4 To Watch: White Shoes & The Couples Company

Members: Saleh (Mr. Saleh), Ricky Virgana (Mr. Ricky), Aprimela Virgana (Mrs. Mela), John Navid (Mr. John), Aprilia Apsari (Miss Sari), Yusmario Farabi (Mr. Rio)
Fun fact: “White Shoes” alludes to the fashion trend of wearing white shoes at the Jakarta Arts Institute, where the band members met. “Couples Company” refers to the two couples in the band, Sari & Rio and Ricky & Mela.
Why they’re worth watching: WS&TCC have songs in two Indonesian films, and their 2006 MySpace buzz led to a deal with Chicago label Minty Fresh.
For fans of: Stereolab, Pizzicato Five, Spanky & Our Gang

"Simple Overture,” the opening lo-fi guitar instrumental of White Shoes & The Couples Company’s debut album, is akin to an interval signal—the captivatingly simple melodies shortwave radio stations air before a broadcast commences.

Stay tuned-in through all 13 tracks and you’ll get a sense of how elements of ’30s jazz, ’60s harmony pop and ’70s Indonesian film soundtracks mesh in the musical minds of these young Jakartan art instructors.

But the band’s musical mission is more than exotic fusion. According to singer Miss Sari, they’re from “an over-populated, polluted city with a complicated social life. When we started, our main aim was to entertain fellow Jakartans. We have broadened our audience, but we are still telling tales of Jakartan life.”

While the Indonesian lyrics of most White Shoes songs may limit Americans’ comprehension, the band’s effervescent music is crafty in its simplicity and has universal appeal. Hooky, catchy pop on the surface, White Shoes songs also incorporate tricky time signatures, swinging solo breaks, lush orchestrations and vintage keyboard tones.

The music is at once peppy and chilled-out, which makes sense given the band’s origins. White Shoes initially formed, guitarist/singer Mr. Saleh says, “because of an event at our school, the Indonesian Graphic Design Students gathering party. It was 2002, we played together for the first time. We were still an all-acoustic combo and were asked to play in between art-school rock bands in order to calm the party down a little bit.”