photos by Kevinmattt
The Sleeping Shaman is hosting an exclusive stream of Tortoise, the haunting and enigmatic album from West Java, Indonesia-based avant metal acapella choir ENSEMBLE TIKORO, on the eve of its release on Jangjang Records, the label spawned in the ashes of former label Public Guilt.
ENSEMBLE TIKORO’s Tortoise is a performance which includes singing bowls, shaman drums, and tingsha (Tibetan ritual cymbals), alongside the group’s extreme metal vocal and throat singing. Tortoise Part 1 is only performed in live settings, while Tortoise Part 2 and Tortoise Part 3 are captured here for the Tortoise album. Part 2 contains seven short pieces interpreting the seven chakras, using various extended vocal techniques assisted by singing bowls and shaman drums, while Part 3 includes extended vocals, singing bowls, shaman drums, and tingsha.
Tortoise was recorded at Pilarin Corp by Ade Syaepudin, mixed and mastered at 7 Kerikil by Robi Rusdiana, and completed with artwork by Tandani Mutaqim.
ENSEMBLE TIKORO founder Robi Rusdiana reveals, “I dedicate this album to anyone who cares about mental health. The album explores various extended vocal techniques, ranging from extreme metal vocals to traditional throat singing, blended with the sounds of singing bowls, shaman drums, and tingsha. Although the work consists of three parts, this album contains only the second and third, the first part is reserved exclusively for live performances. Naturally, many sonic dimensions are lost when music is translated into a recorded format, yet I hope it still invites a multiplicity of interpretations without the need for a complete or definitive understanding. There is no expectation for you to grasp or even enjoy this work in any particular way. Please listen with slow and steady breaths, find your calm, and may you always be healthy and happy!”
Alongside their premiere of the album, The Sleeping Shaman writes, “Rooted in the rich cultural backdrop of Bandung, West Java, the collective merges the fury of extreme metal vocals with the sacred reverence of traditional throat singing and ritual instruments like singing bowls and shaman drums. The result is a striking fusion of avant-garde sonics, contemporary classical rigor, and deep-seated healing traditions.”
Immerse yourself in ENSEMBLE TIKORO’s fascinating Tortoise first on The Sleeping Shaman RIGHT HERE.
Jangjang Records will release Tortoise on cassette and digital formats this Friday, October 23rd. Preorders are live at Bandcamp HERE, and if you missed it, catch the unnerving “Throat” video HERE.
ENSEMBLE TIKORO (“Throat Ensemble” in Sundanese) is a group that works with extended vocals, fusing extreme metal vocals (techniques from death metal, black metal, thrash metal, hardcore, punk, etc.) with throat singing and traditional instruments. The members of ENSEMBLE TIKORO are metalheads from the Bandung, West Java underground. They play contemporary music with classical notation but also mix in traditional elements from Sundanese culture. Their music sits at the intersection of heavy metal, traditional healing rituals, and avant-garde composition.
Founded in 2012 by Robi Rusdiana, ENSEMBLE TIKORO has more than 50 works for dance, theater, visual art, and experimental projects. In 2021, they collaborated with the Melbourne-based modern dance company Lucy Guerin Inc. The performance saw heavy metal and traditional throat singing collide with contemporary Australian dance in an encounter that ultimately transformed them both, as the ghosts of tradition merge with music and dance to invent new mythologies for a globalized world. The group then released the album Hell Chamber in 2024 with Italian label Artetetra Records.
ENSEMBLE TIKORO has a motto, “And contemporary music for all,” a nod to Metallica’s And Justice For All.
ENSEMBLE TIKORO:
Arum Dwi Hanantoro – vocals, singing bowl
Ardyansah – vocals, singing bowl
Handriansyah Nugraha – vocals, singing bowl
Mahatma Adi Hartoko – vocals, tingsha
Robi Rusdiana – vocals, shaman drum
https://ensembletikoro.id
https://www.instagram.com/ensembletikoro.id
https://jangjangrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.youtube.com/@JangjangRecords
https://www.instagram.com/jangjangrecords
The post ENSEMBLE TIKORO: The Sleeping Shaman Streams Enigmatic Tortoise Full-Length By Indonesian Vocal Avant Metal Choir; Album Drops This Friday On Jangjang Records first appeared on Earsplit Compound.