Recording a Sompoton in the studio
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Rua Kita · Sound Archive

Rua Kita

Echo the origin. Shape tomorrow.

A digital sound archive that preserves — and reimagines — the endangered instruments of Borneo, recorded with the communities they belong to.

Why it matters

The disappearing echoes of Borneo.

Unlike an artefact behind glass, a sound is intangible — it vanishes unless it's recorded, remembered and reimagined. As elders pass on and recordings stay scarce, Borneo risks losing both the instruments and their meaning, for good.

Written down by no oneMany of Sabah’s instruments live only in oral tradition — never notated, rarely recorded.
No way to experience themStatic archives and academic papers don’t keep a sound alive for a new generation.
Whose sound is it?Without the community, these histories risk being lost — or quietly misinterpreted.
How it's made

From a bamboo reed to a playable instrument.

Recording the Sompoton
Mapping the samples in Kontakt
01RecordWe capture each instrument in high resolution, at multiple intensities, played by the musicians themselves.
02RestoreEvery take is denoised and cleaned so the natural tone and character survive intact.
03SampleThe recordings are mapped in Kontakt into a virtual instrument — playable from any MIDI keyboard.
04ComposeNow the sound can travel: respectfully reimagined into entirely new musical contexts.
Hear it

The Sompoton, reimagined.

One instrument — the Sabahan bamboo mouth-organ — digitised from field recordings, then replayed three ways. Same source, new life.

SompotonModern Cinematic
0:00

The bamboo mouth-organ, sampled and scored into a filmic cue.

SompotonSayang Kinabalu
0:00

A Sabahan classic, replayed entirely on the digitised instrument.

SompotonAI Prompt · R&B
0:00

The same archive, reimagined through an AI-assisted R&B sketch.

Recorded with indigenous musicians in Sabah · Digitised via Kontakt

The roadmap · three phases

Preserve. Reimagine. Immerse.

Rua Kita isn’t a one-off. It’s a sustainable model built to grow — from a living archive, to a creative engine, to a place you can walk into.

Preservation

Digital Sound Archive

Our focus now
Field recording — Sompoton48kHz · 24-bit

The heart of Rua Kita — a community-built platform that documents and shares the endangered sonic heritage of Sabah.

01·1High-quality recordings of each traditional instrument
01·2History and cultural context documented for every sound
01·3Visuals of the instruments and the makers behind them
01·4Interactive navigation by region, tribe or theme
01·5Free access for communities, researchers and collaborators
Reimagination

AI Sound Experience

Next
Additive layersBrowser synth
Layer 01 · PercussionLayer 02 · StringsLayer 03 · Drone

The archive becomes a creative engine. With AI tools, anyone can generate new music from traditional sounds — right in the browser.

02·1A browser-based generator powered by the Rua Kita archive
02·2Customisable instrument layers — percussion, strings, drone
02·3A simple track-builder to mix and preview sounds
02·4Downloadable outputs, unlocked on login
02·5A community showcase for the best tracks and remixes
02·6Remix contests and learn-to-compose modules to follow
Immersion

Immersive Museum

Visit Malaysia 2026
Plan view — interactive roomMotion-triggered
EmitterVisitor

The archive steps into the real world — a public, ticketed installation of sound, light and story, inspired by immersive spaces like TeamLab.

03·1Motion-triggered audio featuring the recorded instruments
03·2Spatial storytelling of each sound’s cultural origin
03·3Projection mapping and soundscapes across interactive rooms
03·4Hands-on zones for composing, remixing and exploring
03·5Woven into tourism campaigns like Visit Malaysia 2026
03·6A ticketing model that shares revenue with contributors
With an indigenous instrument maker
Built with community

Rooted in lived culture.

Rua Kita is made with PACOS Trust and SCENIC — who connect us with Sabah's musicians and elders, guide ethical field recordings, and keep the archive accurate, respectful and community-owned.

A living archive

Partner on Rua Kita.

Cultural institutions, funders and communities — help us record the next instrument before its sound is gone.