We’re Halfway There: The Best Singaporean Music in 2021 So Far

We’re a little over the halfway point of 2021, and amazing Singaporean music just keeps coming. Amongst all the incredible offerings, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourites so far – a diverse selection markedly different from last year’s top albums. Mirroring the uncertainty of recent times, 2021 also features a selection of experimental offerings – be it the maximalist glitch-laden beat work of Viticz or the hypnotic chop and screwed sampling of Mary Sue.  If this year’s trajectory is any indication of what’s to come, we can’t wait to see what the rest of this year has to offer!

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Subsonic Eye
Nature Of Things

Subsonic Eye emerged from a tumultuous year without looking back. The next stage in their sonic evolution, “Nature of Things” sees the dream-pop group surface from the hypnotising waves of their 2018 album Dive Into onto the sunkissed shores of Pulau Ubin. Shedding coats of modulation and reverb, their confident sound hops and skips over into the raw guitar tones of new-wave emo, whether it be assured thump of tracks like “Fruitcake” to the pulsating folk of “Cabin Fever”. On its eight tracks, Nature of Things encapsulates intimate journeys of self-discovery with the familiar touch of an old friend, and a reminder that their music is a chapter rooted in the group’s stalwart friendship. - Justin Tan

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mary sue
to those foreign nights, I love you

Gathering an assortment of eclectic rap influences, mary sue’s brand of abstract hip hop is an experimental breath of fresh air that’s much-needed. On his second EP to those foreign nights, I love you, mary sue offers a striking collage of chopped and screwed sounds that recall early JPEGMAFIA and Earl Sweatshirt, with lyrical delivery that hits just the right amount of melancholy. 

But far from derivative, it’s the gorgeous details in the Fauxe-aided production that push the project beyond a mere homage of its influences. From the hypnagogic glitch of “still” to the subtle voice cracks and haunting piano in “been here before”, it’s sonic poetry that feels at once intimate and heartbreaking. For mary sue, catharsis isn’t straightforward, but more akin to a restless déjà vu (“I found my bliss in ambivalence/ I’ve been here before/ I’ve seen this before”). By the end of the record, we can only make peace with pain, in all its reconstructed forms.  – Elly Lau

Read our original review of the EP here.

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BGourd / Beansprouts
Veggie Wraps, Vol. 3

It’s truly difficult to use words to describe the music of Veggie Wraps, Vol. 3. A strange, whimsical amalgamation of splintered beats, warped samples, and live  instrumentation, brothers BGourd and Beansprouts channel the potent restlessness of a lockdown with no end in sight. Swirling synths and grooves make way for driving, organic drums on “Jay”, while co-producer and Veggie Wraps, Vol. 2 collaborator Fauxe’s fingerprints are all over the understated harmonies on “Schooled”. Standout track “Robbing Breath” juxtaposes ethereal beatwork with BGourd’s exasperated, staccato flow and biting lyricism, eventually building up into an assured, bumping thump. Elsewhere, “Whack” leaps with a visceral indie rock energy, propelling forward with thumping punk bass and drums, eventually leading into the hypnotizingly warped sample work and lush harmonies of “Virtual Machine”. Finally, closer “Gone” (which features a cameo appearance from e-plant, who is set to produce the upcoming Veggie Wraps, Vol. 4) transitions from chopped-up piano samples into head-bopping house grooves reminiscent of the rapper’s debut effort. Challenging what it means to make hip-hop in Singapore and pushing the boundaries of the genre, Veggie Wraps, Vol. 3 is a profoundly rewarding listen in its adventurism. – Isaac “Yackem” Chiew

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jorud
jorud music

Operating via both hyperpop maximalism (with his co-production work in Cayenne) and chiming dream-pop jangle (with Sobs and Subsonic Eye), it’s no secret by now that Jared Lim is a talented multi-hyphenate. But his most interesting output is also his most anonymous. With his solo moniker Jorud, he embraces irreverence with insane levels of craft: hiding behind keyboard smash-titled tracks are immersive ambient journeys, entrancing with tape saturation, while on others titled “beep boop” (no joke), he turned in a radiant excursion that rendered its title’s description under-delivered to ridiculous degrees. On the seven tracks that color his deceptively plain-titled jorud music, he presents his most cohesive set of tracks yet, euphoric, Geotic-esque mirages of gossamer detail that pack sonic surprises on every corner. “Crusty” moves from gentle guitar chimes to skipping glitch-breaks, “A” mirrors a stunning sunrise scene as saturated backbeats masterfully emerge from melodic distortion, while “O” is euphoric in its pulsing rhythms and endless risers. There’s variety too: “Spin” is a slice of kinetic IDM that climaxes with blissful glisses, “Huh” is furthest from confusing with its hypnotic four-to-the-floor, and “Noooo” wraps things up with its luminous folktronica glow. Everything is jawdropping here - and despite still hiding behind a layer of pristine (and sometimes ironic) digital disguise, Lim has already proven himself - quietly, as one of Singapore’s most talented producers. – JX Soo

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Ihasamic! / Wovensound
REPACK

On REPACK, conscious rapper Ihasamic! and lo-fi beatsmith Wovensound (AKA Vinod Dass, guitarist Singaporean metal outfits Mucus Mortuary and Truth Be Known) present an intimate yet cinematic peek into the rapper’s heartbreaking cycles of monotony and depression. With Dass’ gorgeous, atmospheric beats adorned with sparkly keys and understated loops, the duo brings listeners spiralling down the rabbit hole with them – possessing a tranquil energy reminiscent of Dilla or Nujabes while perfectly complimenting Ihasamic!’s introspective, brutally honest lyricism. “Exit Cell Signal Range” and “Slow Burn in Serotonin” present confessional verses, memorable hooks, and lush harmonies over poignant, layered beats. Elsewhere, Ihasamic! delivers a melancholic and characteristically narrative verse over wistful keys, eventually leading into a quaint yet powerful chorus from guest vocalist Shai on “Scream me to Sleep”. Finally, closer “Tight Timeline Revert ASAP” presents rousing verses over wavy synths, ending the EP with a newfound energy – yet it segues and loops back to the beginning of the tracklist, ending the same way it started. A deep dive into Ihasamic!’s inner struggles with mental health, REPACK is in all bits cathartic and comforting - if you’re facing something similar, perhaps you’re not alone after all. – IC

