Stay In And Listen: 20 Live Musicians & Producers To Discover From The Local Scene In 2020
![Who will you discover from the local music scene? This guide sheds some light on 20 emerging talents (Credit [from left to right]: Tim M. Goh, Adriel Manoe, Khairul Ameer)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bcc4044348cd95e1711b02c/1584939470063-GL0DMXSOSZ3I91ZCOROM/life-in-arpeggio-new-local-musicians-bands-producers-singapore-2020-01.jpg)
Who will you discover from the local music scene? This guide sheds some light on 20 emerging talents (Credit [from left to right]: Tim M. Goh, Adriel Manoe, Khairul Ameer)
We’re all feeling it. The scene is sore from COVID-19 woes and it’ll probably be a few more months before this bleakness goes away. Yet while live gigs are being cancelled and venues are closing down, there is one silver lining that exists, and you don’t even need to leave the safety of your home to find it.
If you haven’t already, now’s the perfect time to catch up on musicians and producers pushing the local scene with original releases, making waves in the online sphere and, hopefully, at a gig near you someday. In this feature, I’ve scoured subcultures and subgenres – chiptune, ambient, post-hardcore, house, hip-hop, synth-pop, neo-soul and more – to showcase 20 live musicians and producers you should listen to right now. If they play their cards right, I’m confident they’ll be rewarded with fruitful things in the year ahead.
So keep an open mind and plug in, and embark on a journey of discovery with this list below.
Let’s start with soulful bass whiz, bittymacbeth (Credit: Tim M. Goh)
1) bittymacbeth
A graduate of Berklee College Of Music, bittymacbeth is one of the most poised and concept-driven musicians you’ll find in our scene. Rife with neo-soul and jazz influences, the Boston Music Award nominee just released her Better Not Bitter EP, which touches on themes of survival and resilience. If you’re not entranced by her nimble, nuanced vocals, just wait till you witness her badass prowess on the bass.
Listen to “Trace (Comfortable Sympathy)”. Follow bittymacbeth here.
Bongomann in his natural element (Credit: Meltem Acik)
2) Bongomann
Partygoers will definitely recognise this fun-loving fellow as part of the Ice Cream Sundays crew, but are you aware that Bongomann is one slick producer as well? Bubbling on the horizon is his upcoming Smiles EP signed to Darker Than Wax, a sizzling collection of electronic cuts well-versed in deep house, 2-step garage and more. Fit for the dancefloor and lounge-y easy listening.
Oddblood are ones to watch (Credit: Oddblood Instagram page)
3) Oddblood
Echoing the idiosyncrasies of vintage Radiohead, this emerging quintet turned heads with their Metabolism EP in 2019 filled with complex arrangements and outta-nowhere progressions. Few alt-rock bands tend to surprise in this day and age, but Oddblood has enough innovation in its avant-garde arsenal to keep listeners coming back for more.
Listen to “Myers Briggs”. Follow Oddblood here.
The CB Dogs are known for their no-holds-barred gigs (Credit: Muhammad Isyraq Irfan)
4) The CB Dogs
While other outfits try to squirm out of the sometimes-stigmatised label of being a ‘local band’, The CB Dogs wear their Singaporean colours audaciously on their sleeve. Unapologetically belligerent with crude Singlish (and Hokkien) lingo and rebellious compositions like “Take Drug Everyday”, the punk duo has a fervent following that respect them for their refreshingly down-to-earth disposition.
Listen to “Ai Sio Kan Mai?”. Follow The CB Dogs here.
RENE was one of the alumna of the recent season of The Great Singapore Replay (Credit: @thevelvetfoxes)
5) RENE
A veteran performer with several bands and YouTube covers in her formative years, RENE possesses a seasoned maturity that surpasses others in the singer-songwriter circuit. Underscored by pop-rock influences, her array of originals carries robust hooks and relatable lyricism, busting through bedroom walls to serenade audiences on a more dynamic level.
Listen to “Eyes Wide Open”. Follow RENE here.
You might’ve seen Switchblades from another band before… (Credit: Switchblades Bandcamp page)
6) Switchblades
When I tuned into the live stream of Binary – a collective dedicated to the chiptune community – to catch the set of Switchblades, I was amused to discover that it was the side-project of False Plaintiff (a post-hardcore band) frontman, Brandon Tanoto. As Switchblades, he composes eccentric, squiggly, hyperblown chiptune reminiscent of a 16-bit Nintendo game on boss mode.
Listen to “peace treaty”. Follow Switchblades here.
The prodigious Shye with a lustrous future ahead (Credit: Shye)
7) Shye
The sky-rocketing wunderkind who's blown up in the past year, Shye flaunts indomitable talent in spite of her age (she’s not even past her teenhood yet). She’s come a long way since winning the Vans Musicians Wanted contest at 16, and today, she’s a surging starlet with treacly releases anchored by her smooth-as-silk vocals.
Anhedral pieces together chilling ambient lullabies (Credit: Anhedral Facebook page)
8) Anhedral
It takes patience to digest an ambient symphony; a nebulous stream of evolving elements often swirling into one another. But with the instrumental soundscapes of Anhedral, you’d wish they’d go on forever. Vividly cinematic and devoid of dreariness, the producer employs organic samples and otherworldly electronics to craft tranquil lulls silently swelling with emotion.
Listen to “In Your Head”. Follow Anhedral here.
