The 1975 interview

We catch up with Singapore’s singer-songwriter Joel Tan, better known as Gentle Bones 'I strongly believe that less is more, especially in an industry where there is just an overflow of content' Is it fair to say that you got your big break with the release of ‘Until We Die’? I would believe so. If so, what inspired the song and the ensuing music video, and what do you think is the appeal of ‘Until We Die’? I’ve always wanted to be an artist who sang his own tunes. I first started off doing covers on YouTube and Until We Die, and after which my EP, really established me in the Singaporean music scene. I believe it appeals to every one of different ages and the song speaks of an existential. Your career began with covers – you were a YouTube star before you were touted as an indie genius singer-songwriter. What was it like starting out on YouTube back then? It was really just an avenue for me to practice and put out renditions of popular songs online. It also provided me with a platform to receive feedback, and work on my musical skills. Also, you’re a nominee in the running for Singapore Social Media Awards’ ‘Breakout Star of the Year’ category. What are your thoughts on content creation, self-publishing and the role of social media with respect to the success you’ve enjoyed so far? Creating content for Gentle Bones is a very intricate thing for me. I’m extremely selective with works that I release and I strongly believe that less is more especially in an industry wh

Music gets the moody Malaya treatment Hmm, ‘Orang Malaya’ – what is that, a statement of some sort? Ah, yes, that would be Arief Othman, who simply wants to be recognised as an artiste who appreciates – and loves – his country, with all her cultures, ethnicities, religions and music. I know nothing of him. He isn’t even on Facebook; does he have a website? That’s because the 19-year-old enjoys being off the grid; there’s less pressure. The standard procedure goes: Orang Malaya records a song, Orang Malaya posts it up without proper mastering, Orang Malaya lets his art speak for itself. Right, and what exactly does his art speak of? His sound is smoky, sonic progression; it’s the sort of alternative, indie R&B with soul and style, drifting along on strong melodic tethers and springy samples. Think Frank Ocean, Miguel as well as The Weeknd, but add actual anonymity, combined with a slouchy clout. We first heard of him seven months ago, when he posted ‘I Can’t Be Home Tonight’ onto SoundCloud – a despondent track set to catchy beats, bemoaning life, love and loneliness. That’s… intense. Yes, it’s all very raw and rough. He’s having a good run so far, though: hooking up with the Hoax Vision family (Dái-Kan, Darren Ashley as well as VMPRMYTH and co); playing gigs; and making music, whether his own or with Azrul Zainal – listen to ‘Slow’. Alright, I’m sold. What else is in store? He’s gearing up for the drop of his debut EP ‘Malayan Blvd’, so keep an ear out for that. See

We spoke to Sabahan singer-songwriter Froya on the release of her debut album. 

Ditch your mp3s for an analogue music experience at these indie record stores Latest music features Five new electronic acts to check out We tread through deep (and local) Soundcloud waters for new electronic artists you should be listening to right now 1. Leo Ari Adli Nazrin has been making music since he was 13 and after going through several musical phases, this is it (for now). Leo Ari does not just have a musical soul but truly an artistic one as a whole. Both his music and videos contain traces of pop culture like Björk and clips of conversations from movies such as ‘The Notebook’, ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’. These are the visual tapestries that have shaped his outlook on romance and it shows, particularly on the white flag of a track that is ‘Daulat Puanku’. Listen to: ‘Daulat Puanku’ Latest music features Ten acts you need to know about in 2015 We recommend the ten brightest breakthrough music stars you’ll be hearing a lot of this year.  Brooke Fraser interview We speak to the soft-spoken songbird about her latest album, working with David Kosten, and learning how to write music all over again Forget everything you’ve ever heard about Brooke Fraser. No longer the acoustic, folk-pop girl next door, the Kiwi native dramatically departed from folk fare with her fourth LP, ‘Brutal Romantic’. It’s hardly uncommon for an artiste to make like Madonna and reinvent oneself – but the switch to gritty electropop and psychedelic synths is drastic when compared to

Forget cover charge. Here's where to go in KL for free live music gigs Alexis Bistro Ampang If you don’t want to spend the night listening to overproduced tracks or loops of popular hits, head to Alexis where jazz – with blues, soul, bossa nova, swing, classics and more thrown into the mix – take centre stage. Aside from featuring local veteran performers, the venue often hosts international musicians (cover charge may apply). Free gigs on selected Fridays and Saturdays. The Bee Publika This restaurant is known for being a firm supporter of budding music acts. Come for the food and stay to discover new gems at regular events like Soundstruck, LIVE!, Lot 36, Feedback open mic nights, Tunes & Pints and acoustic showcases by singer-songwriters. Free gigs on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as occassional Tuesdays and Thurdays.  Laundry Bar Eight years on and this bar is still one of the city’s favourite go-to music venues. Expect an eclectic atmosphere paired with an equally diverse offer of genres through its event series, including Laundry X An Honest Mistake Records, Urban Sunset as well as Laundry Unplugged. Free gigs on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Merdekarya Freedom of speech or music is the rule at this creative space. Don’t be surprised to hear someone belting a song about a political figure or a band bemoaning some social injustice. There’s no cover charge but you’ll have to buy a drink. If you like what you hear, leave a tip. Free gigs from Tuesday to Saturday.  Pisco B

