Recharged And Ready: Rock Titans Electrico Talk About Their Monumental Comeback

25 years since their formation, Electrico remains a powerhouse in the Singaporean music industry. And it shows in their latest endeavour (All images by Martin Yeoh and Don Yeo)

How do you even begin with a band like Electrico? If you attempted to segment the history of the Singaporean music scene into phases and their respective frontrunners, Electrico would easily rank up there in terms of recognition and success. Despite being formed in 1996, it was in the mid-noughties where they dominantly became icons of local pride; faces of an imported indie-rock zeitgeist that had seeped its way in from the West. Yet, Electrico were true patriots in their songcraft – and I’m not even talking about that game-changing National Day anthem – rocking with “the red and the white but without the blue”. 

Bona fide hitmakers, the seasoned pioneers bust out tracks that stuck with the consciousness of the scene, spread across three evolving albums that grew in maturity and experimentation. Following this jolting period of anthems from 2004 to 2009, the band eventually began to wind down after paving the way for a new breed of indie acts, all hoping to catch lightning in a bottle like they did. Electrico gracefully stepped off the pedestal thereafter, only returning to play sporadic gigs in subsequent years, but these always felt like novelty gestures clouding the future of the band in uncertainty. Until now.

In an unexpected move, 2021 has become the year where Electrico initiated their monumental return. Earlier in March, the core trio – comprising David Tan, Desmond Goh and William Lim, Jr – unleashed a series of live recorded performances at Pasir Panjang Power Station, where they revived past classics with a full ensemble that included classical musicians. As it turns out, the significant objective of this rare endeavour wasn’t just to mollify diehard fans with a one-off showcase, but to reveal that Electrico was still very much a band with gas in its tank. Culminating in the B-sides Live at the Power Station EP, this gung-ho development would merely become the preamble to something much bigger.

Enter Left of the Century, the band’s first record of new releases since We Satellites in 2008. For obvious reasons, it was an announcement that lit up fireworks in the hearts of scene zealots. The four-track EP also happens to mark the silver jubilee of the band’s formation, yet for a group that’s endured for 25 years, they sound more rejuvenated, if not better, than ever. One simply needs to plug into the incendiary “Fire In The Sky” to hear their progression. A behemoth-sized crackerjack with a heavily distorted mix, the EP’s debut single re-introduces a band ready to kick ass, sounding humongous – their trimmed lineup notwithstanding – with hefty riffs, colossal drumwork and sky-rocketing vocal volleys. It might not be the Electrico you necessarily remember, but it’s certainly an Electrico riding on a new wave of untapped energy. And as someone who grew up chasing their gigs with stars in his eyes, I couldn’t be more ecstatic.

I am just as thrilled to have all three members of Electrico in this interview feature, as they generously share about their long-awaited and explosive comeback.

Electrico currently comprises the core trio of William Lim, Jr on drums, Desmond Goh on bass, and David Tan on guitar and vocals.

Welcome back, Electrico. How does it feel to be active again in the music scene? Does it feel surreal, or is there a tinge of pressure that comes with it?

Desmond Goh: The main purpose of coming back was to get all our current music up on major digital streaming platforms, but it evolved into the rearrangement of older songs, live video recordings, new profile photos, etc. It almost felt like starting as a new band again.

David Tan: I think it was fun to reconnect with our music and maybe play again. No pressure –that was the rule this time haha.

William Lim, Jr: Yeah, no pressure! It was a checklist completed for getting our back catalogue up on digital platforms, and we’re excited to be sharing new music.

The bandmates and friends have remained tight since they formed the group – formerly known as Electric Company – in 1996.

The three of you have been together since the beginning of the band. How important is this dynamic between you guys, as friends and as fellow musicians?

David: We’ve been through a lot together and have developed a way with each other, be it on stage, in the studio or just hanging out. It ultimately does form the spirit of the band.  

Desmond: We feel that one of the crucial elements to a good band is the chemistry we have with one another, and being like-minded friends with trust and respect helps bolster this chemistry.  

William: We know each other well enough to know what’s comfortable for the other person in different situations, and what may perhaps anger the other person.

With their comeback, they’re opening the door into a new chapter of their legacy.

Was there an intense, lingering urge to make a new record after We Satellites? Or was the break much needed?

David: It was definitely good to catch our breath and get on with the other aspects of our lives, but we never felt that we were done with music, and the constant itch to release something new was testament to that. It was just tough to build momentum again when circumstances changed, being family guys and all.

Desmond: After releasing three albums from 2004 to 2008, writing and performing the National Day Parade 2009 (NDP 2009) theme song, playing shows locally and regionally, we felt like a train just charging on. So it was good to stop by a depot to do some maintenance, which took longer than expected! But we did try new ways of writing music intermittently then, though there was no rush to produce another record after We Satellites, so the pace was slow and steady.

William: Yeah! I feel the same as the guys. Grateful for the break, and grateful for the opportunity to still keep making music and being surrounded by music in our own ways.

“It was definitely good to catch our breath and get on with the other aspects of our lives, but we never felt that we were done with music.” – David Tan

So would you say the downtime was beneficial for the band?

David: For sure. I think I've finally grown up, haha. We are approaching this very much more on our own terms now I think.

Desmond: Definitely, as it was a good recharge!

William: Yes, it certainly was. But it’s great to be together again, doing something we enjoy.

The band made its comeback with the B-sides Live at the Power Station EP, which revealed an Electrico still very much in its prime. Was it a case of getting the rust off the gears when y’all took the stage, or did you guys naturally find your rhythm again?

