- published: 27 Apr 2010
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Batam (Chinese: 巴淡岛; pinyin: badàn dǎo, Malay: Pulau Batam; Jawi: ڤولاو باتم) is a tropical island and largest city in Riau Islands Province of Indonesia, known by foreign investors for its Free Trade Zone, as part of the Sijori Growth Triangle, is located 20 km (12 mi) off Singapore's south coast. The 715 km² (276 miles²) island has a population of 1,137,894 (2011).
Batam is located west of Bintan Island, south of Singapore, north of Rempang and east of Bulan Island. The Riau Strait (Selat Riau) separates Batam and Bintan. Batam has Tropical rainforest climate with average temperatures between 26-32°C.Humidity in the region ranges from 73% to 96%. In general throughout the region, being a wet season from November to April and a dry season from May to October. Average annual rainfall is around 2,600 mm. The local governmental offices reside in Batam Centre. The biggest community on the island is Lubuk Baja (formerly known as Nagoya). Other residential area include Baloi Garden, Sekupang, Nongsapura (Nongsa), Waterfront City (Teluk Senimba), Batu Ampar, Jodoh.
"Pumped Up Kicks" is a song by American indie pop band Foster the People. It was released as the group's debut single in September 2010, and the following year was included on their EP Foster the People and their debut album Torches. "Pumped Up Kicks" became the group's breakthrough hit and was one of the most popular songs of 2011. The song was written and recorded by frontman Mark Foster while he was working as a commercial jingle writer. Contrasting with the upbeat musical composition, the lyrics describe the homicidal thoughts of a troubled youth.
The track received considerable attention after it was posted online in 2010 as a free download, and it helped the group garner a multi-album record deal with Columbia Records imprint Startime International before they had issued a commercial release. The song became both a crossover hit and a sleeper hit in 2011, as it received significant airplay on modern rock and contemporary hit radio stations. The song spent eight consecutive weeks at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, making it the first Billboard Alternative Songs number-one single to crack the U.S. top 5 since Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" in 2009. The song was widely praised by critics, and it has been licensed for use in a wide range of popular media since its release. "Pumped Up Kicks" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.