Premise: Indonesia occupies little bandwidth in global popular music, but among fans of a revitalized breed of fusion musicians, Dewa Budjana is recognized. On his 11th solo album, the guitarist leaps easily between registers, jumping from the sonic frills of fusion jazz to the harsh roar of grunge. And that's only on "Crowded," Mahandini's opening track. Much of the album sounds descended from the Steve Howe wing of '70s prog. Mahandini has many guest spots, including vocals by John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Soimah Pancawati, a pop and movie star in Indonesia.
Hypothesis: Mahandini is a person.