Indonesian experimental electronic duo Gabber Modus Operandi have cancelled their upcoming Canadian tour and all other activities following sexual violence allegations made against one of the duo’s members. The allegations came to light after the victim posted on Twitter on August 9th regarding the incident that happened sometime in 2019. The tweet was promptly deleted, but screenshots have been circulating in what Gabber Modus Operandi have referred to as ‘private channels.’
The duo, best known for their boundary pushing fusion of footwork, gabber, and traditional Indonesian music, took to Instagram to release a statement on the matter, apologising for “inconvenience caused by the alleged sexual violence act in 2019 that occurred to one of our members.” The duo have chosen not to name the accused member or to name the allegations in order to protect the privacy of the victim. “To this day, the alleged victim [has] not submitted a complaint report to us,” Gabber Modus Operandi say in the statement, though they take “full responsibility for any consequences caused by such events.”
Taking action in light of the allegations, the unnamed member has attended counselling sessions to understand the allegations and the impact thereof better, while the duo is working with a mediator in order to come to a resolution with the alleged victim. Ditta Wisnu, the mediator in question, has 17 years of experience in advocating for the victims of violence against women, and will work with the duo from August 25 to September 1st. As a result, all activity from the group has been paused during this time. “We believe that the truth belongs to the victim. To this end, we are committed to listening to the demands and needs of the alleged victim,” Gabber Modus Operandi went on to say.
The duo have most recently made headlines for being named by Björk as one of the producers on her upcoming tenth studio album, Fossora. “They’re taking tradition into the 21st century, which I really respect. They do it like nobody else,” she told The Guardian about the duo earlier this month. There is no word yet on whether these allegations will have any effect on Fossora’s planned rollout.
Read Gabber Modus Operandi’s full statement below.
