House Musicians & Brother Duo, Doppelgangerz, Rekindle Their Identity With A Retrospective EP

The Doppelgangerz brothers are looking back to embrace the future (Credit: Zack Dilaroca)

On paper, you might deem the tale of Doppelgangerz a success story in the homegrown electronic scene. And when you peruse the track record of these two self-made brothers – Fariz and Fazrin – you’d be spoilt for choice with their myriad achievements. As Doppelgangerz, they’ve already crossed 10 million streams and garnered up to 350,000 monthly listeners. They’ve graced mega stages like Legacy Festival and the Siloso Beach countdown party. Not to mention the enviable privilege of supporting the likes of Don Diablo and Tiësto. Arguably, they should feel on top of the world. But the brothers want you to know – as well as other struggling and aspiring producers/DJs out there – that their wins didn’t happen overnight.

“Sure we have 10 million streams today, but this took us 10 years. There are kids out there with 10 million streams in a single track. That’s the competition we face!” quips Fariz as he drops truth bombs. Beneath the perceived peaks of success lies a sobering reality, especially in a tiny dance music ecosystem like Singapore. So the brothers adapted and reached further. “I think you can only grow as big as your surroundings allow you to. I feel like Doppelgangerz only started to really grow when we ventured overseas and started competing with the big boys. In Singapore, I think we’ve been around for a while and our network is strong. But overseas, you can say that we’re nothing, and that’s both scary and humbling,” says Fariz.

Doppelgangerz have been a household name in the electronic DJ and producer circuit (Credit: Zack Dilaroca)

Fazrin on the other hand feels that hitting the ceiling isn’t a problem exclusive to Singapore. “Your music can only get you so far. I think that even someone like Tiësto would have a hard time if he released a track under a random alias with no link to his name; no label push, no promo, just the music. It’d probably get overlooked. That’s how important promotion and visibility are today. But even knowing that, I’m not the type to chase clout or do something cringy just to get noticed. I’d rather not be known than be known for the wrong reasons.”

As house music producers and DJs, Doppelgangerz choose to stay true to their roots and not be overly swayed by hype trains or global trends that butt heads with their identity. In a time when commercial electronic music is going harder and harder, the duo want to keep the spirit of house alive. “There were definitely conversations around making ‘harder’ music, and we experimented with some harder genres and even played some shows for it. But it didn’t make us happy so we decided to stay true to what we love,” explains Fariz.

“*The Lost Files* EP is our way of putting our guard down and publishing these tracks that were completed but never saw the light of day – until now!” (Credit: Courtesy of Doppelgangerz)

“Yeah at some point, I’ve put my hand up to agree that music has gotten very very hard and dark lately. I miss the days when the house charts had tracks like "+1" by Martin Solveig or 2016-era Don Diablo,” Fazrin concurs. “These days, it feels like tracks don’t stick the way they used to. Everything gets old after two weeks... and that’s kinda sad.”

Amidst such a phase of turbulent and volatile change, Doppelgangerz are posed with the conundrum of reminding audiences who they are and what their sound entails. To tackle this, Doppelgangerz dug deep into their archives to pull off something extra special – a retrospective yet enlightening collection of unreleased tracks in a liberating package called The Lost Files EP. “In a time where a lot of music is starting to sound the same, we felt it was the right moment to put these out. They reflect our raw, original sound,” says Fazrin about the release. They dusted the catalogue cobwebs and overcame insecurities, ultimately embracing the authenticity of their art with pride. “The Lost Files EP is our way of putting our guard down and publishing these tracks that were completed but never saw the light of day – until now!” asserts Fariz.

Their nostalgic musings have paid off, signalling growth and maturity for the duo (Credit: Zack Dilaroca)

The resultant mosey down memory lane has unearthed an EP of three tracks that serve as checkpoints in Doppelgangerz’ musical growth. “If you listen to the EP from start to finish, the first song “Motive” is more future house and heavy, just how we like it; and it transitions to “Lost”, which is a hybrid of future house and a bit of deep house. And then into “Hypnotize” which is even deeper, combining both future house and deep house with elements of melodic house. “Hypnotize” represents our current musical direction which is energetic, groovy, and futuristic,” Fariz describes about the EP.

The Lost Files EP marks a momentous occasion for the duo, and it comes not long after another recent accolade that the brothers had fought for tirelessly. While they’d previously signed releases with other major labels such as Hexagon and Controversia, they were particularly chuffed about bagging a spot with Future House Cloud with their single “Lose Control”, a zesty exultant number filled with peppy vocals and stutter synths.

“When we first started our journey, almost ALL of our tracks were downloaded from Future House Cloud,” Fariz excitedly shares. “It was a benchmark we set for ourselves many years ago. We knew back then that we were not skilled enough as producers to get a release on that label, but we always thought that one day if we eventually did land a release, it would signify our growth and progress as artistes. Usually we create tracks that we like, and then matchmake them to labels that might want that sound. But in this case, we wanted to release on FHC, so we reverse engineered their current sound and created our rendition of it.”

It was a wise gambit that paid off, but their resilience also came coated with a thick skin, something most producers can relate to when it comes to the soul-crushing process of label-hunting and rejection. How do the two stay positive and what advice do they have for other producers? “LESS FEEL, MORE DO. If they reject me today, best believe I'm turning up tomorrow with another demo,” declares Fariz. His brother continues, “I agree, when we first started out, rejection definitely hurt. But over time, I’ve learned to just enjoy the process. I know I like what I make, and if it connects with me, there’s got to be someone out there who feels the same.”

Doppelgangerz want to celebrate their EP release with all of you (Credit: Zack Dilaroca)

Come 25 April, Doppelgangerz are extending that connection to their fans with an EP launch party for The Lost Files at NOVA, a fitting crown jewel to add to their gig library. Aside from it being a celebration of house music and the Doppelgangerz discography, it’ll also be a gathering and showcase for like-minded performers such as Mings, Mr Boo and SAYVERE. “For my circle, there’s a lot of collaboration and support. I choose to ignore beef and drama; I’m too old for that. I choose to just focus on our craft and do the best that I can to get Doppelgangerz to where I want it to be,” Fariz says. Just like the gig’s sky-scraping destination, the two would like this gig to be a beacon for the new generation of DJs and producers; a community that they have utmost admiration for.

Doppelgangerz have had an arduous journey getting to where they are today, and it wouldn’t have been possible without their greatest support system – each other, as brothers. Whether it’s through sibling voodoo or tempered chemistry from being longtime partners, the strength of their blood bond has paid off. Perhaps that’s the true secret to this success story.

Thick as thieves, bonded as brothers (Credit: Courtesy of Doppelgangerz)

Fariz: “We’re very close and always on the same wavelength. We collaborate well because we understand each other well. I could hum a melody and tell Faz an idea, and he’d be able to translate those ideas into a track. I guess you could say that musically we have the same brain. We like the same artists, same songs, and have the same style. I think he copied me tbh, hahahaha.”

Fazrin: “What makes you think I need your stupid support lololol.”

Or maybe, the secret is still out there after all.

Doppelgangerz Presents: The Lost Files (EP Release Party), 25 April 2025, 10pm-3am, NOVA, #63 1 Raffles Place, Singapore 048616, get your tickets here. Pre-save The Lost Files EP by Doppelgangerz here. Follow Doppelgangerz on socials for more information. This is a sponsored feature.