Senyawa is a duet of Rully Shabara and Wukir Suryadi from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, that utilizes the influences of indigenous Indonesian music through the framework of experimental music. Senyawa is vital in their contribution to successfully put forward their indigenous roots in a contemporary and global context without falling into exotism. Their effort impacted how Indonesian artists see their traditional culture, changing their perception of its place in the contemporary world. It affects how they see their identity.

Rabih Beaini is a producer and DJ, also known as Morphosis. He is specializing in grainy, imaginative, and analog techno. He is famous for his intense, dark, and emotional productions, with influences ranging from Krautrock to the new wave. He is the founder of Morphine records: a label that also releases Senyawa. He is also known for his live experimental cosmic jazz band that explores electronica, techno, and free jazz: the Upperground Orchestra.

One knows about Rabih Beaini’s effort to bring Indonesian musicians to international exposure. He got acquainted with Indonesian music and culture when he visited Bandung, Indonesia, and performed there. He met Senyawa during one festival in Denmark, starting a bond that also produces releases and concerts. With Raung Raya as a part of the Europalia festival in 2017, he brought even more Indonesian musicians to Europe. With his experience and connection with Indonesia and Senyawa and his willingness to join the project, Rabih Beaini is the right person to act as the producer, art director, and the leading composer of the planned work.

Soydivision Berlin is a performing art collective consisting of Berlin-based Indonesians, positioning itself in the intersection of art and activism. As a registered art and culture institution, Soydivision curated performances, organized workshops, culinary art activities, film screenings, and discussion sessions. Their diasporic perspective offers an alternative approach to contemporary challenges through art, inviting a new kind of dialogue and engagement.

When Ariel Orah, the collective founder, met Rabih Beaini for the first time, he was aware of what Rabih Beaini had been doing in bringing Indonesian music to the European stage. The acquaintance intertwines with the release of Senyawa’s new album Alkisah. Soydivision and L_KW released the album along with many labels worldwide. Sharing the same interest in offering an alternative approach to music, especially a non-western view of it, Ariel Orah proposed re-working Senyawa’s music to Rabih Beaini, leading to the planned project.

L-KW is a collective of sound artists and performers based in Berlin. The collective exists based on their vision in catalyzing and stimulating flings between sound, empathy, and cross-cultural communication. Their current activities to reach their vision focus on fostering co-creation between sounds and other possible mediums such as theater, culinary, film, literature, science, organizing showcase and event, and documenting them in a physical format such as cassette, vinyl, art zine, and book.

Soydivision involves L_KW to co-releases Senyawa’s album. Morgan Sully, the current representative of the collective, brought upon Pasar Alkisah, a two-day online festival in February 2021, for the global release of Senyawa’s latest album. A solid production team is then born with the three parties’ connection to Senyawa and the shared passion for the music.