18 Record Labels In Singapore Pushing Local Music & Hidden Sounds Around The World

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A music scene is only as strong as its infrastructure. I’ve gone into party collectives pushing events and clubs in Singapore that flourished in pre-COVID times (although the scene’s been doing a stupendous job staying afloat during this ordeal), but what about our local record labels? If anything, they’re just as crucial for the long-term credibility of the scene, providing exposure and an organised system that benefits artistes and audiences.

On one hand, you have labels that catapult undiscovered homegrown acts into the consciousness of the scene, giving these musicians an opportunity to be seen and heard. Marketing and publicity are essential in this saturated digital age, and many of these labels are adept at that, allowing artistes to focus solely on their music. On the other hand are local labels that started here but subsequently found praise around the world, to the point where international musicians now look to Singapore for exposure in the Asian market. It’s an impressive feat that certainly gives this small island city a great pat on the back.

This list covers several active, local and independent record labels that tick these boxes. From the ones advocating classic electronic music to others immortalising DIY hardcore bands on cassette tapes, and even entities promoting their artistes for charitable causes, these labels are all doing their part to make our scene a little more colourful.

Kribo Records

Vintage music is like a postcard through sound; a vivid reflection of the past. Delivering this from the heart is Kribo Records, a label that hopes to capture these recollections with a revival of Asian music from the ’60s and ’70s. Their releases honour traditions while still sounding fresh, churning out everything from smoky blues sung in Malay to psych-rock adorned with sitars. You can almost hear the needle scratching against the vinyl of these nu-oldie renditions, and it's an audial charm that distinctively belongs to the curiosity of Kribo Records.

Associated acts: Maggot, Geylang Afro Rock Band, The Ugly Voices

Discover more of Kribo Records here.

Integrity Records

A revered name in the industry as a producer, sound engineer and resident DJ, Eddie Niguel is a man with plenty on his plate. Now, just add label owner of Integrity Records to the list. Building up momentum since 2016, the imprint hosts an international roster with releases supported by DJ Bone, Kolsch and Anja Schneider to name a few. Eddie believes in a “music first and not genres” policy, which has boosted the multifarious appeal of his formidable brainchild.

Associated acts: Miles Ellis, Fabrice Lig, Greg Gow

Discover more of Integrity Records here.

KITCHEN. LABEL

With neo-classical and ambient elements as its ingredients and worldly roster as its tastemakers, the fruits of KITCHEN. LABEL are bountiful. Founded by Ricks Ang in 2008, the concept currently has its roots in both Singapore and Japan, helping to bridge the scenes of both countries. On the musical front, it’s a platform for soothing, sublime releases that carve their own path in anatomy and progression, making every track under its repertoire one-of-a-kind. Also functioning as a creative studio, the label sculpts packaging that make the songs look as beautiful as they sound.

Associated acts: ASPIDISTRAFLY, Kin Leonn, Hanging Up The Moon

Discover more of KITCHEN. LABEL here.

Syndicate

If there’s one dominant name that’s engraved deep in the growth of the industry, it’s Syndicate. An audio-visual collective with an eclectic roster of creative mavens, they’ve stretched their radical influence across the city over the years, from organising stages at the Laneway Festival to projecting artworks at the ArtScience Museum. The accomplished label, co-founded by Cherry Chan and Kiat, recently raised funds for charities with #TheNonEssentialMix, a full-day ensemble of sets from its members and several other collectives, showing its authoritative ability to unite others in the scene.

Associated acts: Intriguant, .gif, NADA

Discover more of Syndicate here.

SRNDR Records

The evolution of Saiful Idris shows that anything is possible, having grown from the electrifying frontman of indie-rock band, The Great Spy Experiment, to the owner of house label, SRNDR Records. The label salutes the progressive house sound of the ’90s, with musical mementoes produced by Saiful and other like-minded acts who share his penchant for dancefloor nostalgia. To find out more about what fuels the motions of SRNDR Records, read our interview with Saiful Idris.

