SETTLING FOR A GOOD TIME WITH BIMO GANZAR

It’s been a lonely year for many, especially in the bedroom, so it’s fair to expect baby-making slow jams will be raining down upon us this summer. “I’m a Good Time Call”, the sexy single from Bimo Ganzar, is a down-tempo bumper that speaks to the salacious side of new relationships.

“Things got really intense, but it never got past the bedroom!”

Says Ganzar of a relationship that re-heated after the pandemic. The Indonesian native wrote the tune to unlock the mystery behind incendiary connections that struggle to evolve past the bedroom.

Bimo had relocated to his home city of Jakarta before the pandemic. After seven years in San Francisco, he is rediscovering his birth city with a newfound wonderment. Solidifying bonds with fellow Indonesian musicians and weaving traditional stylings into his own sound.

“The post-chorus that I put in this single is a form of traditional singing that feels really eerie, and I used

to find it a bit creepy. But as soon as I was exposed to it again, I thought it’s actually beautiful and enchanting.”

We caught up with Bimo to learn more about Covid life across the world as well as his post-pandemic aspirations…

“I’m a Good Time Call” is a down-tempo bumper that speaks to the salacious side of new relationships. Did you draw inspiration from one encounter or a string of countless dating experiences?

The song is actually based on an old friend that I reconnected with during the pandemic. Somehow something sparked again between us and things got really intense, but it never got past the bedroom! Which sucks, but it’s good material for my music, haha.

In my thirty years of being on earth, I’ve never actually dated anyone steadily and I thought this time it was going to turn into something more substantial. It was puzzling to me why something that felt really genuine and real couldn’t evolve into a relationship, but I’ve given up on the idea. I realize maybe it is what it is. Always a good time, never anything else.

You’re originally from the capital city of Indonesia. Can you tell us a little bit about where you are these days and how it compares to the city you’re from?

After 7 years in San Francisco, I’ve actually moved back home to Jakarta, Indonesia. It’s been an exhilarating time to rediscover my hometown and see it through a different perspective.

Everything feels new and exciting again. There are a lot of cultural things and traditional music elements that used to go unnoticed for me, mainly because I grew up with it around me, that I now find fascinating.

For example, the post-chorus that I put in this single is a form of traditional singing that feels really eerie, and I used to find it a bit creepy. But as soon as I was exposed to it again, I thought it’s actually beautiful and enchanting. The words are sung in a different dialect (Javanese) that I don’t speak, but turns out, this particular song tells a story of a one night stand!

You’ve mentioned you’ve gained a lot from working with different producers. Was there an abundance of producers in Jakarta to work with? What is the music scene like there?

I’m finding out that there are lots of producers in Jakarta, and I’m still trying to widen my network and meet new people to experiment with new sounds.

The music scene here, outside of the mainstream, is still growing. There aren’t any specific hubs for any particular style of music, like how New Orleans has its very own style of jazz, for example. Everything is largely centered around the mainstream in the big city, but I’m seeing a lot of indie artists gaining traction and finding a larger audience.

In the US, artists can find an audience and tour different cities across the country. But here, I think people mainly rely on brand-sponsored gigs for opportunities to perform. I’m excited to bring the touring culture here one day.

What are the things you like about the music scene more back home and what are the pros of the scene you’ve found in the states?

I’ve touched on this topic a little bit in my previous answer. I think the touring culture is something that I would really love to see here one day. I am surrounded by great fellow Indonesian musicians or pop stars that are internationally gaining their respect in the community, there’s a pressure when it comes to that. But as long as i stay authentic to my craft and representing me, hope people can relate to that.

This single has an electronic R&B feel to it. But you’ve said that you don’t want to be caged into one genre. What other areas do you find yourself writing in and how do you find cohesion when stretching yourself across genres?

I’d really love to make some pop ballads and experiment with trap beats. I think if you stay true to yourself, and your character, and what you’re good at, without trying to be like anyone else, you can always find cohesion in the end and come up with something that’s still uniquely your own.

Indonesia is brimming with traditional music with such interesting sounds, and I’m excited to try to incorporate them into my music.

What was quarantine like for you? Were you in the States away from your family?

No, I’ve been home in Indonesia with my family, and I think it’s been quite a similar experience to the one everyone else is having, except for the old friend coming back into my life, LOL.

Despite the terrible global circumstances. It’s been an opportunity for me to build an even deeper relationship with myself. It gave me a lot of time to find the answers to unanswered questions about my music, my hopes and dreams, and my perpetual desire to put different chapters of my life into songs.

It was also challenging to have to deal with the sadness of the old friend situation without the ability to see friends, but I ended up turning it into music and I hope people with similar experiences during this pandemic can relate to my single.

I also got into Wanda Vision and ended up learning about witchcraft! Now I foresee a future of a witchcraft-themed album! Haha

What most excites you about the new year and the potential of things returning to ‘something like normal’?

I’m excited about releasing new music in the future, and really pursuing it more intensely than before. I’m working on an album that I hope can give people a better idea of who I am.

I have so much pent up energy and ideas for more music, and I’m ready to let it all out and let it explode. I hope other musicians and producers out there feel the same way, and I hope to find the opportunities to collaborate with them.

You’ll be seeing more of me!

CONNECT WITH BIMO GANZAR

INSTAGRAM // SPOTIFY

photos / courtesy of artist

story / Chris Hess