S03 E03: Monohero

LAUT LOUD (((~~~)))

LAUT LOUD (((~~~)))

Combining electronic music and vintage-futuristic projection art,

their performances are an immersive and impressive artistic journey.

It's been a slow burn for Monohero. The trio from Malang has slowly staked their claim for being one of the country's most interesting psychedelic bands.

And then there's the not-small matter of Arie W. Omen's vocals, clearly inspired by his East Javanese roots and a deep dive into the region’s archaic philosophy. At times subtly straddling the melodies and other times almost fraying under the pressure, Omen’s vocals are a modern approach to Javanese mantras – born under the ominous creep of monoculture, as kampungs give way to shopping malls and forests are felled for suburbs.

Monohero came down from the mountain to perform on Arka Kinari near the megalopolis of Surabaya, where the ship was barricaded behind stacks of shipping containers at the country's busiest seaport. In contrast to the surrounding cacophony of globalization, Monohero’s music reminds us not to forget our relationship to our homes, and our debts to our ancestors, before we forget where we came from.