KOMA is a duo formed by Reno Renatama and Rulli Putra.
Since 2016, they have been active in Jakarta’s underground scene.
We met them before their performance at JENJA Club Jakarta to learn more about their story and creative process.
Before forming KOMA, both Reno and Rulli had already built their own reputations in the scene.
They first met through a mutual friend during an Enter The Void event at Colosseum Club, where Rulli worked as a talent coordinator.
Since both were producers with similar musical tastes, they decided to collaborate. From that collaboration, the track “Kupu Kuwi” was created.
“The track was unique because we use the real sinden (traditional singer) which we found at Cilegon,” said Reno.
The song itself comes from a traditional Javanese children’s folklore.
Interestingly, Reno’s mother knew the original composer, which allowed him to personally ask for permission to use the piece.
“We always want to fuse ethnic element with Techno,” said Reno. He also believes that any sound can become music.
“You want to combine the sound of broken glass with other sound, that’s music. Music is universal,” he added.
This approach helped “Kupu Kuwi” gain recognition, earning a nomination for Track of the Year at the Paranoia Awards 2016.
“We never thought that the song would receive positive response,” said Rulli.
At that time, they had not yet used the KOMA name and were still releasing music individually.
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The Birth of KOMA
“KOMA actually is the name of an event that I started back in 2013.
The event is to accommodate the wish of Tech House and Tribal music fans in Jakarta,” said Rulli.
The event later went on hiatus due to his involvement with Enter The Void. However, he eventually revived it with a fresh concept.
From the beginning, KOMA was designed as a space for jamming.
Rulli invited different communities to collaborate, and the response turned out to be strong.
He also jammed several times with Reno during these sessions.
After one of their events at Jenja, they received a suggestion to form a duo, which led to the birth of KOMA as a musical project.
Building a duo with a shared vision is not always simple. Because of that, Reno and Rulli regularly jam together outside of events.
Sometimes they create new tracks, while at other times they experiment with beats or mix existing material.
Both artists bring complementary styles.
Reno focuses on techno blended with ethnic elements, while Rulli leans toward percussion-driven and groovy sounds.
These directions meet naturally within KOMA. “Both of us are not really a purist,” said Rulli.
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Musical Influence
Their paths into music also differ. Reno recalls his first rave experience in 1999.
“Back in 1999, my friends took me to my first ever rave party. When I listened to Solarstone song called Seven Cities, I immediately hooked,” he said.
Another key influence came from film.
“When I listened to Underworld’s song Born Slippy, it hit me. I have to know how to make a music like that!” he added.
Rulli’s journey began earlier through playing in bands during his school years. However, moving abroad made it difficult to maintain a band setup.
“When I have to move outside of Indonesia, it was hard to form a band,” he said.
He later met people who were into DJing, which opened a new path.
Over time, he decided to expand beyond DJing into production.
“Lots of people become a DJ, but not so many people decides to become producer,” he explained.
To support that decision, he took a short course in music production.
In terms of influences, Reno points to artists such as Victor Ruiz, Dubfire, Jamie Jones, and Oliver Huntemann.
Meanwhile, Rulli highlights 1MAN, Mihai Popoviciu, and Seth Troxler as his favorites.
Looking ahead, KOMA is working on new material.
“The production take some time due to our works. Sometimes it’s hard to sync our schedule,” said Reno.
Still, they remain committed to their plans.
“At least we produce a track once a year and hopefully will be release in international label. We also hope to have international gig,” Rulli explained.
With a clear direction and shared vision, KOMA continues to grow within the underground scene, aiming to expand their reach beyond Indonesia.