We tread through deep (and local) Soundcloud waters for new electronic artists you should be listening to right now 1. Leo Ari Adli Nazrin has been making music since he was 13 and after going through several musical phases, this is it (for now). Leo Ari does not just have a musical soul but truly an artistic one as a whole. Both his music and videos contain traces of pop culture like Björk and clips of conversations from movies such as ‘The Notebook’, ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’. These are the visual tapestries that have shaped his outlook on romance and it shows, particularly on the white flag of a track that is ‘Daulat Puanku’. Listen to: ‘Daulat Puanku’ Latest music features Ten acts you need to know about in 2015 We recommend the ten brightest breakthrough music stars you’ll be hearing a lot of this year.  Brooke Fraser interview We speak to the soft-spoken songbird about her latest album, working with David Kosten, and learning how to write music all over again Forget everything you’ve ever heard about Brooke Fraser. No longer the acoustic, folk-pop girl next door, the Kiwi native dramatically departed from folk fare with her fourth LP, ‘Brutal Romantic’. It’s hardly uncommon for an artiste to make like Madonna and reinvent oneself – but the switch to gritty electropop and psychedelic synths is drastic when compared to her earlier work. We speak to the soft-spoken songbird about her latest album, working with David Kosten, and learning how to write music a

We sit down with frontman Fuad Alhabshi to discuss the band’s long-awaited first full-length album ‘Catch These Men’, holding down day jobs, and Taylor Swift 1. ‘Catch These Men’ was recorded live ‘We found a producer that we loved working with – Faiz Fadzil [of The Wknd] – and he gave us a very interesting challenge: to do all the songs live. Everything, from the dynamics of how we speed up and how we slow down; it’s nothing that a computer or metronome can tell you how to do. Actually, “Dispensable” [lead single] was recorded live at an earlier, different session but with the same setup, same room, same everything – and we were like, “Whoa, actually, we kind of like how this sounds.” Even though there are flaws, it sounds way better than if we had done it in a studio – or at least to us it felt real, it felt raw. That’s what we thought the rest of the album would need.’ 2. ‘Now You’re Gone’ was the first song Fuad ever wrote on the album ‘Maybe it shows that it’s the first song I ever wrote. We played it before in the past and I feel like we owe it to the fans that we include it in the album. I always remember the song to be the first I ever wrote – the demo, with all the layered guitars and the mistakes; it’s just a pure expression. It’s not us trying to have a commercial song in the album – it’s just a piece of Kyoto Protocol.’ 3. But in his opinion, ‘Forever’ is the best song he ever wrote ‘What was really important to me was to finish with “Forever” [album closer].

We recommend the ten brightest breakthrough music stars you’ll be hearing a lot of this year. 

We speak to the soft-spoken songbird about her latest album, working with David Kosten, and learning how to write music all over again Forget everything you’ve ever heard about Brooke Fraser. No longer the acoustic, folk-pop girl next door, the Kiwi native dramatically departed from folk fare with her fourth LP, ‘Brutal Romantic’. It’s hardly uncommon for an artiste to make like Madonna and reinvent oneself – but the switch to gritty electropop and psychedelic synths is drastic when compared to her earlier work. We speak to the soft-spoken songbird about her latest album, working with David Kosten, and learning how to write music all over again. If your lead singles ‘Kings and Queens’ and ‘Psychosocial’ are any indication, your fourth and latest album ‘Brutal Romantic’ has a bolder sound, and is a drastic change from your previous work. It’s not necessarily a new sound, but just an evolution in my sound. Even before I had finished ‘Flags’, my last album, I knew that with the next album, I was going to make some bold choices. I wanted to do something that was a bit different for me, and step out creatively. Did you find it difficult writing for ‘Brutal Romantic’? I deliberately made it difficult. If I wanted to make the same album again, or if I wanted to do the same thing I had always done, it would have been easy, but I wanted to stretch myself – to learn new things and to grow as a songwriter, an artist, a producer. We listened to ‘Psychosocial’ repeatedly, because we

VMPRMYTH’s music may be dark and ominous but the man behind the music is quite the opposite Once a part of powerhouse hip hop duo Muscle Machine, Mustaqim Arifin has been making some serious waves in the electronic music circuit as VMPRMYTH (pronounced ‘vampire myth’). He recently had a hand in producing critically acclaimed duo 2dB’s single ‘Run’ and gets featured in high-profile electronica shows frequently. His debut record, ‘HEROINe’, may just turn out to be one of the sleeper gems of 2014. ‘You are a product of your own environment, and that is often unique,’ says Mustaqim, when asked if it’s still possible to create original-sounding music in this day and age. What he says makes sense, and it explains why Mustaqim – himself the product of several different environments – has been able to make such profoundly unique music. Much of Mustaqim’s formative musical experiences happened abroad – he fondly remembers an experience he had in high school in Saudi Arabia where students stacked tables together to make a makeshift stage for a punk rock concert. As a kid, he moved around a lot because of his dad’s work. ‘My dad was always into buying records from local artistes wherever we went,’ he says, ‘so I was more familiar with some artistes from some far corner of the world than I was with what was happening on MTV.’ He attributes his eclectic taste to his experiences adapting to different cultures constantly. ‘That played a huge part.’ In the last few years since his return t