Ikan Hyu in Basel

With IKAN HYU, Hannah and Anisa redefine what a two-person band can be. They don’t simply play guitar or sing—they play everything. The soundscapes they construct are both explosive and intimate, electronic and deeply human. Unsurprisingly, WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS expands their genre bending musical universe even further while carrying the same message: creativity is freedom, and freedom is shared.

The thirteen tracks on the album connect seamlessly and were produced with Viennese producer SYRIX, in whom Hannah and Anisa found a counterpart who understood both their artistic vision and their DIY approach of recording music. Elements that give this album its unique IKAN-flair include a Moog Subsequent, a theremin, the use of a walkie-talkie as a mic to record whole lead vocal, guitar and synth takes, sound recordings on a tape recorder and self-recorded samples of Alpine birds and the ocean.

Ever since their formation, the ocean has not only been an inspiration for the duo’s visual identity—think glowing fish heads at live shows, the name “IKAN HYU” which means “shark” in Indonesian, and the vibrant cover art Hannah designs featuring rays and octopuses—but also represents a place of introspection and immersion, moving below the surface and toward oneself. For their sophomore album, it was marine creatures such as a solar powered sea snail, mimic octopuses and flying fish that inspired songs about longing, alienation and self-expression.

Quelle: Seetickets