Djenks celebrate 13 years of their self-titled debut album. The Jakarta-based “Dirty Reggae” unit teams up with Undead Zone Records and Soundclash Rekords to release a limited 12″ vinyl edition. Only 13 copies — a statement entirely in keeping with this ‘reggae reseh’ outfits.

Djenks also released the music video for “Hidup Ini Milik Kalian” — a track from their second album “Blaze Of Fire”, produced by Sinema Pinggiran, and one that carries particular weight. The work is dedicated to marking one year since the tragedy of Affan Kurniawan, one of the victims of state repression during protest responses — killed after being run over by an armored tactical vehicle.

A song about a gagged mouth, a defiant conscience, and a soul beyond the reach of power:

“Mulutku terbungkam, Batinku menolak patuh, Sukmaku merdeka dari represi penguasa.”
(“My mouth is gagged, my inner self refuses to comply, my soul is free from the ruler’s repression.”)

Mr. Rumput, the band’s charismatic frontman, speaks to this directly:

“To remember is not to dwell — it is to ensure that nothing vanishes without a trace, and that resistance always has a place to live.”

The song closes with one line that needs no further explanation: kebenaran tak teredam, panjang umur perlawanan — truth cannot be silenced, long live resistance.

For Djenks — formed on the southern edge of Jakarta in 2003 — this celebration is a statement from a band that fuses reggae with punk rock attitude. It sounds something like: A luta Continua!
(Sam)