From new music by a former Singapore Idol winner to several collaborations among home-grown artists, The Straits Times highlights 10 new releases by Singapore acts in the past month.
1. POP/SOUL
UNDERTONES
Sezairi
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on: YouTube
Singer-songwriter Sezairi (above) explores the thrill of falling in love through four songs in his new EP, Undertones, a collection that runs the gamut from pop and funk to soul music.
The singer, who first came to fame as the winner of the third season of Singapore Idol in 2009, says of crafting the songs: "At the end of the process, I felt like it was a great exercise in understanding all the sensibilities of pop music I enjoy listening to and just learning to feel good about even the simplest ideas."
2. FOLK/ POST-ROCK/ AMBIENT
LITTLE OLD TOWN
Bennett Bay
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on: YouTube
Little Old Town is a new collection of three songs from singer-songwriter Bennett Bay (above), written and composed while he was on a solo trip to Japan.
Kasai was written at Kasai Rinkai Park, just outside of Tokyo; ŌLake Biwa was composed in Otsu, the capital city of Shiga Prefecture, and Train To Hikone was inspired by a train ride from Otsu to the city of Hikone.
3. HIP-HOP
KISMET
Lineath
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Bilingual rapper Lineath (above) is back on the scene with a four-song EP, Kismet, that includes recently released singles Wild and Rambo.
The baritone-voiced artist rhymes and sings mostly in English, but drops a few verses in Tamil.
4. MATH ROCK/ INDIE
DAKOTA FEATURING CELINE AUTUMN
Forests
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Home-grown trio Forests (above) enlist Celine Autumn, singer of indie-pop band Sobs, for their new single Dakota, a beguiling blend of emo, indie rock and math pop that begs for live singalongs.
5. ALTERNATIVE ROCK/ INDUSTRIAL
VERSION
Per[sona
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Version is the debut single by Per[sona, a new alternative rock outfit headed by singer, songwriter and musician Joshua Aaron Goh (above).
He describes the song as one that reflects on the times when he was constantly plagued by feelings of self-doubt and criticism.
"I wanted this to be an anthem (in which) I could finally say I was content with this iteration of myself, while fighting a constant fear that these old mindsets would creep back up on me."
6. ELECTRONIC/ POP
THAT THING
Lincey & Joie Tan
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on: YouTube
DJ and producer Lincey is a familiar name in the electronic dance music scene in Singapore.
The resident DJ at Zouk has a new single out and the breezy track is a collaboration with singer-songwriter Joie Tan.
7. PUNK ROCK
2-SONG PROMO 2020
Rebel Hifi
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
The band might be new, but the members that make up Rebel Hifi are seasoned stalwarts in the home-grown punk and hardcore scene.
Frontman Syed is best known as the bass player in hardcore pioneers Stompin' Ground and former singer of reggae band Bushmen, while bassist Baba is from Oi! band The Bois, a band that have been around since the early 2000s.
The two songs in this promo are a taste of what is to come - the band are planning to record more songs and release a full album this year.
8. HARDCORE/ METAL
NOTHING LEFT
Remnants
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music, other online music platforms and on weareremnants.bandcamp.com
Hardcore band Remnants have released a crushingly heavy new song, Nothing Left.
The quintet have pledged to donate all the proceeds from the sale of the song on online music platform Bandcamp to various disaster and relief organisations that are dealing with the wildfires in Australia.
Buyers can pay any amount, with the minimum set at $1.
9. POP/NEO-SOUL
UNTITLED (WHAT'S IT GONNA BE)
Thecolorfractal featuring Gail Belmonte
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Watch it on: YouTube
Thecolorfractal is singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Weiwen Seah, who formerly released music under the moniker For This Cycle and won the Noise Singapore music award in 2010.
His new single, Untitled (What's It Gonna Be), is a duet with fellow singer-songwriter Gail Belmonte.
10. R&B/SOUL
WELCOME TO CLOUDLAND
Naeli Fulmaa
Hear it on: Spotify, Apple Music and other online music platforms
Welcome To Cloudland is the debut album by budding singer-songwriter Naeli Fulmaa, who self-recorded and produced all the 10 songs.
In a Facebook post, he explains that the songs are inspired by love, pain, hope and spite. "In a way, it's basically my mood swings personified in an album."
