SINGAPORE - Home-grown musicians - from indie songwriters to stadium-filling superstars - have been hard at work, with several of them recently putting out new music. The biggest release comes from Mandopop star JJ Lin, who dropped his long-awaited 14th album Drifter • Like You Do on Tuesday (Oct 20). Here are 10 more new works by other local acts.
1. Pop
Till I Let You Go
Nat Wu
Hear it on: KKBox, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
Singer-songwriter Nat Wu's debut album, released in September, is chockful of radio-friendly goodies.
They include the crowd-pleasing May I Like You?, the nostalgic My Grandma and the sentimental title track, which uses a plane's departure to symbolise moving forward with life.
Looks like Wu, a former flight steward and member of local band The JumpStart, is off to a promising start.
2. Pop
Love Dictionary
Derrick Hoh
Hear it on: KKBox, Spotify and other online music platforms
This is singer-songwriter Derrick Hoh's cover of Stefanie Sun's 2001 tune.
It has a more complex instrumental arrangement than the original and Hoh's mellow voice delivers the emotions and wistful lyrics well.
3. Pop / R&B
Messed Up (featuring Feng Ze)
Boon Hui Lu
Hear it on: KKBox, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
After their explosive, tension-filled duet Pride Of Love in 2018, Boon Hui Lu and Kenny Khoo (also known by his Chinese name Feng Ze) are back with another fiery collaboration - this time expressing the clashing attitudes towards love.
Alas, despite their red-hot chemistry, the new song feels like more of the same.
4. Electro-pop / Rock
Reboot
BPM
Hear it on: KKBox, Spotify and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
You might remember their mega mash-up of Taiwanese rock band Mayday's songs in 2018. This original song from BPM - short for Broken Pieces and Mending and made up of Benita Kei and YC - packs even more punch.
The duo's new track Reboot is about self-loathing and one's struggle with others' opinions and judgment.
5. Pop
Turning Thirty
Ohmymeiting
Hear it on: KKBox, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
Singer-songwriter Ohmymeiting, whose real name is Ng Mei Ting, will turn 30 in 2021 and has released an EP named after the upcoming milestone.
The acoustic versions of previously released tracks, such as Will It...?and Cliff, especially suit her sweet, soothing voice.
Spliced between the songs are tracks where she speaks to listeners, explaining the songs and sharing her musings.
6. Pop
Pursuing Love
Marcus Lee
Hear it on: KKBox, Spotify and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
This frothy love song is by singer-songwriter Marcus Lee, who took part in reality singing competition Sing! China in 2017.
Rather apt for our times, the song's music video, the second of a four-part web series titled Digital Love, follows two individuals who fall in love during a global pandemic.
7. Pop
Still
The Freshman
Hear it on: KKBox, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
The pensive Still marks the pop duo's 10-year music journey and pays homage to the silent but steadfast support from their fans over the years.
On Sunday (Oct 18), the pair, consisting of Chen Diya and Carrie Yeo, held an online concert, which they called a "live recording show". They performed the song as well as older numbers such as Memory Palette and Growing Up.
8. Rock
Masker
Tingzhi.Hz
Hear it on: KKBox, Spotify and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
Unleashing her inner rock chick, singer-songwriter Tingzhi.Hz rallies to remove one's facade and boldly face the world in her latest song.
With its electrifying beat, energetic music arrangement and a rad electric guitar solo, Masker makes for an exhilarating jam.
9. Pop
CCB
Lim Tay Peng
Hear it on: KKBox, Spotify and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
Not so long ago,Singaporeans were stuck at home during the circuit breaker, masks were out of stock and you could see live streams sales peddling anything from salted fish to durians.
These events are captured in a wacky song with a bossa nova-style melody by Singaporean trio Lim Tay Peng.
The group, made up of musicians Aaron Matthew Lim, Tay Sia Yeun and Peng Chi Sheng, perform songs with a local twist, and their previous works have featured Chinese New Year, as well as our local drink and breakfast culture.
10. Hip-hop / Pop
We All Dead
Acid
Hear it on: KKBox, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on YouTube here.
Hate, disgust and chaos are themes that the music of hip-hop artist Acid revolves around.
His lack of interest in conforming to mainstream society standards can be seen in his debut five-track EP, which features dark, confronting numbers such as We All Dead, and growly singing on Till July.
He is probably going for a fringe audience, but the in-your-face approach might just help him carve out a niche in the generally placid Mandopop world.
