Bob Atea is a small collection of human beings. They make music to appease their spiritual leader, Robert “Bob” Atea, whose identity remains shrouded in mystery. Some say he’s a myth; others say he’s just a poorly drawn stick figure on their group chat logo. It all began in 2019, when Sabda Armandio (author of several fiction books) and PS Jati (graphic designer, toy maker, and drummer for Amukredam)—two guys with way too much time on their hands—decided to form a duo. It wasn’t so much a band as it was a coping mechanism. Fueled by their shared love of music, jokes, and the unrelenting chaos of the internet, Bob Atea was born. Fast forward to December 2023: Bagus Satria and Ferio Johan (guitarist for SHVRON) joined the fold, transforming Bob Atea from “maybe this is a band?” into “oh no, this is definitely a band.” Together, they spent a year crafting their first EP, probably procrastinating and crying in between takes—because, you know, art. They’re based in Jakarta—or what’s left of it. As of now, Jakarta is still Indonesia’s capital, but it’s supposedly moving to Kalimantan soon-ish. Unless, of course, the government decides to scrap the plan, turning it into yet another expensive gimmick with no follow-through. Which is honestly the energy of Bob Atea as a whole. To be fair, calling it a cult might be more accurate.