DGTL By Void Deck Sessions: A New Local Techno Series Enters The Streaming Fray

Something’s brewing in the local techno scene (Credit: Void Deck Sessions Facebook page [front], Void Deck Sessions screenshot [rear])

Even months after streamed sets have become the norm for local DJs, the scene here still manages to surprise in the face of cynicism over the medium. While it still can’t replace the huddled, sweaty bliss of a dancefloor flanked by Funktion-Ones, the streaming format has presented a silver lining in the form of exposure for selectors others might not have caught wind of. The Sub|stance promoters are one of such opportunists in the Singaporean techno community, and they’ve recently stepped out of their comfort zone to present a weekly series dubbed DGTL under their Void Deck Sessions.

The Sub|stance team threw a warehouse party earlier in January (Credit: Void Deck Sessions Facebook page)

If these names do sound familiar to you, it’s because this is hardly their first rodeo in the scene. Sub|stance itself was founded in 2011, and the Void Deck Sessions actually manifested in a couple of low-key events in the past year, including a secretive warehouse rave for those in the know and a even a pool party in the middle of the urban jungle. COVID-19 might’ve put a halt to their growing momentum – one that the community kept tabs on – but it’s allowed them to rebrand their Void Deck Sessions into a digital showcase of local and regional acts, both veterans and up-and-comers in the field.

Streamed from the comfort of their studios/bedrooms/techno dungeons, each DGTL lineup features an esoteric ensemble of performers, not often seen on the decks of major institutions in the nightlife scene during pre-lockdown times. This has included the eclectic cuts from techno DJ duo PE/RL, the monstrous and distorted grooves of ACXD, and live acts such as acid-inclined gadget juggler ANVBS and the hyper-paced, vocal-charged blitzkrieg of Dodgy South.

With this diversity, DGTL has become a handy platform for checking in with new faces in the techno performer circuit, a programme that currently has no equal amongst other local streamed sets. And at the same time, it’s possibly prepping the scene for a new wave of techno talent once restrictions in the city are lifted. The scene might be dormant on the surface, but new entrants like DGTL by Void Deck Sessions is assuredly debunking fears of its stagnancy.

If you thought the state of local techno was dull, you might want to reconsider.

DGTL by Void Deck Sessions currently streams weekly on Twitch, YouTube and Facebook. It also plans to expand on its programme in the coming weeks, so follow its Facebook page for more updates.