Sanjonas drops ruthlessly raw EP ‘Incunabula Heroes: Decisive Battle’
The follow-up to his successful 2023 EP takes no prisoners in its abrasive reality-reflecting sound
Yogyakarta-based multi-disciplinary artist Sanjonas releases his latest EP ‘Incunabula Heroes: Decisive Battle’, out now via Shenzhen-based imprint D1S.
Following up on last year's ‘Incunabula Heroes’, this EP dives deeper into humanity’s primal urges with a ruthless blend of distorted textures and fierce club sounds.
This record doesn’t hold back. Sanjonas crafts a soundscape littered with murky, industrial tones, distorted guitar riffs, and touches of trance, grime, and reggaeton.
The result is a challenging, confrontational listening experience that captures the gritty pulse of life’s raw realities. It’s not for the faint-hearted, and that’s the appeal.
Take ‘Heavy Rain of Iron’, for instance—a relentless noise anthem with hardcore guitar and distortion that hits like a smack in the face. It’s chaotic, unapologetic, and leaves you reeling.
Track 3, ‘Red Horizon over the Fences’, takes a different, but no more restrained approach, easing off the guitars in favour of punchy percussion and sample manipulation. The intensity is sky-high, delivering a level of urgency that stays locked in from start to finish.
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Our pick has got to be the closer ‘Haven’. This track is as club-ready as the EP gets, though it’s far from your typical set staple.
Starting with eerie, tension-filled layers, it builds with a hypnotic momentum before unravelling into a wild breakdown complete with jarring, almost vuvuzela-like instrumentation, before crashing back into a heavy drop that’s equal parts thrilling and punishing.
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Although only about three minutes in length, the track, and in turn the EP, stays with us long after listening.
Outside of his solo work, Sanjonas is a vital player in collectives like Bast Cultura, Wicker Basket, 555_S.E.A, Ear Flux, and Sine Lab & Radio—all platforms that continue to redefine Indonesia and Southeast Asia’s club culture.
Purchase Sanjona’s “Incunabula Heroes: Decisive Battle" here.
Henry Cooper is a Writer at Mixmag Asia. Follow him on Instagram.
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