O$P$ Invite You To AQUASIA, A Soundtrack EP Complete With Its Own Interactive Exhibition

O$P$ continue their Geylang Crunk odyssey (Credit: All images provided by O$P$)

The seas have risen. Metropolises have gone underwater. But for the citizens of the future, they have found refuge in the Southeast Asian city of Neo-Santara, a marine paradise home to the multi-cultural lifestyle of Geylang Crunk. Such is the fantastical fiction dreamt up by the visionary duo of O$P$, medium-traversing masterminds who’ve been pushing the envelope for over 10 years. What was once an embryonic idea has now culminated in a new magnum opus, coming to life in an EP that’s attached with its own saga – one that you can experience beyond the bounds of music.

AQUASIA is the name of this next novel chapter, and it’s essentially a soundtrack EP that expands on the ever-fluctuating artistry of O$P$. For those familiar with the adventures of the O$P$ originators, Benedict Teo and Race Krehel, they’ll know the full extent of their creativities. They’re also the co-chieftains of Metamo Industries which supports Benedict’s label activities with Zoosh33 Music and Race’s visual craft as SuperCyberTown; not to mention their house-inclined side-project, Benedict & Palmer. AQUASIA is a crossroads for all of these connected entities to converge, and through these combined skill sets, it’s shaping up to be more than just an album.

Also in collaboration with The Meshminds Foundation, the launch of AQUASIA ties in with the MESHMINDS 3.0: ArtxTechforGood exhibition at ArtScienceMuseum, running from now till 30 September. The exhibition is a platform that adds tangibility to the EP, designed to showcase virtual environments and alternate realities that can be interacted with. With this setup in mind, the futuristic world of AQUASIA can be perceived first-hand as a metaverse by all visitors, providing further context for the myriad of songs within.

As for the music, listening to AQUASIA is like a complex city waiting to be explored. O$P$ revisit their hip-hop roots with “不跟流行” featuring Mandarin rapper, Zadon; an urban barrage that marches with bravado. “The Ether” wears its Vangelis influences on its sleeve, flaunting viscous space pads a la Blade Runner with noir cosmic saxophones performed by Kaye. The title track is an opener that summons a serene and meditative ambient introduction, contrasted with an EP-closing Aldrin remix that forms a more jubilant composition with its saccharine arpeggios and rousing house beat. And the two even whip out their Benedict & Palmer alter egos, delivering the progressive house number, “Waiting Room”, sculpted with cherubic chimes and filthy acid riffs.

The EP is available with spatial audio for a more enhanced and vivid listening journey. Or you can absorb the art of AQUASIA with all your other senses at the MESHMINDS 3.0: ArtxTechforGood exhibition. Whichever you choose, it’s a new frontier that’s part of the bigger O$P$ odyssey.

AQUASIA by O$P$ is available to listen now on Spotify. The MESHMINDS 3.0: ArtxTechforGood exhibition runs until 30 September at ArtScience Museum and registration is free; visit this website for more details.