Associated acts: Saiful Idris, Åírös, Fire Supply

Discover more of SRNDR Records here.

Middle Class Cigars

The local live scene witnessed a new wave of dream-pop and shoegaze bands a couple of years back, and a lot of that hype can be attributed to the rise and hustle of Middle Class Cigars. Eminent bands like Sobs and Subsonic Eye made their breakthrough on the DIY label, with celebrated releases that have since gained regional recognition. It’s also known for its ardent, youthful community that’s showed up in full force at pop-up gigs at White Label Records and Intermission Bar.

Associated acts: Cosmic Child, Handsome Girl, Sobs

Discover more of Middle Class Cigars here.

Evening Chants

Following the success of Middle Class Cigars, Nigel Lopez subsequently started yet another label that explored a different passion of his: contemporary electronic music that tosses the rulebook out the window. This ambitious idea materialised as Evening Chants, and tagging along with it was Lopez’s admirable work ethic and shrewd, off-the-map taste. Its debut release, the avant-garde Kwaidan by Japanese producer, Meitei, was even featured on global publications like Pitchfork, lifting the status of Evening Chants instantly. For ambient and experimental electronica, get cosy with Evening Chants.

Associated acts: Meitei, Melting Bridge, Softman

Discover more of Evening Chants here.

Midnight Shift

It’s a fantasy for many techno connoisseurs to base themselves in Berlin. Living the dream vicariously for us is Debbie Chia and Kavan Spruyt of Midnight Shift. For years before their bold departure, the duo (founded in 2009) established themselves as progressive trendsetters with numerous releases and events under their belt, with past performing acts including Redshape, Surgeon and KiNK. Their influence lingers in this city even after their move, with pop-up events pushed by a local team. Meanwhile in Berlin, they’re making great strides and doing the Singaporean scene proud.

Associated acts: Xhin, Umwelt, Intergalactic Gary

Discover more of Midnight Shift here.

Ujikaji Records

Venturing into the unknown to excavate left-field material, Ujikaji Records is a mainstay imprint that’s highly regarded by chin-stroking musos in the scene. Constantly following its own tangent, the experimental label has been discerning and daring in its output, and it hasn’t budged from this since 2010. Citing freak folk, free jazz and glitch electronics as just some of the cornerstones of its curation, the label is worth your browsing if you’re looking for music with more peculiar profiles.

Associated acts: The Observatory, Awk Wah, Pupa

Discover more of Ujikaji Records here.

Where Are The Fruits

Steadily sinking its roots deep into the label circuit and flourishing with a packed day-to-day schedule, Where Are The Fruits is one endeavour that’s ripe with potential. Behind the wheel is the versatile Tan Peng Sing – who you might know as the riff-tastic guitarist of M1LDL1FE – who has built a dedicated distribution and marketing platform for its heterogeneous roster comprising bedroom singer-songwriters and full bands. The label has had its hands full since starting in 2017, and judging by its steady stream of releases throughout the year, it doesn’t seem like it plans on dropping the ball anytime soon.

Associated acts: Astronauts, Vivien Yap, don.a.a.ron

Discover more of Where Are The Fruits here.

Chill Sessions Records

Having a label is about helping others, and for Chill Sessions Records, that purview reaches beyond the artistes it represents. Through worldly, spiritual and oft-groovy music with a spectrum of creative avenues – encompassing video, dance, paint, projection mapping, lycra art, poetry and more – the Samaritan label is a non-profit unit that promotes its material to support causes. Their past initiatives have helped Japanese children affected by the Fukushima disaster and victims displaced by the Lombok earthquake of 2018. Get a glimpse through our interview with Mantravine, one of the label’s proudest ambassadors.

Associated acts: Mantravine, Beatnaut, Huntersson

Discover more of Chill Sessions Records here.

