ENSEMBLE TIKORO, the avant metal a cappella choir from Bandung, West Java, have unveiled a haunting video for "Throat," premiered today via New Noise Magazine. The track comes from the group's upcoming album Tortoise, out October 23 on cassette and digital formats via Jangjang Records — the Indonesian label we covered when the album was announced in August.
Founder Robi Rusdiana explains: "'Throat' is a composition that interprets one of the seven major chakras: the Throat Chakra. The piece explores a range of sounds, including extreme metal vocal techniques, traditional throat singing, and the voices of 'Denawa' characters (demons) from Wayang Golek, Sundanese traditional puppetry. It also incorporates singing bowls and a shaman drum. The composition is performed in 5/8 time, featuring free meter alongside shifting expressions, tempos, and dynamics."
For the video, the group collaborated with Indonesian pantomime artist Wanggi Hoed. "The interplay of movement and sound deliberately avoids specific meanings, inviting listeners to interpret the work with complete freedom," Rusdiana adds.
Watch the "Throat" video at New Noise Magazine. Preorders for Tortoise are live at Bandcamp.