From Studio To Stage: .gif Turn Their Electronic Exploits Into A Full Play

.gif have created a new production titled Beside Ourselves (Credit: Elias Soh)

Music isn’t meant to be constrained, or to be consumed via any one medium. Its versatile form has allowed local musicians to adapt it to scenarios and demographics that exist outside the archetypal concert format – from curated electronic soundtracks for urban hubs to atmospheric gig series for sit-down punters. Malleable and emotive, music has a design that makes it no different from art.

.gif have been making great strides in the scene since 2012 (Credit: Elias Soh)

Pushing the boundaries at the dawn of 2020 is esteemed electronic duo, .gif. Since their debut EP in 2013, their track record has been stellar. They opened prestigiously for M83, have toured around the globe from UK to Manila, played at top-tier festivals like Garden Beats, and not long ago, performed at the Golden Melody Awards Heat Festival in Taiwan. More than trailblazers, they’ve established the trail for future aspirants in the scene. And yet again, they’ve gone beyond the norm with a new production titled Beside Ourselves.

This show will exhibit a side of .gif you’ve yet to see (Credit: Elias Soh)

Part of the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival at The Esplanade, Beside Ourselves tugs on the serpentine imagination of the duo, manifesting itself as an unprecedented platform for their repertoire. Directed by Anthea Julia Chua, the play will be fronted by Chew Wei Shan from .gif, alongside Isabella Chiam and Sharda Harrison. Nurudin Sadali, the other half of .gif, will provide live accompaniment. Kept vague, the synopsis revolves around being detached from reality and embracing out-of-body experiences; although, for a fuller analysis, you can view its underlying themes on the official festival website.

.gif is made up of Chew Wei Shan and Nurudin Sadali (Credit: Elias Soh)

Far from amateur dabblers, .gif have dipped their toes into film and theatre prior to this production. Many continue to praise their involvement in soundtracking the award-winning Shirkers, which made history at the Sundance Film Festival. And they were also Music Directors for Checkpoint Theatre’s Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner, commissioned by the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA). As you can see, whatever they touch turns to gold, and they’re about to add another glistening milestone to the scene.

Beside Ourselves by .gif, 10 & 11 January 2020, 8pm, Esplanade Recital Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981. Tickets available from this website.