"Lots of spirit here." —St. Louis Riverfront Times

"The shaman plays an iron rattle and sings in a thin, creaky voice as he circulates among the musicians. In each piece, the intensity builds steadily, in one case culminating in squeals of glee from the crowd…. A woman sings two private songs accompanied by her 12-year-old niece on flute…. A moaning chant performed by three older men during a curing ritual conveys a distinctly spiritual mood. Their voices climb into head voice, and ultimately falsetto as they praise a particular bird. The final piece features foot stamping, high-toned drums playing a triplet rhythm, vocal animal imitations, and a single male voice singing a drawn out melody over the top. The trance dance concludes with wild cries suggesting the shaman's communion with the spirit world."—All Music Guide

This "monumental and enjoyable series" (New York Times) documents the music of the Indonesian archipelago, introducing dozens of beautiful and varied musical styles from throughout this complex island nation. Guitars and gamelans, flutes and drums, voices and brass bands contribute to a musical treasure trove that covers the gamut from ancient to popular roots-based urban music. Each hour-long CD is extensively annotated to place the performances in their regional and national contexts.

"Music which could never before have been heard except by those few individuals who took the time and trouble to visit these mostly remote areas and had the good fortune to be able to witness the special occasions on which these pieces were normally performed…. One feels a kind of quiet joy in beholding this 20-disc compilation: first, because so much has been preserved, and second, because 'folk' music in Indonesia seems to be as active, prestigious, and vital a part of local cultures as it ever has been."—Journal of Southeast Asian Studies