Song of the Day: "Stomachache Due To The Sincere Belief That The Rest Of My Band Is Trying To Kill Me" by Rumah Sakit
Rumah Sakit’s instrumental math-rock is unique... The recently released Rumah Sakit 25 is actually a retrospective release, pairing their 1999 self-titled debut album with the 2000 Travels In Constants EP, all meticulously remastered. This now allows us to assess the collection as a definitive statement of their work.
Rumah Sakit (Indonesian for “Sick Room,” naturally) was one of those highly structured instrumental bands to spill out of the late-nineties San Francisco scene. This was not my scene, but I had the good fortune of having at least one friend in the 90s who WAS a member of this scene, and turned me on to this particular flavor of music. The core line-up featured John Baez (guitar), Mitch Cheney (guitar), Kenseth Thibideau (bass), and Jeff Shannon (drums)—a collective whose main long-term contribution seems to have been supplying members to other, sometimes slightly more famous, projects like Pinback and Sleeping People. They made their name by recording everything live, committing to a “no tricks” philosophy that emphasized complex rhythms often delivered with a notable lack of discernible groove. It’s the kind of music that demands your full attention to appreciate the internal geometry of the composition before you dare nod your head.
The music here is fastidiously clean… utilizing angular, interlocking guitar patterns and bass lines that function more as time signature road maps than melodic support. While other bands in the genre sought beautiful noise or chaotic breakdowns, Rumah Sakit aimed for controlled dissonance, presenting their songs as technical blueprints rather than emotional outbursts. The constant shifts in meter, such as those found in “Careful With That Fax Machine,” demonstrate an admirable commitment to the avoidance of predictability, ensuring the listener never quite gets too comfortable.
If you’re new to this band, or to this kind of music in general and are looking for a place to start, the song “Stomachache Due To The Sincere Belief That The Rest Of My Band Is Trying To Kill Me” is a perfect entry point. This song represents the album’s best qualities through its masterful blend of tension and payoff, making it the most enduring piece in their early catalog. Despite being instrumental, the melancholic main motif and the sheer intensity of the climax perfectly embody the existential dread suggested by its famously long title (trust me, I’ve been there). It is the most complete narrative in the band’s repertoire, cementing its status as the collection’s high point. Despite being instrumental, the melancholic main motif and the sheer intensity of the climax make this the most complete narrative in the band’s repertoire, cementing its status as the collection’s high point.
Album Trailer
The Song
Spotify:
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/stomachache-due-to-the-sincere-belief-that-the-rest/1824206511
The Album
Spotify:
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/rumah-sakit-25/1824206177