New Indonesian music from September 2026: no na, The Brandals, Ruth Sahanaya and more

Release details checked against the sources at the end of this article on 1 October 2026. Where reports give different dates, we show both.

Indonesian music had a full September, and a lot of it sounded unmistakably local. no na wove gamelan and ceng-ceng into a debut album for an international label, The Brandals marked 25 years with a new line-up, and Ruth Sahanaya ended an eight-year wait for new solo music. All of that came just after Nadin Amizah released her third album, Laika, Yang Ditinggalkan, on 28 August, which we cover in our Nadin Amizah profile.

A debut, and a band at 25

no na's island girl, out 18 September on 88rising, was the month's most striking release. The group's first full album gathers 15 tracks, seven new and eight carried over from speaker freaker (the long song), and leans into Indonesian sound: ceng-ceng cymbals on "work", gamelan on "rollerblade" and minibus horns on "honk!". They celebrated with a free two-day pop-up at Nirmana Falatehan in Jakarta on 19 and 20 September.

From a very different corner of Jakarta, The Brandals set their sixth album, Oposisi, for release on 30 September, in the band's 25th year. The ten songs were recorded at Atas Music in West Jakarta between September 2024 and December 2025, with Jonathan Mono and Jonathan Pardede producing. It is also the first album from the current four-piece, with drummer Ghani Noorputrawan, who joined in early 2025.

Returns and second albums

Ruth Sahanaya's Merindu, released digitally on 4 September, is her first solo release in about eight years: a six-song EP of "Pelangi", "Aku Tak Sanggup", "Terserah Kamu", "Aku Merindu", "Pagi" and "Sebaris Lirik Cinta". Kelvin Joshua wrote "Aku Tak Sanggup", Farel Hilal produced "Pelangi", and guitarist Indra Iryawansyah Amac wrote "Sebaris Lirik Cinta". For collectors, a vinyl edition of 100 numbered copies is planned, with pre-orders shipping in November.

Rony Parulian followed his June single "Wals Akhir Zaman", produced by Petra Sihombing for Universal Music Indonesia, with his second album, Dunia dan Seisinya, a ten-track record released in early September (reports give both 3 and 4 September). Yura Yunita, for her part, released a single on 2 September: "Pertiwi", with lyrics by Donne Maula, music by Yura and production by Iwan Popo, and a video directed by Kathleen Malay.

From Bali to hipdut

Dialog Dini Hari took the slow road. Rumah Bisa Lahir Sekali Lagi, eight tracks and about 32 minutes, out 18 September, was recorded on analogue gear, including a 1983 Studer tape machine, at Uma Pohon Studio in Denpasar, with Sugeng Wisnu guesting on "Biarlah". It is out digitally, on cassette through Jajan Kaset and on CD through deMajors.

Lomba Sihir expanded their second album instead. The deluxe edition of Setelah: Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi adds five songs, among them "Vas Bunga" and "Di Seberang", the July single co-written with Hindia (Baskara Putra), and arrived in early September (reports give 4 and 9 September). It sets up the band's biggest show yet, Konser Ujung Dunia, at GBK Basketball Hall in Jakarta on 21 November. If you are going, our first concert guide covers tickets and getting home.

And for something with more bounce, Akbar Chalay and Mingse, the alter ego of singer Bunga Reyza, released the hipdut (hip hop dangdut) single "Kok Masih Rindu?" on 18 September through Glitch Haus/Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia. Giant Prayash Trinanda and Akbar Chalay wrote and produced it. The pair already have form across the border: their earlier "Astaga Bercanda" reached No. 2 on Spotify's Malaysia Top 50.

October starts strong, with Lyodra Ginting and Avhath both releasing albums on the 9th. Here is every Indonesian album announced so far.