Rani Jambak: Sonic Heritage

Liquid Architecture invites Rani Jambak to discuss methods and ideas around 'sonic heritage', a key theme in her music and sound work.

Drawing from field recordings, ritual sounds, and archival textures, Rani Jambak unearths the layers of cultural memory embedded in sound. This talk navigates the spaces where tradition meets contemporary practice to shape new understandings of sonic identity.

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Rani Jambak (Lasi based), a composer, producer, field recordist, instrument designer, and vocalist of Minangkabau descendant from Medan, is deeply engaged in exploring electronic music and soundscapes sourced from various regions across Indonesia. Her extensive body of work frequently examines themes surrounding nature, socio-cultural dynamics, and the intricate relationship between humanity and ancestral heritage (Vibra Genetika – 2025).

Pursuing a profound exploration of cultural identity as a Minangkabau individual, Rani's artistic practice delves into the philosophical dimensions of Minangkabau traditions and investigates how ancestral wisdom can offer responses to modernity. Additionally, her work envisions the concept of #FUTUREANCESTOR, grounded in spiritual values that are critically essential in contemporary life.

As part of her creative endeavours, Rani has designed instruments inspired by the traditional Minangkabau watermill, Kincia Aia. This innovation serves as both a critique of the climate crisis's impact and an effort to reinterpret ancestral knowledge in a novel dimension. Moreover, Rani, in collaboration with Hario, has developed performances rooted in the 19th-century manuscript, Tambo Alam Minangkabau, in partnership with Naskah Sumatra of SOAS University of London. In 2025, she introduced her installation piece, Pusako nan Sabana Tinggi (The Most Precious Legacy), a 20-minute sound composition featured at ASIA Topa (Australia).

In recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to sound, music, and technology, Rani received The Oram Awards in 2022.