David: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous at first, as it has been so long since we jammed. But rehearsing again reminded us why we love doing this, and it was a joy finding our groove again.

Desmond: Thank you! It took a few jam sessions and muscle memory to ease into the musical mode that we were familiar with. We realised that the music never really left us as we love playing those songs!

William: It all just came back naturally. On and off, I was still jamming our old stuff at Academy Of Rock, the music school that I have been teaching at for the past couple of years. I did some drum videos recently on YouTube too, which you can check out here.

“We also have some unreleased songs written during our Electric Company days. It would be interesting to see how they would sound in this new musical climate!” – Desmond Goh

How did this concept come together in the first place, and how did you choose the four songs that made their way into the EP?

Desmond: We wanted to release our back catalogue on all digital streaming platforms, so instead of just uploading it, we thought, why not create a campaign to support it? With support from our management, the idea grew into a full-fledged live performance (with no audience) in a unique space that is the Pasir Panjang Power Station.

David: Instead of pushing the singles from before, we felt that these were songs that would be interesting representations from each of our past three albums. Since we were releasing our back catalogue of these performances, we wanted to do it differently, and these four tracks were ones that we always felt deserved more exposure.

Performing live with a beefed up ensemble of classical musicians is the dream of many rock bands. How was it like balancing this arrangement?

Desmond: Our primary session pianist, Jonathan Shin, is a very talented classical pianist, composer and arranger. You may know him from Lorong Boys. He helped arrange the chamber music parts which made our task easier.

David: The horns and strings literally felt like they gave us wings when we played! It was amazing to have them grace the set with us, and yeah that’s one dream checked off. Now I can’t imagine playing without them!

William: Yes! It was one of those things we always wanted to do, and I'm glad we finally did it! With Jonathan’s spectacular arrangement and contribution on keys, Daryl Tay’s amazing guitar skills, David Loke’s and Stella Wu’s mesmerising accompaniment on violin and cello respectively, and trombonist Erwin Tan and French hornist Luke Chong’s presence, it felt like we were performing at an award show.

The artwork for Electrico’s new EP, Left of the Century (Courtesy of 19sixtyfive)

And now, let’s talk about the long-awaited Left of the Century EP. Were all these songs freshly written for the record? Or were some of them waiting for their time to shine in the archives?

David: This upcoming EP is a collection of songs that we wrote not long after We Satellites. They were sitting around as demos for a very long time. We had a whole bunch of them but settled on four, to dust off and breathe some life into our 25th anniversary! Some of them were always at the back of our minds, particularly the first two singles, “Fire In The Sky” and “Easy Come Easy Go”, which we actually road tested at a couple of gigs during our hiatus!

William: No doubt the style is different, but we’re excited to present them freely, in the same way we wrote these songs. There definitely are more songs waiting to shine in our archives. I can’t wait for another round of production, but I’m glad to have these four out there to showcase our new sound.

Desmond: We also have some unreleased songs written during our Electric Company days. It would be interesting to see how they would sound in this new musical climate!

“I can’t wait for another round of production, but I’m glad to have these four out there to showcase our new sound.” – William Lim, Jr

Despite having a smaller lineup from past albums, the sound on these tracks still sounds full and stadium-sized, exploring the full, raw potential of your instruments without adding too much fluff. Was this approach a conscious decision when making this album?

David: I think we just wanted to make songs that sounded good to us without thinking of the limitations of our lineup, because honestly at that time, we had no idea when we would have a chance to play again. Also, the way we were writing was remote and online, which kind of also allowed us to dream bigger sonically.

William: Yeah, the songs are meant to be that way. And if it sounds great and we’re satisfied with it, then it’s worth putting it out there.

In spite of their compressed lineup, the sound on their new EP is much bigger than ever.

Another thing that stands out is how the album doesn’t compromise on the band’s original proclivity for indie-rock, despite the changing music climate that’s put guitar music in the backseat. Did the trends of today affect your direction for the songs?

David: I think good melodies are relevant regardless of instrumentation and musical treatment, and that’s what we usually wrote around, giving context and mood to melodies that we were excited about.

William: We are living in an ever-changing era of music, and I think most artistes tend to have this in mind when coming up with new songs.

Desmond: The current music trends may have influenced us subconsciously in terms of writing and arranging music. But it’s not in the rulebook to have short intros and bang into the chorus straight to get listeners hooked. The core of a good melody and the rock & roll spirit still give us the directions!

Looking back at your storied career, are there any things that you wish the band would’ve done differently or pursued?

William: We’ve been blessed with tonnes of interesting, unforgettable experiences, all of which made us who we are today. It’s hard to say what’s ahead for us, but we’re always open to exploring new grounds.

And today, Electrico remains a reputable powerhouse that reels in admiration from both scene veterans and wide-eyed kids. How does it feel to retain this level of reverence, and do you continue to feel a need to champion this small but resilient music scene?

David: It’s great to see the Singapore scene grow with artistes truly harnessing the potential of the Internet to broadcast and build their brands as artistes and entertainers. I’ve seen so much awesome talent, and how they are making the most of social media and streaming platforms. It’s next-level stuff. If we had any part in inspiring any of this, we are truly proud and humbled. We’ll keep doing our thing, but I believe that they are the true flagbearers now.

Electrico release their Left of the Century EP on 16 July. Their first single, “Fire In The Sky” is out now. Follow Electrico on their official website to stay updated with their activities.