A year of coffee, carefully considered sounds, and music discovery came together in Jakarta as AGAIN Coffee Sound celebrated its first anniversary on 23 August with French DJ, producer, and Roche Musique founder Cezaire.
Held at AGAIN's Blok M location, the intimate anniversary session reflected the coffee brand's approach to bringing coffee and music into the same space, with curation playing a central role in the experience.
Rather than treating music simply as background entertainment, AGAIN has spent its first year working with tastemakers, DJs, and producers on curated playlists, studio sessions, and live music experiences designed to introduce its community to new sounds.
“The name alone is never enough for us,” shared AGAIN Coffee Sound founder David Christ. “What matters is what people discover through the experience. If someone leaves AGAIN curious about an artist, a track, or a sound they’ve just heard, that means more to us than simply having a big name play here.”
“AGAIN Coffee Sound is about discovery — come for the coffee, leave with a new sound.”
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Cezaire was a fitting guest for the milestone. Beyond his work as a DJ and producer, he is the founder of independent French label Roche Musique, with a career that has also centred on identifying, curating, and creating a platform for distinctive artists and sounds.
His anniversary set brought him particularly close to the crowd — something he believes gives intimate spaces such as AGAIN a different role within a music community.
“Playing that close to the audience creates a different kind of energy. At AGAIN, there’s very little distance between the artist and the crowd, so you really feel that connection throughout the set,” Cezaire said.
He also pointed to the potential for spaces like AGAIN to provide local artists with a platform to reach new listeners, both physically and digitally.
“Spaces like AGAIN can also become a platform for local artists to showcase their work and be discovered by new audiences,” he added. “And it doesn’t have to stop within the space itself — documenting and sharing these sessions digitally can give artists greater exposure and allow the local music scene to travel much further.”
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Cezaire joins a growing list of international artists who have passed through the space. Télépopmusik previously played a surprise gig at AGAIN, while Blue Foundation also recently made an appearance, bringing their respective musical perspectives directly to the Jakarta community.
For AGAIN, however, these appearances are not simply about securing recognisable names. Artists are selected for their perspectives, bodies of work, and dedication to their craft.
“For us, influence isn’t about popularity. It’s about having a point of view,” David said. “We work with tastemakers, DJs, and producers who are dedicated to their craft and continue to push sound forward.”
That thinking feeds into the bigger idea behind its first year: AGAIN — From Coffee Sound to Culture. Where coffee, music, and people come together seamlessly.
Positioning itself somewhere between a coffee shop and a curatorial sound studio, AGAIN has been developing a contemporary third space where people can drink, listen, meet, and discover without treating each experience separately.
Following its first anniversary, AGAIN will continue collaborating with tastemakers, artists, DJs, and producers while maintaining the intimacy and curiosity that have shaped its journey so far.
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