strange fruit - drips

Jakarta — As they themselves put it, EP Drips is not a milestone of resurgence, but rather a docking point where Strange Fruit discovers the ideal formula to unify fragments of their kosmische experimentation over the past 11 years. Since the release of EP Dolphin Leap (Leeds, 2015)—from the naivety of noise pop, the motorik impulse of krautrock, the gravity of ethereal shoegaze, baggy acid house, to leftfield electronic—each element converges into four heterogeneous compositions filled with strange sonics, a cluster of frequencies that transcend sonic boundaries, unattainable through guitar-based music alone.

The fusion of electronic elements, marking an artistic breakthrough for Strange Fruit, is optimized through the combination of machine-driven and analog instruments, particularly in the drum department. Synthesist Irza Aryadiaz supplies all rhythmic needs using robotic devices such as the TR-08 drum machine and the semi-modular Moog Grandmother synthesizer. The result is captivating, as heard in the first single “Iridescent,” guiding dance euphoria through minimalist beats.

Inviting us to orbit a vortex. Throbbing bass lines, floating atmospheric guitars, alienated within an increasingly chaotic metropolitan life, seep in hypnotically. As layers of synthesizers exhale ambient breaths, vocalist Baldi Calvianca undergoes a sacred incarnation—singing as though immersed in a cosmos both sweet and bitter.

Philosophically, the aesthetic of “Iridescent” can be interpreted as a convergence of colors. Like a bright light at the end of a tunnel, the song offers a form of spiritual healing for Strange Fruit—finding a luminous dimension within darkness and adversity. The composition pulses dynamically, as synesthetic instincts gently carve sequencers, drawing us into the natural trajectory of rave subculture with rock & roll spirit flowing through its veins.

For this release, beyond musical influences, Irza Adryadiaz admits that French cuisine and German beer played a significant role. These influences are embodied in “Pouvoi Moteur,” a track driven by steady motorik rhythms. Built upon stable beats, synth pads, and keys, the motorik sensibility becomes a defining element in Strange Fruit’s music, where repetitive sensations flow seamlessly—like gliding on an endless highway.

Irza Aryadiaz explains: “In ‘Pouvoi Moteur’—French for ‘motoric power—we take the obsession with factory machinery operated by humans and represent it through the repetitive 4/4 beats of German krautrock. It feels like breaking through space and time when the drum pattern is played consistently, moving nonstop.”

Motorik beats that open psychedelic chakras. Elegant in Strange Fruit’s hands, gradually fading—blurred in technicolor. Stimulated by hauntology, drifting deep into the core. Within an avant-garde landscape that teases the senses, emerges the second single “Monopolar,” keeping us suspended between dream and awareness, surreal and radiant. It stands as the catchiest track, revealing a melancholic pop sensibility. Vocals glide delicately, trembling in tremolo—sad music humbled you…while drone arpeggios radiate on a global scale, inviting listeners to explore the vast possibilities unlocked through Strange Fruit’s sonic fusion.

One such exploration comes through the “Monopolar” Official Music Video directed by Mellow Splice. Viewers are captivated by the beauty of blue waters that blur the scenery, following the song’s low-frequency waves. Mellow Splice treats the camera like a musical instrument, creating optical disorientation within fragmented visuals—as if everything unfolds within the dreamscape of the five members of Strange Fruit. At the time of writing, one month after its premiere, the video has reached 40K views.

Mellow Splice also created the artwork for this extended play, intentionally leaving its meaning open to interpretation. “Mystery keeps a work alive. We didn’t want the cover of Drips to be a solved puzzle. We made it like a dream—open to many interpretations,” they explain.

This mini album Drips becomes even more magical with the shoegaze-heavy track “Drips.” It shares the same title as the EP to emphasize Strange Fruit’s true character as a rock & roll band—sentimental yet rebellious, intoxicated by hazy reverie. The interplay of rough guitar and bass noise merges seamlessly with hybrid electronic textures, creating something expansive and otherworldly. Baldi Calvianca’s voice sounds mercurial, merging with bursts of light.

With their long journey and boundless musical preferences, Strange Fruit’s electronic fusion reaches new heights of satisfaction as three world-class producers reinterpret “Iridescent” and “Monopolar” into entirely new esoteric spectrums.

“A remix doesn’t just extend a song’s lifespan. It restarts its conversation.”

These producers are Jonathan Kusuma, Hardway Bros, and Tom Furse. Each offers reinterpretations without compromising the original essence. Sean Johnston, aka Hardway Bros—the UK DJ known for founding A Love From Outer Space with Andrew Weatherall—infuses Downtempo elements and enhances a slower club-house atmosphere. Meanwhile, Tom Furse, known for his work with The Horrors and MIEN, emphasizes slower Breakbeat grooves, noisier ambient textures and acid house influences. Jonathan Kusuma, a prominent member of Jakarta’s Dekadenz collective, explores extended leftfield disco with a strong focus on echo-rich, repetitive bass drum tempos.

Drips EP was produced in collaboration with electronic producer Bernardus Fritz, whose meticulous approach focused on filling in the missing pieces—shaping unexpected song structures, chord progressions, subtle embellishments, and guiding vocal workshops to bring the compositions into fully realized electronic works.

“The strength of Strange Fruit lies in their ability to create synthesizer sounds that are reverberant, wide, and surreal. Each track tells a story—there’s a journey between scenes, with cosmic sound design that reflects us as beings living in a different galaxy,” says Bernardus Fritz.

Drips EP will be released simultaneously across all digital streaming platforms on April 3rd, 2026 via Gentle Tuesday Recordings. A physical vinyl release will follow in mid-2026 through a collaboration with Loide Records (SEA & Japan territories) and TipTop Records (Worldwide territories excluding SEA & Japan).