Piknik has returned to Indonesia’s independent music scene with new material and a refreshed lineup.
The Bogor-based band first emerged in the late 1990s. At the time, a group of young musicians began moving away from distortion-heavy sounds.
They started exploring British pop influences instead.
Piknik originally formed in 1998 under the name Lolipop.
The band grew from a group of young musicians influenced by the global spread of Cool Britannia, including its lifestyle, fashion, and music.
Those influences also reached Bogor, a city located between Jakarta and Bandung.
Piknik Builds a National Presence
During the same period, bands such as Pure Saturday, Rumah Sakit, Cherry Bombshell, and Planet Bumi began entering Indonesia’s national music scene.
Piknik soon joined the movement.
WEA (Warner Music Indonesia) invited the band to contribute to the compilation KLIK! (Kumpulan Lagu Indonesia Terkini!) alongside Lakuna and Ungu.
The compilation featured Piknik’s songs “Sinar” and “Peri.”
The release helped introduce the band to a wider national audience.
“Sinar” later became a single, while its music video received regular airplay on television.
Following the success of “Sinar,” Piknik ended its partnership with Warner and continued independently.
The band released the single “Tak Bisa Lebih” in 2003 and the mini album Attack!! in 2005.
The years that followed brought lineup changes and a period of uncertainty.
Deni Denol Noviandi (Neal/Swellow) and Andi Idam Fauzi (The Kuda/Swellow) both joined Piknik’s live lineup as guitarists during this period.
Piknik later released “Gadis Kecil” in 2021 and continued performing sporadically under the name KinKip.
Read more: Samum Releases Second Album Titled LIMINALIS
A Reunion Leads to New Material
After spending five years without a new release, Piknik returned with fresh material and new members following a reunion show in 2025.
Adit recalled that Dhoni from RooM invited Piknik to perform at one of the group’s events.
The band had already been inactive for a long time but felt the desire to return to the stage.
The reunion initially faced a challenge when one of the band’s guitarists fell ill.
Denol and Aris from Eyeliner eventually stepped in to fill the guitar positions for the performance.
The reunion reignited Piknik’s enthusiasm to create new music.
As discussions continued, Dito B (Cause/A Curious Voynich) and Firman Aris K (Eyeliner) officially joined Piknik’s current lineup.
They filled the guitar positions that had remained vacant for years.
Dito said the band began working on new material after he joined.
They also selected songs that would form the blueprint for their upcoming mini album.
Piknik Explores Personal Themes on Astrometri
The creation of Astrometri grew from experiences involving anxiety, family, hope, and the search for direction in life.
Denol also returned to the project, this time contributing as a co-producer.
According to Aris, the tracklist on Astrometri represents a complete emotional journey.
Listeners can experience the songs in sequence or individually, as each track carries a different mood while maintaining accessible lyrical themes.
Recorded at Bens Studio in Bogor, Astrometri draws heavily from the sound of 90s guitar music.
The mini album incorporates elements of shoegaze, indie rock, dream pop, and psychedelia.
One example is “Pusat Berita.” The track draws from the groove of the baggy-era psychedelic sound and features a dense wall of sound.
Adit explained that “Pusat Berita” was the final song written for the project. The band eventually chose it as the EP’s single.
Dito also contacted Idam to contribute to the track, helping the band achieve the musical mood they had envisioned.
“Pusat Berita” Reflects Information Overload
“Pusat Berita” explores the noise created by information, opinions, and expectations arriving from every direction.
The constant flow can gradually drown out one’s inner voice.
The experience becomes increasingly familiar as people grow older and face the effects of technological disruption.
Idam contributes to the track, while Popo Hanoto adds keyboard parts.
Popo is a longtime friend of the band who previously played with Not For Child and Seven Soul.
Piknik has chosen to maintain its identity instead of following trends or adapting to current tastes.
For the band, relevance is not something to chase. They believe honest music will find its own audience without relying on a formula.
Through Astrometri, Piknik creates a framework for navigating the music landscape.
The project reflects their effort to understand their position while following the light they believe in.
The band does not want to follow whatever happens to be popular. It also does not want to make music simply to satisfy current expectations.
Aswin described Astrometri as a journey to find direction and light in life.
He believes the musical light created by Piknik will eventually find its own way to the listeners who need it.
Astrometri was released digitally on July 31, 2026, through various digital streaming platforms.
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