The Gamelan Of The Walking Warriors : Gamelan Beleganjur and the Music of the Ngaben Funerary Ritual in Bali

Released in 2017 by the Paris-based label Akuphone, this collection documents the distinct sound of Gamelan Beleganjur, a processional ensemble music deeply rooted in Balinese Hindu culture. These field recordings were curated to capture the acoustic environment of the Ngaben, the elaborate cremation ceremony intended to liberate the soul of the deceased. The release reflects Akuphone’s mission to archive and disseminate traditional non-Western music traditions to a global audience, treating these ritualistic sounds as both ethnographic documents and sophisticated artistic compositions.

The production values emphasize the complex polyrhythmic textures of the gongs, cymbals, and drums that constitute the Beleganjur ensemble. By framing these recordings as a deliberate listening experience rather than just academic archival footage, the label sought to immerse listeners in the intensity and spiritual weight of the funerary procession. The work was received by world music enthusiasts and ethnomusicologists as a vital contribution to the study of Indonesian ceremonial arts, offering a high-fidelity window into a soundscape that serves a specific, profound social and religious function in Bali.