“They’re hip-hop, roots, rock, alternative, funk, & jazz all rolled up in one fat joint.” -Cedric Clinton, Hawaii-based hip-hop artist.

With their sonic cocktail, Introspektra aims to liberate listeners coming from all walks of life. Born and raised in the melting-pot state of Hawaii, Andrew Simbahon, Antonio “Tony” Burruso, and John “JP” Sabugo came together in 2016 after the close of their previous musical projects. Andrew’s blues-rock guitar aggression from the school of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tony’s colorfully moving basslines reminiscent of Jamiroquai’s Stuart Zender, and JP’s rhythmic ventures inspired by Chris Dave and Thomas Pridgen spark a musical fusion heard across Hawaii’s indie-rock, hip-hop, reggae, and jazz scenes. Other influences of the band include Hiatus Kaiyote, Sublime, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Roots. Andrew’s and John’s vocals provide a variety of avenues for their lyrics to travel through from feel-good, soulful melody lines to gritty, passion-packed rap rhymes. In regard to their live show, Landan Tolentino of Huikau Club Music describes Introspektra as “an opportunity to experience a tight knit, versatile performance.”

From 2016 to 2017, the band performed heavily in the Honolulu area. They have been featured in events held by alternative radio station Star 101.9 and performed for KTUH and HPR radio broadcasts. They had the pleasure of opening up UH Manoa’s Aloha Bash in April 2017 at Andrews Amphitheater, and the following month saw the release of Introspektra’s self-titled debut EP, which helped grow their fanbase through the rest of 2017. They’re starting off 2018 with their first performance outside of Oahu at the Homegrown Festival on the island of Kauai.

As ears beyond the Pacific find their way to the band’s music through avenues like Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube, Introspektra aims to bring their island-born sound to listeners across the globe.