Music

Local indie band Astronauts, a five-piece quintet R&B/Soul band, just released their latest single – ‘Kryptonite’, and based on what I’ve heard from their previous songs like ‘I’m No Good’, they’ve certainly lived up to the lofty standards that they’ve set for themselves. A little reminiscent of Bruno Mars’ work, I was genuinely impressed by Ben Jacob Lee’s smooth sensual voice grooving through the beat; it made me want to move my feet and snap my fingers along to the rhythm. Being a fan of hip hop personally, I feel like a Kendrick Lamar or J Cole collaboration with Astronauts…

Embarking on his first ever regional tour this year, Shak’thiya Subramaniamm – also known by his stage name, SHAK – has transformed his pastime hobby during his National Service days, into a full-blown passport-happy career. The local singer-songwriter has been a familiar face on the National Arts Council’s Noise Singapore 2016 Music Mentorship programme, Singapore Night Festival, and The A-List Singapore. Starting out his knack at songwriting back in the Army Days, and subsequently falling in love with poetry – you can find SHAK a common attendee of many Open-Mic nights in Singapore. In fact, he’s currently the host of a weekly music…

Come February 14, some of us may be disappointed with a sad sight in town: it’s the time of the year where couples try the hardest to impress their partners on this special day with insta-worthy outfits, bouquets of roses, and trendy LED-lit helium balloons… the inexhaustible list goes on. Interestingly enough, romance happens to be quite an abstract concept – so much so, that we express or find these heart-wrenching emotions in music. This year, we have compiled our favourite love songs from our local musicians in a Spotify playlist. So gather your single ladies and men, and scream…

Now hold my Milo Peng as we announce this: Nathan Hartono dropped not one, but two music videos for his debut Mandarin single, 《爱超给电》! Following his success as the first runner-up on the inaugural season of Sing! China,《爱超给电》marks Nathan’s official foray into the Chinese market. Loosely translated to ‘Electric Love’, 《爱超给电》is a Mandarin rendition of his previously released single, Electricity, in 2016. To make sure that you get absolutely electrified, the 26-year-old heartthrob released two different versions of his feel-good pop single. Describing the first version of the music video as a “love letter to all shapes, sizes, and colours…

Debuting his single ‘Whats’s It?’ today, XVAN marks his foray into 2018, as this Singapore-based producer seeks to put out good music that is refreshing to listeners, and his biggest critic, himself! A smooth but energetic number, ‘Whats’s It?’ is his first international release across all major digital music platforms, aside from his original SoundClound profile. A song filled with both organic and electronic elements, XVAN has carefully blended a hard-hitting mix of synths and percussions, resulting in an ever-changing rhythmic song – sending your ears through quite the aural rollercoaster. It’s in the subtle details, making you realise his…

MMXJ starts his foray into 2018 with ‘Adventure’! A little different from his previous releases last year, he’s taken on a more pop-production, that illuminates the spotlight on the soulful timbre and writing, of Irish singer and song-collaborator, James Ty. Accompanying this easily possessive track is a beautifully shot Music Video, set in the mosaic mystery of Hong Kong’s cityscape! Watch as the visuals dive into the magic of the Pearl of the Orient, delivering a kaleidoscope of day-to-day scenes and neon-lit time lapses. The Singapore-based producer notes that with ‘Adventure’: “I wanted to convey a new sense of joy and purpose for living,…

Super Whatevr – a trio-project started by Skyler McKee to encompass his musical poetry, together with bassist Thomas Waale, and drummer Luke Mensink – have released their debut album “Never Nothing”! The concept of which, “is that (what might be wrong with you) is never nothing!” By studying the craft of songwriting with the help of a friend, Mckee penned his own songs – many of which originated from dark places. Reversedly, he hoped his songs would become reflective slithers of hope amidst one’s life-struggles – a fundamental theme of the album. “All my songs are happy,” McKee explained. “They have a sad tone, but it’s all in a…

Entering the pop genre for the first time, Maria Muller, a 57-year-old classically trained contemporary singer brings forth her reworked pop version of the newly titled track “Lost” to welcome 2018! Originally titled “Lost In Your World”, Muller explained that she wanted her message to be clear: “Many of us have gone through a time when we needed the strength to choose ourselves over a love that made us lose sight of who we are. For those who have gone through it, I hope the song allows your heart to heal and keep your resolve to stay brave.” Currently based in the United…

As with previous years, Laneway Festival Singapore 2018 – also the 8th Laneway in Singapore – promises to be a full sensory experience for music fans, with a focus on the best new and established live acts in the game! Focusing on the closer locale, they’ve added a varied line-up of Asian artistes – 8 groups from 4 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. From break-out bands to established musicians, here’s the full low-down on these 8 Southeast Asian acts! ALEXTBH Producing music from his early teens, 21-year-old ALEXTBH has since made his mark in Malaysia’s electronic music scene with…

Chart-topping Singapore pop artist Falling Feathers is capping 2017 off with a remix of his hot major label debut single “Hush”, featuring a collaboration with Canadian rapper, Dizzy, as well as Singaporean producer, Thievves (who worked on the original track)! “I first met Dizzy at Music Matters 2017 when we were performing for the festival,” explains Falling Feathers. “We hit off extremely well and I asked him if he wanted to rap a few verses on this remix. He spontaneously agreed and this remix was set in motion!” “I was a little uncertain of what to expect going into the collaboration,…