Thee Marloes

From Surabaya to The Press Room—Thee Marloes bring their hypnotic blend of Indonesian soul, jazz, and groove to deliver a fresh, globally flavored take on classic soul.
Thee Marloes
Wed 7/1
6pm doors/7pm show
All Ages | $20 adv./$25 day of
When you first hear Thee Marloes, their particular soul sound may seem familiar enough. There are the weighty drums, a crooning guitar, and a beautiful voice singing about unrequited love or the complications of relationships. But then there is something undeniably different about Thee Marloes and their music, something new and distinct. And while you may be acquainted with soul music, you've probably never heard it from Surabaya, Indonesia—the place Thee Marloes call home.
With Natassya Sianturi singing and playing keys, Sinatrya ("Raka") Dharaka on guitar, and Tommy Satwick on drums, how Thee Marloes came to be is pretty straight forward, but the result is anything but. With early influences from American hip-hop, classic soul, rocksteady and lovers rock reggae. Raka found himself driven to write his own songs. Night after night, after getting off work Raka would play and pen his songs with no real idea what he'd do with them. While raw, these early drafts had potential—that much he knew. After crossing paths with Tommy, Raka now had a partner to start fleshing things out with. With similar musical influences and passion, the duo began getting gigs both sitting in with other bands and DJing parties around Indonesia and Southeast Asia. While they didn't know it then, this time spent cutting their teeth, playing shows, and seeing what was out there, would serve as a crucial foundation for their sound to come.
A significant step was taken in 2019. Raka and Tommy saw a woman perform at a local show that truly captivated them. Her name was Natassya, and her voice had such feeling and range that they knew they had to work with her. Natassya, surrounded by a musical family, grew up in church honing her vocals in the choir. Those chops coupled with the fact that she was inspired by a spectrum of absolute global legends, ranging from The Jackson 5 family to Erykah Badu made her a perfect fit. Raka and Tommy invited her to join a recording session, and it was clear right away that she added a meaningful and talented depth to the music. So now, almost suddenly, with Natassya's addition, they were a trio that found an authentic voice blending an Indonesian vibe with the universal appeal of soul, jazz, and pop.
The sound Thee Marloes are putting together and recording doesn’t have much of a local scene in Indonesia. "We didn't have any real bands like that, with that raw soul sound," Raka explains. "So it made us think we can learn from it and make a new flavor with our sound." Without much of a road to follow—Thee Marloes paved one for themselves