Decolmuseum by Emir Cello

“This album was born from an inner urgency in me. My heart wrenched when I entered museums and spaces that possess my ancestors’ belongings. The stories behind each belonging are yet to be told and heard. I wish I could make a museum that can tell their stories, not only for them to be exhibited. A museum that can move people in tears and joy through their stories. I believe art, especially music, is one of the most powerful tools. It can shift perceptions, stir emotions, and guide decisions on both a personal and collective level.”
~ Alfian Emir Adytia

Decolmuseum (Decolonized Museum) is a boundary-pushing, genre-defying album that blends cello, classical compositional techniques with lead vocals, progressive rock, metal and Indonesian keroncong. A proven hypothesis that “differences are made to be celebrated, not to be competed.” This conceptual album invites listeners to reflect on colonial history and its aftermath. A past whose shadows continue to affect and cause pain to modern societies such as hypercapitalism, ongoing injustices, child abuses, inferiority complexes and entrenched nepotism.

Tracklist

1.	Decolmuseum	3:17

2.	The Fall of a Confused Empire	4:40

3.	Pseudo Oath	2:58

4.	Tyranny Park	3:50

5.	Morning Revolt	3:04

6.	Encrypted Algorithm	3:14

7.	Merdeka	3:27

8.	Code Blue	4:37

9.	De Stille Kracht	4:36

10.	Human	2:34

Credits

released June 20, 2025

Music composed, arranged and lyrics written by Alfian Emir Adytia.

Produced, recording engineered, edited and mixed by Kaan Yazıcı in The Hague, The Netherlands.

Mastering engineered by Acle Kahney at 4D Sounds in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

Vocals, cellos, guitars, cak (keroncong), cuk (keroncong), piano, electronics performed by Alfian Emir Adytia.

Drums in 'Decolmuseum', 'The Fall of a Confused Empire', 'Tyranny Park' and 'De Stille Kracht' performed by Koen Herfst

Drums in 'Morning Revolt', 'Encrypted Algorithm', 'Merdeka' and 'Code Blue' performed by Efraim De Nijs Latuheru

Poem for ‘De Stille Kracht’ recited by Laura Scarborough

Electric bass performed by Kaan Yazici

Choir in 'The Fall of a Confused Empire' performed by:
Robin Block
Cleo Ian Songono Tjitrodipo
Marlina Deasy Hartanto
Iva Khuang
Hesce Mourits
Johannes Gierl
Simon Nagtegaal
Kaan Yazici
Alfian Emir Adytia

Children’s choir in 'Tyranny Park' performed by Sami, Teuntje and Jan-Willemijn

Album cover artwork original charcoal painting by Timoteus Anggawan Kusno. Coloured digitally by Alfian Emir Adytia

This album production was financed by the support of 123 individuals through a crowdfunding campaign via Voordekunst, as well as generous supports by het Cultuurfonds and Amarte Fonds.

License