Do you hear what I hear?

Between flocks of motorcycles, children playing, and the calls to prayer echoing from mosque to mosque, Java is full of sound. But above the constant cacophony, a beat rises across Java. Electric chords, pop ballads, techno beats, and traditional instruments blend to create something so unmistakably Indonesian: Dangdut.

Whether you’re packed into a bus as it speeds across Java, chilling at the office, doing aerobics with the local ibus, or anywhere within three miles of a wedding, Dangdut will be your constant companion – the soundtrack to your Javanese island life. Dangdut is loved by many in Indonesia, and, my faithful readers, it’s time for me to add a little extra musical spice to your life.

Here are two current hits by Cita Citata. Turn up the volume, sing along, and welcome to Java!