Bingkai Karya – Questions in the dead of night. Precarious hours beyond one’s control. Empty spaces thirsting for meaning. These are just a few of the reflections on life crooned by the alternative-pop band from Jakarta called Lomba Sihir on their latest full-length studio album titled Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi (3 AM Chat). The album, which was entirely written and produced by the members of Lomba Sihir — Baskara Putra, Enrico Octaviano, Natasha Udu, Rayhan Noor, and Tristan Juliano — is their second work after their first full-length album, Selamat Datang di Ujung Dunia (Welcome to the Edge of the World), which was released back in 2021.
Participants of Lomba Sihir — the nickname given by loyal fans of this band — will certainly find a different side of Lomba Sihir on the album Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi. In terms of musicality, Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi becomes an arena for Lomba Sihir to explore the realm of alternative pop music that is much more organic, which also touches on elements of guitar pop, pop rock, and soft rock. In terms of lyrics, this time Lomba Sihir withdraws from the critical and sarcastic character that adorns their previous album, Selamat Datang di Ujung Dunia. Almost the polar opposite, on the album Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi, Lomba Sihir is present as five contemplative musicians with newfound emotional maturity.
“Through this album, we want to illustrate what our thoughts have been lately as a band,” said Lomba Sihir. “We made this album as a way for us to be honest with ourselves and find answers to some of life’s questions within ourselves. That is also the inspiration behind the title of this album. There is something magical when we have a conversationin the early morning, where the conversation suddenly becomes deep to the point where we finally find truth, peace, as well as maturity.
“Lomba Sihir also revealed that there was no deliberate intention to make the album Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi sonically different from Selamat Datang di Ujung Dunia. Lomba Sihir simply eyed for a sonic direction that was firmer and more assertive.”After almost five years of working as Lomba Sihir, we feel that we, as initiators and creators of music, are becoming more unified and more mature,” the band continued. “Of course, our DNA, which tends to be pretty complex, as you can feel since the album Selamat Datang di Ujung Dunia, remains alive and breathing on this new album. You could say that, in terms of music production, this new album is neater and more emotionally impactful.
Overall, the album Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi consists of 16 songs: one intro, two interludes filled with monologues by actress Marissa Anita and former soccer player Bambang Pamungkas, five previously released songs, and eight completely new songs. Of all the new songs, track number 11 titled “Andai Saja” (“If Only”) was chosen by Lomba Sihir as the album’s focus track — a 3-minute-and-58-second produced akin to a sonic combo of guitar pop and country pop, in which Lomba Sihir reflects on how the past can trap human beings in the word ‘maybe’.
Although “Andai Saja” is the album’s focus track, Indonesian music audiences and Participants of Lomba Sihir should not miss Lomba Sihir’s evocative contemplations in other songs, including the pop-rock twang of “Satu Jam Terpanjang” (“The Longest Hour”) which segues to the piano ballad “…Dalam Hidupku” (“…Of My Life”) and a tribute to mothers everywhere — but in Lomba Sihir’s witty way — in the song “Omamama”.Usually, musicians (including bands) always close an album with their best song. Based on that belief alone, everyone should listen to the album’s closing number, entitled”Lomba Sihir”: a 4-minute-and-3-second smash that catchily summarizes the journey, as well as the evolution, of the band for the past five years.
Regarding the order of the songs (tracklist) on the album Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi, as well as the kind of journey that Lomba Sihir wants to present, the band emphasized, “We want to present a pure story. A story that consists of setup, build-up, tipping point, and resolution. This is, indeed, an album that should be listened to in its entirety, following the order of the songs. And, hopefully, the listeners can trust us in guiding them on this journey.
“After listening to the album Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi, music audiences will probably be immersed in its surprising volume of energy and optimism — all thanks to the maturation that each of the Lomba Sihir members has accumulated over the past few years. However, don’t assume that the current era of Lomba Sihir ends with the release of Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi. Lomba Sihir still has some plans and surprises under their sleeve. Stay tuned!The album Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi by Lomba Sihir was released under the auspices of the Indonesian music label Sun Eater and can be listened to on all digital streaming platforms (DSP) as of May 7, 2025.
About Lomba Sihir
When Baskara Putra, Enrico Octaviano, Natasha Udu, Rayhan Noor, Tristan Juliano, and Wisnu Ikhsantama assembled and became an alternative quintet named Lomba Sihir, it was as if the global COVID-19 pandemic (ironically) had become the new, triumphant renaissance for the Indonesian independent music landscape. Slowly, but surely, the band’s debut album Selamat Datang Di Ujung Dunia (Welcome to the Edge of the World) – an anthology of 12 songs that paint the romance that is the capital city of Jakarta with a pointed brush and brash color strokes – successfully became a creature comfort for Indonesian music audiences while also anointing the band as the recipient of the indie music baton on the Asia-wide music stage. By the end of 2021, Selamat Datang Di UjungDunia was ranked 9th on the list of “The 25 Best Asian Albums of 2021” by NME Asia, the same list that also comprises other critically acclaimed Asian records such as Lilac by IU and The Chaos Chapter: Freeze by TXT.
The departure of Wisnu Ikhsantama did not peter out the fiery masterstrokes of Lomba Sihir, though, who has taken the high-profile stages of major music festivals such as Joyland Bali, Synchronize Fest, and Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival. Entering the post-pandemic 2023, Lomba Sihir made a clean slate with “Ribuan Memori” (“Thousands of Memories”), followed by the band’s first-ever tour called “Parade Sihir: Tur Perdana Lomba Sihir” (“Magic Parade: Lomba Sihir’s First Tour”). In the same year, Lomba Sihir released their quirky interpretation of Indonesian pop-rock band Kotak’s iconic anthem, “Beraksi” (“Get in Action”), and an original tune serving as an ode to their former manager, “Selamanya” (“Forever”). In July 2024, Lomba Sihir successfully held their two-night showcase concert in Jakarta billed as “2 Jam Bersama Lomba Sihir” (“2 Hours with Lomba Sihir”). In addition, Lomba Sihir began to unveil the new era of their discography through the latest numbers “Menit Tambahan” (“Extra Minutes”), “Tak Ada Waktu Tepat Untuk Berita Buruk” (“No Right Time for Bad News”), and “Sofa”.
A sweet surprise arrived when “Ribuan Memori”, almost two years after its release, suddenly became the first sleeper hit of 2025 in the Indonesian music scene. Their second full-length studio album, Obrolan Jam 3 Pagi (3 AM Chat), was officially released on May 7, 2025. Lomba Sihir is under the auspices of the Indonesian music label Sun Eater.
ALBUM TRACKLIST:
- Intro: Menanti Pagi
- Misteri
- Tak Ada Waktu Tepat Untuk Berita Buruk
- Uangku 2x, Uangmu 1x
- Satu Jam Terpanjang
- …Dalam Hidupku
- Interlude: Habis-habisan
- Menit Tambahan
- Bisa-bisanya
- Sofa
- Andai Saja
- Omamama
- Ribuan Memori
- Interlude: Sementara
- Selamanya
- Lomba Sihir”
