“Anaesthetic” press release

R&B VOCALIST SARTIKA DROPS SULTRY & SEDUCTIVE SINGLE 'ANAESTHETIC'

Produced by Nerve, Artem & Harry Fox

Indonesian-Australian vocalist Sartika has released her sultry and seductive R&B single 'Anaesthetic'.

Having built up impressive groundswell in Brisbane - both as a solo artist and a member of superground BBTK - Sartika introduces herself to listeners on her official debut single. 'Anaesthetic' combines her intimate songwriting with a more restrained vocal approach and alluring production, resulting in "the first song I’ve written that I’m completely proud of." While 'Anaesthetic' explores her favoured lyrical topics of lust and romance, it does so through a different lens. "This song is about being a rebound, but owning it. Being a rebound has such a negative connotation to it, but it's just fulfilling the needs of both people at the time," Sartika says. "Anesthetics are drugs that keep you from feeling pain, and that's what rebounds do too." Through the song, Sartika not only explores an instantly relatable situation for her listeners, but completely flips the script surrounding rebounds - and in the process, she turns those feelings of shame into empowerment.

Initially purchasing the 'Anaesthetic' beat from producer Artem, Sartika teamed up with fellow Brisbane talent Nerve who added his golden touches to the instrumental, before mixing and mastering the project. What results is a brooding, other-worldly beat that gives Sartika free range to flex her vocal prowess, ranging from low melodic tones to a more rap-driven approach. Though Sartika uses metaphors and more abstract lyricism throughout 'Anaesthetic', the song concludes with a direct message: "Use me, abuse me/I won’t mind, I won’t mind."

Growing up in the Indonesian city of Kendari, Sartika fell in love with music after discovering pop icons like Christina Aguilera and The Pussycat Dolls. Her love of Western entertainment prompted her to learn English before she moved to Australia in her adolescent years, where she began busking at festivals and markets. After honing her craft in Brisbane's creative hubs, Sartika began taking more influence from the alternative corners of R&B like SZA and Jhene Aiko. She went on to work with esteemed producers like Nerve (Mulalo, Siala), collaborated with tastemaker cliques like NO.ONE Network and Bad Olive, and also formed R&B group BBTK with like-minded vocalists Bianca Power, Krizzy Bon and Bridget Smith.

Sartika has performed at events including Rabbits Eat Lettuce and Yonder Festival, as well as countless gigs across greater Brisbane. Her YouTube channel has accumulated over 150,000 views, and includes live loop covers of R&B classics where she displays her talents as a vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Sartika hopes to inspire other Indonesian artists through music, and plans to incorporate other native elements into her sound, including the Javanese genre Dangdut and traditional instruments like the gamelan and angklung. On a larger scale, she hopes her music will help others heal. "I want to advocate self-love through my music. I want people to feel empowered when listening to my songs, women particularly," she says. "I sing about real shit, and I hope it will resonate and uplift them."

Written by Christopher Kevin Au (@24karatkev)

“Anaesthetic” cover art

Press photos