SPILL EP PREMIERE: STRANGE FRUIT – DRIPS

STRANGE FRUIT – DRIPS

A SPILL EXCLUSIVE EP PREMIERE

Today we take you to a place you don’t visit usually. This is the land of Strange Fruit, which is a descent into neon-tinted soundscapes. Emerging from the fringes of electronic and dream-pop, the Drips EP from this electro-gaze outfit marks a pivotal release—a record that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a continuous, immersive drift through shifting states of perception. Issued via Gentle Tuesday Recordings, this release refines the group’s long-standing fascination with texture, rhythm, and atmosphere into something strikingly unified.

Across its runtime, Drips navigates hazy introspection and kinetic pulse, balancing club-adjacent momentum with introspective weight. The result is a release that feels both transportive and grounded, as if hovering between late-night reverie and early-morning clarity.

Strange Fruit blur the boundaries between Bowery Electric, Chapterhouse, Boards of Canada, and Stereolab—fusing their DNA into something fluid and transportive. Their sound moves in a motorik pulse, layering hazy textures, hypnotic repetition, and glowing melodic fragments into a richly immersive whole. It’s a genre-defying blend that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking—lush, cerebral, and quietly breathtaking in its detail.

Hailing from Jakarta, Strange Fruit is a five-piece collective consisting of Baldi Calvianca, Irza Aryadiaz, John Tampubolon, Nabil Favian, and Dino Kristianto. Since their mid-2010s beginnings, the band has explored a wide sonic spectrum, touching on everything from guitar-driven noise textures to motorik-inspired repetition and ambient electronics. Over time, their sound has evolved into a more seamless fusion of organic instrumentation and synthesized elements.

On Drips, that evolution reaches a new level of cohesion, aided by collaborations with a trio of notable producers who help expand the band’s palette without diluting its identity. Their music now feels more intentional—less like experimentation for its own sake, and more like a carefully sculpted aesthetic language.

The EP opens a door into a world where rhythm acts as both anchor and propulsion. Tracks unfold patiently, often driven by steady, looping beats that evoke a sense of perpetual motion. There’s a tactile quality to the production—tones feel layered and dimensional, as if each sound occupies its own orbit. Rather than overwhelming the listener, the arrangements invite gradual immersion, rewarding attention with subtle shifts and evolving textures. It’s music that thrives on repetition, but never stagnates; each cycle reveals new details lurking beneath the surface.

Vocally, the approach leans toward integration rather than dominance. Lines blur between voice and instrumentation, with melodies dissolving into the surrounding haze. This creates an emotional ambiguity that works in the EP’s favor—nothing is overstated, yet everything resonates. There’s a quiet tension between warmth and detachment, as shimmering tones contrast with more abrasive undercurrents. That duality gives Drips its emotional depth, suggesting both escapism and confrontation within the same sonic space.

What ultimately sets this release apart is its sense of cohesion. Despite the involvement of multiple collaborators and the presence of reworked material, the EP maintains a clear identity from start to finish. It feels curated rather than compiled, guided by a strong artistic vision that ties its various elements together. Drips doesn’t demand immediate attention; instead, it seeps in gradually, revealing its strengths over repeated listens. For those willing to sink into its atmosphere, it offers a richly detailed and deeply absorbing experience.

The Drips EP was produced by Bernardus Fritz, who was instrumental in transitioning the band’s guitar-heavy roots into a “hybrid” sound. By focusing on reverberant, wide, and surreal synthesizer textures, Fritz helped the collective develop a cosmic sound design that feels like a journey through another galaxy. This evolution effectively unifies fragments of the band’s decade-long experimentation into a more cohesive and focused sonic identity.

The release also features high-caliber remixes from a global intersection of underground talent. Sean Johnston (performing as Hardway Bros) brings his experience as co-founder of the legendary “A Love From Outer Space” alongside Andrew Weatherall, while Tom Furse of The Horrors contributes ambient textures and breakbeat grooves. Jonathan Kusuma, a pivotal figure in the Dekadenz collective, anchors the project’s transition from shoegaze into a sophisticated dimension of repetitive, echo-laden club rhythms.

As of April 3, the Drips EP is available across digital platforms via Gentle Tuesday Recordings, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. It will be released on cassette on April 17, followed by aphysical vinyl release, planned for mid-2026 in collaboration with Loide Records (SEA & Japan territories) and TipTop Records (Worldwide territories excluding SEA & Japan).

CREDITS

Written by Baldi Calvianca & Irza Aryadiaz
Performed by Strange Fruit
Produced by Bernardus Fritz & Strange Fruit
Guest vocals on ‘Drips’ by Putri Effendi
Mixed by Nabil Favian
Vocals recorded by Aggasta Giovanno at Studiomaja in Jakarta, Indonesia
Drums recorded by Devfian Julius Simputra at Studio 1 SAE Institute Jakarta
Premasters prepared by Hosea Hanelsan at Studio 1 SAE Institute, except for remixes
Mastered by Sam at The Wall Studio (France), except Track 6 mastered by Tom Furse
Track 5 – remix by Jonathan Kusuma
Track 6 – remix by Tom Furse
Track 7, 8 & 9 – remixes by Sean Johnston
All tracks published by Massive Music Entertainment,
except Monopolar (Hardway Bros Remix), Monopolar (Hardway Bros Live At The SSL Vocal Dub) & Monopolar (Hardway Bros Live At The SSL Dub) by Massive Music Entertainment / Minds on Fire
Album cover artwork by Moses Sihombing and Hafizh Armynazrie of Mellow Splice
‘Monopolar’ video produced by Gentle Tuesday Recordings & Strange Fruit
Video directed by Mellow Splice. Filmed by Moses Sihombing & Hafizh Armynazrie
Edited buy Hafizh Armynazrie & Moses Sihombing
Photographer: Osman Luqman
All Rights Reserved. © & ℗ Gentle Tuesday Recordings 2026
Bookings & Management – Benedict Pardede
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

While you’re here, feast on their latest video for “Monopolar” and “Pouvoir Moteur”:

Strange Fruit
Drips
(Gentle Tuesday Recordings)
Release Date: April 3, 2026

Artist Links

Background Photo Credit: Osman Luqman