Auretté and The Polska Seeking Carnival (AATPSC) is a band that blends pop music with a diverse array of folk musical instruments. Composed of individuals from varied backgrounds and musical tastes, AATPSC incorporates elements from genres such as pop, folk, swing, electronic, steady rock, and reggae, weaving these influences into cohesive musical compositions. The group primarily utilizes electric acoustic instruments, requiring ensemble performance, including accordion, ukulele, banjo, guitar, bass, keyboard, synthesizer, trumpet, and trombone, along with percussion instruments like drums, conga, glockenspiel, and electronic looping. This combination of different musical backgrounds and folk instruments contributes to the distinctiveness of AATPSC's sound.
Founded in 2012 at the Indonesia Art Institute Yogyakarta, one of the oldest art institutions in Indonesia located in southern Yogyakarta, the band was established by two ethnomusicology students, Dhima Chistian Datu (vocals, accordion, ukulele, banjo, synthesizer, loop) and Aurelia Marshal (ukulele, guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, vocoder). They invited fellow ethnomusicology student Aris Setyawan (drums) and music majors Ahmad Mursid (trumpet) and Rian Hidayat (percussion) to join their group. The creative process began with rehearsals in the studio, and seeking to enhance their rhythmic foundation, Aris invited jazz musician Danny Rachman (bass) to join. Bayu Atmojo (trombone) later completed the brass section.
AATPSC released their debut album in 2013, available in both celluloid tape (Tomat Records, Jakarta) and CD (independent release) formats. The self-titled album quickly sold out, garnering positive reactions from various audiences. Due to the demand, the album was subsequently re-released in vinyl and cassette formats by Elevation Records, Jakarta. In 2014, Elevation Records issued a further re-release of the album titled Redux.
As AATPSC performed at various venues and released albums, they gained recognition among music enthusiasts. Media responses to AATPSC were consistently favorable. The Jakarta Post described the band as "unassuming young men and women who carved their own niche by playing music that is not only unique but also a breakthrough in a scene." BBC Indonesia noted that AATPSC was embraced by indie listeners domestically, thanks to their ability to deliver "utopian melodies." South East Asia Indie (SEA Indie) praised the band, stating, "all the musical creativities have been crystallized into one precious gem; a whimsical melodic and rhythmic style of European music." The Southeast Asian indie music site The Wknd remarked that AATPSC's music "sounds very français but very nusantara at the same time, surprisingly."
After a hiatus of approximately two years from early 2014 to 2015, AATPSC returned to the music scene with a performance titled "Back To Wonderland" in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, at the end of 2015. This simple show, attended by their followers affectionately called "carnivalse," signified the band's readiness to perform again and establish their unique musical tone and rhythm for a wider audience.
In 2016, AATPSC released a new single titled “Melerai Lara,” which was made available for free download on SoundCloud. During this time, Rian Hidayat (percussion) chose to take a break from the band due to his business commitments. Consequently, AATPSC continued its musical endeavors with six members, who represented AATPSC on various stages and focused on arranging new songs for their second album. After an extensive production process, their second album, titled Bloom, was released in December 2018.
