Rising Arp: Meet Altoduo, The Bass & Drums Pair That Make Mathy New-Age Soundscapes

Not your usual kind of drum and bass (Credit: Shawn Ong)

In this day and age, the format of a band is always changing. Band identities are hardly restricted to full-sized configurations anymore, opting for more compact anatomies and making do with what they have. Altoduo is one new unit that joins other pairings like Causeway Youth and sl_owtalk, except they have emerged as a bass and drums (not to be confused with drum & bass) core concept carving out capricious instrumentals.

Altoduo create instrumentals that are tranquil yet highly technical (Credit: Shawn Ong)

Altoduo currently exists as the coupling between Winifred Tan on drums and John Paul Kwan on bass. Both have been active with music in their own right, with Winifred dishing out duties as a drum instructor and studio manager of Anadigi Sound Lab, and John being a member of bands like The Intimate Friends. Their merger of minds has resulted in a distinctive project that blurs the exercise of classification, side-stepping across genres unpretentiously to traverse math-rock, new-age, and even prog territories. And what’s just as remarkable is the level of technical prowess that bounces between them, functioning optimally like a well-oiled machine in motion.

“unwind” is the newest single of the whimsical group, transmitting an adventurous number that’s hot in its switcheroos while keeping a cool head. The complexities of math are inherent in the erratic yet locked drumwork that toys with time signatures and rhythms. Filling in the melodic space are energised bass trails that cruise suavely in the centre of the mix, together with spacey synths, twinkling pianos and loquacious guitar accompaniment from guest contributor, Ridz Razali. The single’s shapeshifting disposition sees it transitioning between the aesthetics of a summer breeze and an urban nocturne, revealing Altoduo’s unflinching, conceptual nature in their songwriting forays.

“unwind” follows up on their previously released track “insomnia” and their Revival EP, both featuring Nicole Tay on bass as one of Altoduo’s original founding members. Those tracks formed the foundational tenor of Altoduo’s budding sound – musically audacious with their free-flowing composition and advanced execution – and are also worth a deep-diving listening session if you love the pastime of dissecting the soma of songs.

Are you up to the challenge? Consider this an education, courtesy of Altoduo.