The Manggarai language of Flores is rarely heard in Indonesia, much less in contemporary Indonesian music. In NERA, which means "Sinar" (or "ray of light"), Florinese native Ivan Nestorman joins forces with some of the country's best jazz musicians, including drummer Gilang Ramadhan, who formed the band in 2002. The language was chosen for its rhythmic sound as the band decided to update and interpret one of the country's rich musical traditions. "We tried to liberate our music from the burden of verbal meaning," explains Gilang. Indeed, the vocals add texture to a contemporary sound that moves from tribal to spiritual but is at all times danceable. The band has become one of the most popular jazz fusion acts in the country and, now that its music is available on iTunes, it hopes to bring the rich culture of eastern Indonesia to the rest of the world.