Marching To His Own Beat: Intriguant And His Multi-Hyphenate Hustle
Meet Intriguant, a seasoned figure in the scene who wears many hats (Credit: Matin Latif)
There’s definitely no dearth of local musicians composing live works, and you might already be familiar with some house and techno producers in Singapore. But what about the homegrown beat scene? The beatmakers who tinker with DAWs and hardware to create curveball soundscapes that shun traditional formulae and anatomy, be it instrumental hip-hop, bass music, or something off the genre spectrum altogether?
Why yes, we do have such a scene. And one man is making sure you get the memo.
With his ongoing trajectory, Intriguant is definitely going places (Credit: Juan Yong / Matin Latif)
Louis Quek is a Singaporean veteran best known in the scene as Intriguant, a versatile beatmaker who recently dropped his sophomore LP, Kindred, an explorative amalgamation of dark brooding textures and fidgety rhythms. From the sub-bass swagger of “Chika” to the metronomic house-rooted floatiness of “No More”, Intriguant’s varied tracks exhibit his mastery of the electronica form, a trait that’s earned him spots at events like Neon Lights and the Singapore International Festival of the Arts (SIFA). He even represented the red dot at BIGSOUND Festival in Australia, as part of a Singaporean contingent selected by the National Arts Council in 2018. Also a member of revered audio-visual collective, Syndicate, Intriguant is a personality with plenty of influence.
Intriguant has performed on countless occasions in the scene, including album launches at The Esplanade (Credit: Matin Latif)
So to have the man himself personally launch and curate a gig series for electronic producers like himself – with guest vocalists, rappers and instrumentalists – that’s bound to catch some attention. Rolling it out in July, Louis conceptualised UPLOADING to prop up fledgling and established producers in Singapore, giving them a safe space for expression and experimentation. The results so far have been both intimate and ambitious, from dexterous solo sets to flabbergasting 15-piece outfits. Anything can happen at an UPLOADING show, which currently happens bi-monthly at different venues, and it’s been one of the scene’s most thrilling developments – I listed it as one of the 10 milestones that coloured the electronic scene in 2019.
In this chat, I speak to the multi-hyphenated originator about his motivations behind UPLOADING, the construction of his new album, and why he thinks the local electronic scene is healthier than ever.
The promo artwork for Kindred (Credit: Juan Yong)
Hey Louis. What was your headspace like when making Kindred? Did you practise a different process in the studio?
Currently, I’m in the headspace of trying not to overthink music; not to overthink on how to make it sound unique, but to trust my own instinct on the overall picture. With that in mind, it allowed me to create without conflict, letting the ideas flow into the music.
Kindred is a hodgepodge of electronica, from the 4/4 nature of house to the gritty nature of bass music. How important was it for you to preserve this multifaceted approach?
It pretty much reflects the types of music that I’m into at the moment as well as music that has influenced me over the years. It is always important for me to maintain and show my honest self and work to the audience.
What was the hardest song to make in Kindred and why? And which track came most naturally?
I feel that there was no hardest song to make as all the tracks came naturally. But just like stew, it took time to simmer into what they are now. The interesting part about the track “No More” was that the voice sample was actually visual artist, Brandon Tay, singing into a microphone and I used that as the main sound palette, and that was how “No More” was created.
Intriguing. Conveying emotion in songs without lyrics is sometimes tricky, but you capture emotion in your tracks effortlessly. What’s your secret?
There’s no secret to it. I enjoy producing and making music and how different sounds and samples fit together. Trust your mistakes and take chances.
Intriguant has dabbled in several projects over the years (Credit: Matin Latif)
You’ve been in the scene for a long time now, with your origins as a turntablist and stints in bands like The Good Life Project and Neodom. Looking at where you’re at now, how do you feel you’ve matured as an artiste?
I wouldn’t say it’s a long time [laughs]. I remembered playing my first gig as a DJ around 2010, and from that, I went into producing music and performing at gigs and festivals. As a person, I am fortunate to have the freedom in expressing myself in whichever way I choose. I get to work with likeminded and talented friends, having love and respect for people around me.
Intriguant is also part of audio-visual collective, Syndicate (Credit: Elias Soh)
Who are some of these people who have helped you along the way?
First off, Pearl, the Syndicate fam, Good Times (Efoe and Syafii), Matin, The Super System, Flex, Chris Ang (Bcube), The Council, Juan Yong (who did the Kindred artwork and “Chika” MV), and the list goes on…
Do you still find time to scratch on the decks these days?
Unfortunately, no. I have focused more on music production and sound design.
Let’s talk about UPLOADING for a bit. I’m certain local beatmakers are proud to have a platform like that to express themselves. Is that why you started it?
I started UPLOADING because I felt like there was a void in the beat community and I miss the nights where I looked forward to an event. Instead of complaining about it, I decided to start the night and rekindle the community together. It was inspired by how I started. There was the Syndicate Beat Invitational where producers would come forward and share a track, and I felt that that was what might push young producers to inspire each other and make more music. With that idea as the backbone, I decided to seek out new DJs and producers to throw down a 30-/45-minute set of their music.
What has been your favourite UPLOADING moment so far?
Every UPLOADING event has been an experience. You need to be there to witness it for yourself. Even though the night is only from 7pm to midnight, you can feel the energy in the space. There is so much more emphasis and focus on the music.
The last session in November was crazy, We got Altruism, a 15-piece band conceived by Fauxe; hip-hop producer, KNWN, who featured up-and-coming rappers, ABANGSAPAU, Tengyboy and d’prpht; house producer, Halal Sol; and I got my old band, Neodom, back to play an all-new progressive acid jazz set. It was already packed to the brim from 8pm onwards. That was something I didn’t expect and it warms my heart to see the community back and growing.
Intriguant with his experimental band, Neodom (Credit: Neodom Facebook page)
Can we expect UPLOADING to keep going?
I’m doing it now because I enjoy doing it for the love of the community. I did not put a timestamp on it. Who knows how long it will go on?
For a long while, hopefully. Do you struggle when it comes to finding producers and beatmakers to perform?
Never. There are so many artistes and producers now that have come out from the woodwork. With the help of Instagram, it allows me to seek and connect with them.
Did the creation of UPLOADING seep into your construction of Kindred?
I would say it’s the other way around. Kindred is the environment that I am living in now. It’s an ode to the alternative music scene that many others and I come from.
The future ahead continues to look bright for Intriguant (Credit: Axel Serik)
Lastly, from your experience, do you think the music scene here is growing? Or is it cyclic in nature where trends and interests repeat themselves?
Definitely. Even with the lack of venues, we always find a way to make it happen. It will always grow. We are inspired by our surroundings; we have a mirage of musical styles and influences. I reflect that in my approach on curating UPLOADING. You get to experience all these different type of styles and genres in one setting.
For more information on Intriguant and the UPLOADING series, follow his Facebook page. You can listen to his Kindred album here.
