on pain, beauty, darkness, and light, The Forgotten Lost Fragments touches on themes related to Catholicism, an unlikely candidate in today’s darker or gothic genres. The album’s lead single “To Vatican” grapples with a lover’s decision to follow his calling to the Vatican, leaving forever. “Father Johannes” is also referenced on the album cover’s stark imagery of a Catholic grave.

Written, recorded, and produced by Camlann, their debut album is an impressive statement. It blurs the lines between dark post-punk, new-wave, and darkwave. It imprints Camlann’s own brand of artistic vision and goth, Catholic and Indonesian imagery. And it says with a bold knock on the door of neo-goth circles, “Hello, we are Camlann and we are coming for you.”

https://www.instagram.com/camlannmusic/