Name: Diannov Pamungkas aka Xin Lie
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Nationality: Indonesian
Recent release: The new, self-titled Xin Lie album is out via Dance Data.
Topic I rarely get to talk about: I want to buy a large piece of land for gardening and building a multifunctional studio. My goal is to focus on becoming a full-time artist and grow old there—hahaha. I also want to invite artists to participate in a residency program at my place to collaborate, to create new works.
Recommendations for Indonesia: Pangalengan and Ciwidey—both offer plenty of scenic views and outdoor activities. Personally, I would go camping there with friends. It’s quite far from the city center, but the exhaustion is worth it, especially for someone like me who lives in the heart of the city.
There's one more place I’d recommend: Kebon Bagea. Located in Ciwidey, it is part of a cultural village called Nagara Padang. The people in this village follow the original Sundanese belief system, Wiwitan. Kebon Bagea also regularly hosts social activities, such as teaching children how to read and providing academic support, as well as presenting traditional music performances every weekend. Visitors can also learn about the Sunda Wiwitan philosophy there, as many experienced elders are willing to share their knowledge.

If you enjoyed this Xin Lie interview and would like to know more about his music, visit him on Instagram, and Soundcloud.



Many musicians I am talking to at the moment feel somewhat disillusioned about the impact, meaning, and value of their work. Feel free to vent some of your own frustrations and/or disappointments – as well, if possible, something that you recently experienced (or a thought that you had) that might give hope to other creatives.

The only disappointment I have with my own work is when I don’t like the sound in general. This is why I chose the sound of the dogdog percussion.

I'm not a full-time musician; I'm a daily worker. Music is my escape for refreshing myself. When I started learning DAW (Ableton Live), I mostly didn’t like the results. That made me reluctant to learn DAW because I didn’t even like the sound I was making. From there, I realized that I needed at least one element I genuinely liked. It so happened that I liked the sound of the dogdog.

So, in the end, I recorded those percussions and made them the main instrument in all my works. Since I always liked the sound, I became motivated to keep learning.

If, for a moment, we forget about streaming numbers, target audiences, social media followers, and sales - why are you drawn to sound and music as a creator and listener? What is it that you give and receive through it?

What I give is what I like. If I share it with musicians, it might lead to new communication in the form of sharing music production experiences and learning from each other, or even a discussion between musicians about the process of creating music, from production to selling it.

For the most part, this is what I give and receive from music.

How far can music be considered "essential" for humans?

With its many genres, music will always find its listeners.

For me, music is an important daily companion—it can be described as something that can accompany us anywhere and everywhere.

Take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine to your work, please, and how music and sound accompany you through it …

Weekdays: I wake up around 8 AM, get ready for work (sometimes while singing along to Sharon Van Etten or Daughter, or even Efek Rumah Kaca). I work until 6 PM, and from the time I leave until I get home, I’m always listening to music.

I usually match the music I listen to with my mood that day. But sadly, I tend to listen to the same songs every day. Among them are KGLW, Sharon Van Etten, Daughter, Efek Rumah Kaca, and Perunggu.



I decide to listen to new music only when I am about to DJ at an event.

When it's a weekday and after work, I make it a habit to open my DAW and work on project files. I try to open or create something in DAW for at least two hours a day, either to hone my skills or to create new songs.

Weekends: If I wake up early and have no music-related schedule, I open my DAW from 9 AM to 5 PM, just like an office job—hahaha. If there's an event, I'll go out, but in the end, it still revolves around music. And I never mind that.


Xin Lie Interview Image (c) the artist

What artists, albums, performances, or even aesthetics and philosophies are inspiring to your life in and beyond music right now and in which way? Have there been songs, albums, performances, and artists that changed / influenced your life?

Performances from Night of the Dry Flowers at the latest Bangkok Experimental Film Festival (7th edition). There were four performers and four stages that weren’t very big, but the ballroom itself was quite spacious. No set times were announced, so attendees never knew who would play first or last. The audience could only wait for the performances in a dimly lit room.

As far as I remember, there were around four or five screens displaying live painting, though I don’t recall the artist's name. What I do remember is the performance by four experimental musicians: Okkyung Lee (South Korea), Wukir Suryadi (Indonesia), Cheryl Ong (Singapore), and Sato Oikawa (Japan).



This performance also collaborated with several artists from Asia and Thailand, including Koichi Shimizu, Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr, Arnont Nongyao, Wuttipong Leetrakul, Adisak Poungok, Annmanee Singhanart, Paopoom Chiwarak, and Uten Mahamit.

This was one of the standout performances at BEFF7. What fascinated me the most was its concept—experimental musicians playing in a large space to create the soundtrack of a non-existent film. This performance has provided me with a wealth of inspiration for my future work, whether sooner or later.

Tell me about some of the feedback you've received from listeners about how your work has impacted them.

I don’t think I’ve heard of any impact on someone in terms of musicality yet, but some listeners have asked about release packaging and certain DAW techniques.

What are some of the goals and ambitions you have for your music?

None. I only make music as needed, mainly for learning.

What kind of music/art do you feel the world needs right now - does it need “healing,” “shaking up,” “an escape from reality,” “consolation,” “a sense of community,” “holding up a mirror,” something else?

No matter how many creators and how much music there is, it will eventually reach its listeners.

I can't say what kind of music should exist, but music, in general, must always be there.


Xin Lie Cover Artwork by Firman Rohmansyah and M.C

French Saxophonist Sakina Abdou told me that she "witnessed a powerlessness towards a world that is in absolutely no way in line with my values," and that she hasn't "yet found a way to overcome this in ways other than music, but I admire the activists around me who do it." Can you relate to this and what does it say about the role of music in overcoming our sense of powerlessness and actually empowering us?

I understand this feeling. Many of my activist friends are very brave in taking to the streets to protest against the government, but I personally don't have the courage to do so for various reasons.

However, if what I can do is play music in a conflict area. I would definitely perform if asked. Since my own voice isn't loud enough to be heard, I'll let the music speak through big speakers.

How would our world be different if we paid less attention to looks and listened more instead?

Just listening doesn’t necessarily bring change, especially when it comes to music. It’s similar to a sermon at the mosque during Friday prayers—many people listen, but not all are affected by the message.

So, in my opinion, that statement is still 50:50 in nature.

Performing music or creating sounds with others opens up the possibility of resolving conflicts in a different way. From your personal experience in collaborations or group performances, how does this work and do you believe it is possible to apply these approaches to areas outside of music?

Since I have never been directly involved in a collaboration, I can't really answer this. However, when working on something with others outside the context of music, it is usually more ideal because multiple minds are involved. The key is to have a more structured approach to ensure everything stays aligned with the goal.

It is possible for someone with an entirely different world view from your own to love or appreciate your work. How, if at all, is it possible to use this power of sound and music to enter into a dialogue?

I can't give a clear answer, but I can conclude that music definitely has the power to create dialogue.

I once saw a new friend's reaction to my album, which led to a conversation about music techniques. He even started guessing the key signatures in my songs. As it turned out he was also a film music composer.

In human history, music is a universal across cultures and eras of development. Still, musicians are possibly being exploited more than ever. How do you feel they can see beyond their personal limitations, and form bonds and communities capable of tangibly furthering their cause? How can we get people to listen?

Strengthen the purpose, build a strong community, and create micro-events that bring people together. All of this is aimed at raising awareness that people like us exist. This can be done through workshops or simply gathering to share experiences.

But in the end, I believe the most important thing is not to rely on others—create sincerely and consistently.