E R I is part of the Darker Than Wax team (Credit: Taufiq Jaafar)
9) E R I
A challenging vocalist is defined by her or his shape-shifting versatility, and Ashley Erianah (AKA E R I) sculpts her delivery flexibly, whether it’s via sultry raps or ’60s-hued Malay soul. The singer-producer is also a core component of Singapore’s own Darker Than Wax label, where you can often find her behind the scenes. She’s also featured on a few of Kribo Records’ retro-styled singles.
per[sona is the pet project of Joshua Aaron Goh (Credit: Adriel Manoe)
10) per[sona
Citing Trent Reznor as a pivotal influence, Joshua Aaron Goh pours his heart and soul into a project more personal than what its moniker implies. With themes including panic disorders and losses close to home, his rousing compositions combine alt-rock foundations with electronic experimentation, and evolve into an even larger entity when performed live with a full band.
10Vacations puts out perfect daydream music (Credit: 10Vacations Facebook page)
11) 10Vacations
Hole yourself up in the bedroom, draw the curtains and press play on this placid singer-songwriter. 10Vacations is an emerging solo project that finds comfort in its lo-fi charm, soothing listeners with soft-edged vocals, tender guitars and just enough reverb to impart a sense of haunting beauty. Melt into her stripped-down debut single, “Capitol Theatre”, that’s already gotten over 75,000 streams.
Listen to “Capitol Theatre”. Follow 10Vacations here.
Meet the five members of Hybreed Society (Credit: Hybreed Society Facebook page)
12) Hybreed Society
Hip-hop is having its heyday in the scene with plenty of solo standouts and collectives surfacing with verve and swagger. One crew that’s fronting this zeitgeist is Hybreed Society, a quintet of larger-than-life characters that believe in the mantra “Different Personas, 1 Unit”. Packed with a criss-cross of styles, their combined output is one that’s charismatic every step of the way.
Listen to “Make It Pop”. Follow Hybreed Society here.
whirring is the tight-knit duo of Aqid Aman and Michelle Jeon (Credit: whirring Facebook page)
13) whirring
Aqid Aman and Michelle Jeon are the nascent duo behind whirring, a synth-pop endeavour that scored a spot in the coveted second season of The Great Singapore Replay. Their velvety synths and bedroom beats are lifted by the interaction between their delicately interlocking vocals, resulting in captivating high-low duets not unlike the chemistry of the xx.
Aman Anand is a familiar face at techno raves on the island (Credit: Vishesh Wanvari)
14) Aman Anand
Aman Anand is arguably one of the scene’s most studious individuals, and it goes beyond his numerous techno gigs that he often lands at establishments like Tuff Club and Tempura Oji. A maverick in the studio, Aman consistently churns out melodious, atmospheric releases that constantly get picked up by labels worldwide. Progressive, spiritual, and full of heart.
The meteoric rise of Linying continues (Credit: Jovian Lim)
15) Linying
It was 2016 when Linying proved her worth as a force to be reckoned with, with her seminal downtempo single, “Sticky Leaves” achieving worldwide fame on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 chart (and also a Terrace House feature). Years later, she continues to be a powerhouse with her enchanting, seraphic vocals, an attribute that had jaws dropped at Texas’ SXSW Festival which she performed at.
Listen to “All Of Our Friends Know”. Follow Linying here.
Terrestrea is back with big goals in sight (Credit: Terrestrea Facebook page)
16) Terrestrea
After a two-year, self-imposed break, Terrestrea is stepping out of the shadows with a new lease of life. With a fresh single produced by the renowned Leonard Soosay, the post-hardcore band sound impassioned and explosive with guitar-charged assaults and exclamatory growls all fit for the mosh pit.
Marian Carmel, remember that name (Credit: Khairul Ameer)
17) Marian Carmel
In the oft-saturated milieu of singer-songwriters, Marian Carmel is a standout star in the making with her polished persona and pop sensibilities. Through the years, she’s cut her teeth on several high-profile initiatives like the Noise Music Mentorship and Yamaha Asian Beat, all culminating in an earnest and enthused growth that’s made the scene sit up and notice.
Listen to “Might Never Get Better”. Follow Marian Carmel here.
Darell Laser is Quite Quiet (Credit: Kamal Tung)
18) Quite Quiet
A far cry from his emo exploits in Forests, Darell Laser adopts a tamer approach in his Quite Quiet pursuit. With summery, jangly guitars and cloudy, lo-fi vocals, Quite Quiet is a dreamy solo project that opens another door into Darell’s multi-layered artistry, and it’s a breath of fresh air that makes for breezy listening.
Listen to “Sigh Language”. Follow Quite Quiet here.
dolltr!ck probably knows more about synths than you (Credit: dolltr!ck Facebook page)
19) dolltr!ck
Saccharine and synth-coated, the buoyant sounds of this electronic virtuoso pack ebullient, electrifying positivity. The upbeat brainchild of the US-based Claire Marie Lim – who’s also a certified DAW trainer and classically trained pianist and flutist – dolltr!ck unleashes a box of tricks that fans of Yasutaka Nakata would be bewitched by, abundant with sticky hooks and poppy vocals.
Listen to “Look For A Fight”. Follow dolltr!ck here.
motifs really like their reverb (Credit: motifs Facebook page)
20) motifs
Having landed a gig at The Esplanade barely three months after their first jam, it’s safe to say that motifs are on the cusp of greatness. Mirroring the likes of Slowdive with dense guitar riffage and reverberating female vocals, motifs weave a soundtrack that’s ethereally hypnotic and nostalgic while sounding fresh.