Darker Than Wax

Evolving with every step, Darker Than Wax truly captures the essence of its #WeMove mantra. Hardly a novice in the industry, the label has successfully built a diverse community spanning genre inclinations, age groups and nationalities. With Funk Bast*rd and Kaye at the helm, the label has forged an identity with a worldwide presence despite its origins in a tiny city. Many Western musicians look to Darker Than Wax as their bridge into the Asian market, and vice versa as it pushes its residents and signees abroad as well. Read our full feature on the legacy of Darker Than Wax.

Associated acts: Daryl Knows, Rah, Bongomann, Halal Sol

Discover more of Darker Than Wax here.

Tired Records

It’s one thing to have musician friends. It’s another to convince a bunch of them to do covers of each other, and unleash all of that in an album that delves into multiple genres. That’s exactly what Tired Records did with their Pick Of The Lot! compilation released earlier this year, complete with a limited cassette run. Formed in early 2019 by Dylan De Souza and Hadi Lee, the small yet spirited label hopes to represent young bands that don’t have the experience and marketing know-how to get themselves noticed in the fast-paced scene. Read our interview piece with them to find out more.

Associated acts: Terrible People, Oddblood, cues

Discover more of Tired Records here.

TAV Records

Surrounded by a wealth of vinyl, it was only natural for the wax-loving folks of The Analog Vault to kick-start their own record label. Fairly new with its inception only in 2019, TAV Records wishes to prop up Asian acts dabbling in jazz, hip-hop, soul or electronic. There’s no better example that encapsulates this hybrid approach than the label’s debut signee (and sonic experimenter), Fauxe, who launched his free-form Ikhlas record with them on vinyl. They have the expertise and they have the environment, so link up with them if you're a musician planning for a vinyl release.

Associated acts: Fauxe, .gif

Discover more of TAV Records here.

Zendyll Records

Polished, professional and with a keen nose for the pop industry, Zendyll Records boasts a team with several local household names. Vanessa Fernandez, Sezairi and Benjamin Kheng are just some of these high-tier figures who assist in songwriting, and they’ve certainly helped impart a competitive edge to the young label founded by Jon Chua JX (also of The Sam Willows fame), focused on honing up-and-coming talents like the label’s very own Estelle Fly. Part of the Zendyll Music Agency umbrella, that also has a production arm, the label has been involved with renowned initiatives like Music Matters Live and the ongoing Majulah Challenge that promotes local originals.

Associated acts: Estelle Fly, Evan Low, Claire Chew

Discover more of Zendyll Records here.

Lithe Records

The label division of well-loved jamming studio and gig space, LITHE HOUSE – which recently ran a successful fundraising campaign that rescued it from COVID-19 woes – Lithe Records is an independent entity that launched in 2015. Its releases echo the inclusivity of its home and the variety of the bands that rock out in it, with sounds ranging from emo to hardcore. It also specialises in cassette releases, rejuvenating the allure of the analogue medium.

Associated acts: Yumi, Forests, Astrid

Discover more of Lithe Records here.

Umami Records

Much like the elusive taste that this name puts forth, quality homegrown acts can be discovered once you know where to look. Facilitating that process is Umami Records founded in 2013, hoisting acts that are on their way to be the next big thing. Simply look at their artiste portfolio for proof, such as jazz wizards, The Steve McQueens, and headline-making songstress, Linying. The label even put out its own series dubbed Umami Sounds which showcased these local acts all across Asia. Today, it continues to be a significant scene-stirrer in the community.

Associated acts: brb., Dominic Chin, HubbaBubbas

Discover more of Umami Records here.

Nusantara Records

Another passion project of Masia One – check out our in-depth interview feature with the Far East Empress herself – Nusantara Records exists to redefine Southeast Asian music through an East-meets-West approach. It’s very much in line with Masia’s own personal growth as an artiste, executing hip-hop, reggae and pop while tying it back to her roots. A recent high-profile release that reflects this is “You’ll Only Love Me (When I’m Gone)”, the commissioned theme song of national television drama, Ti Tou Dao, that fuses modern pop elements with classical Chinese instruments in an adventurous, cross-cultural melange.

Associated acts: Masia One, DJ ALX, General Ling

Discover more of Nusantara Records here.