Tika (4)

Jakarta-born singer Kartika Jahja first released her own solo album titled Frozen Love Songs (2005) and Defrosted Love Songs (2006) under Aksara Records. She then recruited Luky Annash (piano), Susan Agiwitanto (bass), Okky Rahman Oktavian (drums), and Panji Gustiano (guitar) to be her back-up band. Along the line, the band became a significant part in the song-writing process. In 2009, they first declared themselves as Tika and the Dissidents in the original soundtrack album of Joko Anwar’s film Pintu Terlarang. In the same year, the band parted ways with guitar player Panji Gustiano. A few months later they welcomed Iga Massardi as the newest member of the Dissidents. After a two-year recording process, Tika and the Dissidents’ full-length album the Headless Songstress was released in July 2009 under the Head Records, a record label owned by the band. Much to the band’s surprise, the Headless Songstress received numerous praises from music fans and the media, both national and international. Tika and the Dissidents is said to be a breath of fresh air in the country’s homogenous music industry. The pinnacle of the year was when TEMPO magazine awarded the album as "Album of the Year 2009" and the band as "2009’s Chosen Music Figure".