The Bandung-based six-piece never begins with a fixed concept, a genre or even a language. Instead, every composition starts with improvisation. As the music slowly unfolds, the melodies determine the lyrics, the language, the arrangements and eventually the story itself. That philosophy runs through everything GUU creates. Their music naturally carries traces of Sundanese tradition, psychedelic rock and contemporary experimentation. Not because they deliberately combine them, but because that’s simply who they are. We spoke with GUU about trusting the songwriting process, composing in three languages and why sometimes the music already knows where it’s going before the band does.
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Introduction
Where does the name GUU come from?
The name comes from the Burmese word for “cave.” We loved the image because sound behaves differently inside a cave as it echoes, lingers and keeps resonating. That’s what we hope our music can do as well. Even after a song ends, we hope something remains with the listener.
How would you describe GUU to someone hearing your music for the first time?
People usually call us psychedelic, and that’s probably the easiest place to start. But what really defines us isn’t a genre, it’s the way we write music. Almost every song begins with improvisation. One of us brings in a small musical idea and we simply start playing together. From there we keep following the composition until it begins to reveal its own direction. We never know beforehand what a song will become. We let the music guide us instead.
What stories do your songs tell?
Our songs often explore life and inner journeys. We’re interested in how people search for meaning, especially during moments when everything feels unclear. Even if life becomes difficult, we don’t see those moments as hopeless. We believe there’s always a choice to keep creating, growing and connecting with other people. Those ideas appear throughout our music.Our debut EP Folivora follows one continuous journey. It begins with conflict and gradually moves towards acceptance. Rather than telling stories about the outside world, it’s really about an inner journey, something many people experience in different ways themselves.
Some songs are in English, others in Indonesian and Sundanese. How do you decide which language to use?
We don’t really decide beforehand. The language comes as naturally as the music itself. Sometimes a melody simply feels like it belongs in English. Other times it asks for Indonesian or Sundanese. We never sit down and discuss which language should fit a song, it reveals itself during the writing process. Because of that, our EP moves freely between all three languages. We like that feeling of travelling through different sounds while still telling one continuous story.
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Roots
How has growing up in Bandung shaped your music?
Bandung has a very inspiring independent music scene. We grew up surrounded by musicians who weren’t afraid to experiment, and that mindset definitely shaped the way we create. At the same time, we’re closely connected to Sundanese culture. GUU isn’t a traditional music project, but those influences naturally find their way into our music because they’re part of who we are
Traditional sounds appear throughout your music. How do they fit into your songwriting?
Several of us study traditional music, so we’re constantly surrounded by those sounds and ideas. We don’t try to recreate traditional music itself. Instead, we borrow elements like rhythmic patterns, musical thinking and instruments, then place them inside our own compositions. One example is the tarawangsa, a traditional Sundanese string instrument that appears on the EP. It’s not there because we wanted to make a traditional record, it simply became part of the music because it felt right. The instrument brings a haunting, almost mystical atmosphere that perfectly fits the emotional journey of the songs. Rather than standing out as something “traditional,” it blends naturally into our psychedelic sound, adding another layer of depth and texture.  Looking ahead, we want to continue exploring that relationship between traditional and contemporary music. For our next album, we’re hoping to experiment with even more traditional Indonesian instruments, including the kacapi, kendang and suling. The goal isn’t to showcase these instruments for our own sake, but to discover how our unique voices can shape the mood and direction of new compositions.
Which artists inspire GUU?
We listen to plenty of psychedelic bands like Kikagaku Moyo, Altın Gün and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. At the same time, traditional Indonesian music is equally important to us because many of us study it every day.Our influences aren’t separated into different worlds. They’re simply everything we’ve experienced as musicians, and they naturally come together when we play.
Your music blends many influences. What does fusion mean to you?
We don’t really think in terms of fusion. We’re simply six people with different backgrounds and different musical tastes making music together. We’ve never sat in a rehearsal room saying, “Let’s combine traditional Indonesian music with psychedelic rock.” That’s not how we work. We just follow the process and our instinct. The music decides what belongs together. Whatever comes out is simply an honest reflection of who we are.
Live
What do you hope audiences experience during a GUU performance?
We want every concert to feel like a shared journey. If people can lose themselves in the music for an hour, forget about everything outside the venue and simply live in that moment, we’ve done our job. And if they leave carrying a memory that stays with them afterwards, that’s the best compliment we could receive. Every audience is different, and that’s what makes every performance unique.
What is your most memorable live performance?
One performance that really stands out took place outside our hometown. It wasn’t necessarily the biggest show we’ve played, but it became memorable because of the people we met there. We connected with so many new faces – musicians, organisers and listeners and those conversations continued long after we left the stage. For us, that’s one of the most rewarding parts of touring. Every city has its own energy, and every show is an opportunity to build new friendships and become part of a different community. Sometimes those connections stay with you even longer than the performance itself.
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Inspires
What’s next for GUU?
We’re currently working on our next album and exploring where the songwriting process takes us next. We want to keep experimenting while staying true to the way we’ve always created music. We’re also hoping to play more shows across Indonesia and internationally. More than anything, we want every release to feel like a natural continuation of the journey we’re already on.