Sophisti-pop duo Santamonica has released their striking new single “SIN”, now available on all digital streaming platforms. The track marks their first major release since 2023’s Reminisce 189 mini-album and serves as a preview of their upcoming full-length album Wunderkammer, the spiritual successor to their debut Curiouser and Curiouser.
A Song Years in the Making
Written by Sistine (Anindita Saryuf) in 2008 but only now brought to life, “SIN” channels a slow-burning rage against patriarchal systems that have historically blamed women as the source of sin.
“It began with the thought of how women are so often seen as the source of sin,” Sistine explains. “Since the story of Adam and Eve, that narrative has been passed down through generations.”
The track unfolds as a brooding, textural soundscape—more restrained lament than explosive outcry—with lyrics that read like fragmented scripture. There is no cathartic scream here, only a quiet, hypnotic acknowledgment of the weight women carry.
Visual Storytelling with Depth
The single’s artwork and music video deepen its themes:
- Cover Art (2015): A provocative image from Santamonica’s hiatus era, shot by Ifan Hartanto for fashion label Tangan, depicts a woman in a slaughterhouse with an apple in her mouth—a direct commentary on the female body as both object and scapegoat.
- Music Video: Performed inside a transparent box under shifting projections, the minimalist visual evokes a museum diorama of myth and resistance. The duo wears couture from Harry Halim’s Redemption Collection, with jewelry by Mahija and Rinaldy Yunardi, blending fashion with symbolism.
A Glimpse into Wunderkammer
“SIN” offers the first taste of Santamonica’s evolving sound—lush yet restrained, cinematic yet intimate. As they craft their sophomore album, the duo continues to explore feminine complexity through dream pop, sophisti-pop, and shibuya-kei influences.
About Santamonica:
The Indonesian duo (Sistine and Joseph Saryuf) merges ethereal vocals, vintage synths, and poetic lyricism. Their work dissects gender, myth, and quiet rebellion through a lens of elegant melancholy.
For fans of Cocteau Twins, Cigarettes After Sex, and Japanese city pop, “SIN” is a mesmerizing return from one of Indonesia’s most intriguing acts. The full Wunderkammer album arrives later this year.
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