The EP is also accompanied by a 10-minute short film, bringing the tracks’ narrative to life with haunting and arresting visuals. You can watch it here:

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Cayenne
Cayenne

Sweet and spicy with surgical precision, Sobs vocalist Celine Autumn’s debut as Cayenne bedazzled with impeccable post-pop sheen, balancing incredible melodicism with superb production and heavy doses of sugary sincerity. Most importantly to her, Autumn is pursuing Cayenne's music with full sincerity: whether it be via synthetic, hyper-cranked highs, or drowsy, heartbreak-ridden lows, the EP’s songs emanate a sense of freedom that glows with emotionally compelling messages. Whether it was the powerful hyperpop showcases of lead singles “Drivin’ Away” or “Sugar Rush”, the bubbly cheer of “Fav Treat”, or the emotional counterpoints of tracks like “Centrefold”, all four of Cayenne’s songs underpin their hard-hitting exteriors with universal themes of romantic yearning, crafting pop gems that deliver with maximum effect. Thrillingly kicking down the island’s fledgling hyperpop door, it’s a debut marks new heights for Autumn: a defining statement that cements her position amongst the island’s pop vanguard. – JX Soo

Read our original review of the EP here.

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Don Aaron
FREEDOM?

Don Aaron’s sophomore full-length LP FREEDOM? brings its listeners on a sonic road trip, seating them shotgun to a potent concoction of vaporwave and ‘80s influences. Aaron’s reverence for what has come before paves the way, yet the journey the album ends up taking feels fresh and exhilarating. Over its tracks, Aaron conjures a collection of tunes that are catchy and concise, yet bravely experimental and virtuosic. Be it the memorable refrains of title track “FREEDOM?” and “ITS YOUR BODY”, the contemplative soundscapes of “PANAMA GREY” and “TRANQUIL LISA”, or the stunning solos of “UUUU” and “WE SEE THE GAMMA”, Aaron’s tasteful ear for songwriting always comes through, building captivating compositions that will leave listeners wanting more. Standout track “ESCAPE FROM GRAPHICITY” is a masterful epic, gradually layering synths and drums over initially modest muted guitars and flanged beat work – eventually building up to an astonishing, awe-inspiring crescendo. A marked step up from his already solid debut, FREEDOM? is a breathtaking work that more than does justice to Aaron’s sublime musical vision. – IC

Read our original review of the album here.

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Halal Sol
Dijamin

A masterful take on dance music, Halal Sol’s Dijamin EP has me begging for the dance floors to reopen. Over the EP’s 6 tracks, the deep house maestro’s infectious grooves meticulously engineer themselves to hypnotise and astonish – and it more than succeeds in those respects. A propulsive energy permeates the EP, be it on the driving, dynamic kineticism of “Don’t Feel The Bass”, or the snarling bass grooves and syncopated keys on  “Lives in Future”. On the other hand, “Rotound” stacks satisfying layers of whirling synths, deep bass, percussive samples, and mesmerising arpeggiators. Elsewhere, fellow Darker Than Wax labelmate Bongomann’s “Re-rush” of “Rushin” masterfully builds its pulsing soundscapes into an irresistible bounce (returning the favour to Sol for his appearance on the Smiles EP last year), while label leader Kaye brings ups the ante with gnarlier bass tones on his remix of “Hearing Deficit”. Equal parts progressive and organic, Dijamin feels like a landmark release for Halal Sol as a DJ and producer. – IC

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Viticz
Re_build

A self-learned producer who started at the tender age of 8, teenage Viticz’s prolific output came at a cost. After accruing about 50 releases on Spotify, the journey of his EP, re_build, navigates the burnout after making his first album. The result is a dense, maximalist undertaking that mirrors a state of being lost and overwhelmed, showcasing Viticz’s remarkable skill for emotional storytelling. Brandishing glitchy aesthetics inspired by J-pop, dubstep and punk, Viticz consistently impresses through interesting production choices, which could easily sound incoherent if not for his great mixing. “Swimmy” and “Submerged” are standouts on this EP, both subverted versions of one another – fittingly reinforcing re_build’s theme of rebirth only through cyclical iteration. In this uncertain period of time, where many are driven to introspection because of burnout, re_build provides solace in externalising all these emotions, as messy as they can be. – Laurent Yee

Read our original review of the EP here.

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Planeswalker
Entity

Building on the foundations of 2020’s Perihelion, Planeswalker aka Mervin Wong further transports us to distant otherworlds on his excellent sophomore EP Entity. With a runtime just shy of 22 minutes, the four-track project is simultaneously compact yet expansive, plunging us into inescapable depths of sound.  

It is said that the ocean can be more terrifying than space. Entity’s opener “Submarine” captures this feeling, with swirling drones layered over strings and organs to create a sepulchral, almost sinister ambience. As we move throughout subsequent tracks, a sense of urgency begins to crystallise, with thudding instrumentation and warbling synths buoying us through an ascent from darkness to light. On the sublime closer “Return”, we finally arrive on the surface, basking in hope and wonder.  – EL

Read our original review of the EP here.

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