Presented by Sound Port Clarke Quay

The vast tapestry of electronic music today exists to serve one purpose: To move the body and the soul. Too often, it is sweepingly labelled as party music – calling to mind the ineludible image of sweaty bodies, shrouded in a shimmering neon haze, grooving in tandem to glossy, splintering beats. What is often forgotten is its rousing effect in the depths of our cores.

Electronic music is an ode to our youth, our capacity for emotion, and our humanness. As it plants and unfurls its roots in the local music scene, it simultaneously bleeds into other genres, creating a brand new vortex of sound, and establishes itself as an inimitable, visceral sonic force.

Ahead of the first edition of Sound Port, a dynamic and immersive audio-visual spectacle held at Clarke Quay's Fountain Square, an eclectic lineup of electronic artists and DJs shares their favourite electronic track which continues to influence their music journey. 

MYRNE

MYRNE is no stranger to the international electronic stage. Known for his intersections in R&B, pop and high-energy electronica, he has recently released his most poignant album In Search of Solitude. In 2018, he became the first Singaporean act to play at the acclaimed dance festival Tomorrowland. 

Madeon - 'Icarus'. The first time I heard the song I was taken aback by the production quality on it; on the subsequent 2000 listens since then, I appreciated something new every time I took another listen. To me, it deserves the mantle of "best electronic song" because 1. It was a comprehensive snapshot of all the influences surrounding that genre of music at the time, 2. It permanently pushed boundaries for beatmakers for decades to come, and 3. It's full of emotion without a single lyric being sung.

A/K/A SOUNDS

DJ and co-founder of ATTAGIRL!, an all-girl music collective, and BAOWBAOW, a collective organising bass music parties in Singapore, Amanda has solidified her distinct presence in the scene and sealed her love in genres of house, hip-hop, dancehall, footwork, jungle and drum & bass. She has played at festivals including ZoukOut, Outlook Japan and the Laneway Festival.

DJ Shadow - 'Organ Donor'. The organ solo (which I later learnt was a chopped up sample from Giorgio Moroder’s 'Tears') really caught me first, and as a young listener at 14, this was an introduction to exploring electronic music with hip-hop in a different way. The way DJ Shadow deconstructs and repositions samples and scratches really showcases the genius that he is.

brb.

brb. compresses the vulnerability of human emotions into their sonic landscape – their songs are representations of a moment, a feeling, a state of mind. Lying at the crossroads of R&B, hip-hop and soul, the trio amalgamates the nostalgia of the old with a contemporary sound. Their EP is slated for release in early 2020 – expect a segment of it to be unveiled at Sound Port.  

Steve Aoki and Monsta X – 'Play it Cool'. The drop is dope and it’s always nice to listen to cross-language collaborations especially between bigger names.

Duumu

Driven by his influences of jazz and rock, Duumu presents a fresh take on the more cutting-edge sounds of electronic music. After releasing his first EP Talk! last month, he continues to establish himself as artist with an energetic and spirited sound as he enters the festival and touring circuit this year.

One of my favourites at the moment is 'Emily' by Tourist. Tourist, in general, has been a music role model for me for quite a while. One of my latest songs 'Feather' off my Talk! EP is actually inspired by his sound.

Shye

Shye's music has been described as dream pop with a smattering of electronic elements. She was the winner of Vans Musicians Wanted 2018 and has performed at Baybeats Festival 2019, Whabby Music Festival 2019 and opened for international artists such as Clairo and Superorganism.

My favourite electronic song would probably be 'All That She Wants' by Ace of Bass. It always gets me in the mood to just dance and I know it’s one of my Mom’s favourite songs too!

YAØ

As a rising multi-hyphenate artist influenced by his love for the '80s new wave, hip-hop, R&B and Japanese city pop, YAØ has consistently released music that is an unpretentious combination of urban soul and contemporary pop. His hit tracks include 'No Stress' and 'RHCF (Rock Hand Crying Face)'. Also, in October, he released his latest EP Love & City Lights. 

Francis and the Lights - 'May I Have This Dance feat. Chance the Rapper'. The song reminds me of the good old love songs from Disney back in the day especially the one from Tarzan. It has such an interesting and unique beat and such a familiar vibe that hits home. I also like how the lyrics are very honest and sweet. I feel that they took an interesting and different approach to electronic music than most would and it just makes you appreciate it even more thinking about that.

The first edition of Sound Port Clarke Quay is set to take place from Thursday, 14 November till Saturday, 16 November at the Clarke Quay Fountain Square. Admission is free.

Don’t miss out on free vouchers and prizes! First 100 party-goers each night will get F&B voucher packs.

Check out pop-up food and drinks stalls from new outlets Live At The Crossroads, who will be introducing a limited locally brewed Lychee Pale Ale, modern Indian cusine and Bira beer from Gabbar Bistro Bar and popular Spanish delights and Sangria from Octapas. Every purchase is eligible or a daily lucky draw prize for one lucky winner each night!

For more information, click here. 



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