Jednota presents:
For the first time ever, the Indonesian group Senyawa will present itself with a unique combination of traditional music, extreme metal and personal experiments. The author’s duo Wukir Suryadi – Rully Shabara first met in 2010 and it took her only a few days to record their first joint album.
Looking outside, this understanding is not surprising: a plethora of Suryadi’s hand-made instruments, including the famous bambuwukir, which is one of the stringing and percussion instruments at the same time, could perhaps only be matched by Shabar’s vocal techniques, ranging from roar through throat singing to angelic melodies, and various sounds.
You can talk about atavism and the avant-garde at the same time. The specific approach varies from album to album, but the music always remains both enchanting and uncompromisingly open to new possibilities. Frenetic sound clutter alternates with folk songs and raw doom surfaces. In addition to expanding its means of expression, Senyawa also welcomes collaborations that include Stephen O’Malley, Dam Suzuki or Keiji Hain. And the collective spirit is not just about music: the current album Alkisah has been released together by 44 labels.
But live performances remain a key aspect. Senyawa’s earthy approach, which emphasizes the connection between people and between man and nature, stands out most when it is possible to watch every movement and sound of a couple, in a crowd and at an adequate volume.
“Mixing metal and noise with ritualistic howls, the Indonesian duo’s seventh album is a thrilling, at times ecstatic serenade to the collapse of civilization.” – Pitchfork
