Into The COMMON Multiverse: Local Music Collectives Join The Digital Global Movement
Music collectives around the world are coming together for COMMON (Credit: Currents.fm)
Despite its small size, the Singaporean music scene isn’t detached from the network of the global community. The pandemic has brought on a worldwide calamity that’s ravaged the electronic industry, and like our counterparts across the globe, we’re digging up glimmers of hope where we can. Bound by this mutual anguish and uncertainty, music collectives and record labels have been pushing hard to keep the engine chugging online, in a climate where live performances are severely compromised. Pooling together these efforts on a sophisticated platform is COMMON by Currents.fm, an ongoing initiative that’s been assisting music communities in forging their own digital space. Just think of it as a hub that instantly connects you to live showcases from collectives, benefitting artistes and audiences alike.
Now on its ninth edition since launching in the tail end of 2020, this digital nexus is once again connecting these entities for a multi-day exhibition from 12 to 21 March, with programmes encompassing DJ sets, films, panel discussions and workshops that advocate the preservation of the global music industry. COMMON will bridge all these events together via distinctive channels built and hosted by each collective, and guests are encouraged to wander between each space while observing and interacting with other participants. Visitors may also send donations to collectives of their choice, providing an “artist-distributed chain of support” facilitated by the Currents.fm system. COMMON puts you closer to the pulse of the industry, while providing its collectives with worldwide exposure, financial assistance, peer collaboration and brand-building empowerment.
Our very own Darker Than Wax and Midnight Shift will be taking part in this global initiative (Credit: Background by Currents.fm)
Those familiar with the Singaporean scene will recognise a couple of names on the extensive lineup. For this edition, our community will be represented by Midnight Shift and Darker Than Wax, both veteran labels with global reputations. Using Currents.fm to construct their dedicated space online, they will host a marathon of DJ sets featuring selectors from their respective rosters. These homegrown labels will be joined by an impressive ensemble of other collectives and units, including Peach Discs (UK), Fever AM (Germany), Seoul Community Radio (Korea), Infinite Machine (Mexico), female:pressure (worldwide), BYTE (worldwide), Taipei Community Radio (Taiwan), Cultivated Sound (US), and dozens of others. Other performances exclusive to COMMON are sets from Osunlade, Bottlesmoker, Paleman, Anthony Child, Lychee, Sepehr and plenty more.
The full lineup for this programme (Credit: Currents.fm)
If you crave the global connection of a music festival and the essence of boundless discovery that comes with it, joining the COMMON community might just be the closest thing you’re going to get – at least for now.
The COMMON Multiverse Initiative takes place from 12 to 21 March 2021. It is free to attend, but guests are encouraged to subscribe to channels on Currents.fm.
