Music & Nightlife

Get down to disco with the hottest made-in-Singapore acts. *SCAPE Invasion champions local music and serves up the best artists who have been making waves on the radio – and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music – with its very first Youth Music Awards. We speak to a couple of winners of the YMAs – including our March cover stars YAØ and Shye – who prove that the local music scene isn't slowing down. RECOMMENDED: The hottest rappers and hip-hop artists in Singapore right now and the best buskers to check out in Singapore

It's been over a decade since the Brighton indie royalty burst onto the scene in the mid-noughties. And nothing gets the crowd shaking more than a hit of nostalgia. Cue The Kooks as they bring a dose of sunshine to the Garden Beats stage on March 9. Besides singing along to their infuriatingly catchy indie-pop bangers like Naïve, Always Where I Need To Be and She Moves In Her Own Way, and nailing frontman Luke Pritchard's classic "uh-oh"s, expect to get acquainted with tracks off the band's latest studio album Let's Go Sunshine. Released last year, the shiny new record sees a playful blend of genres like retro-funk, dream-pop and chamber balladry on top of their signature guitar-fueled indie sound, and includes singles No Pressure and All The Time.  But before getting down to kooky on Saturday, we chat with lead guitarist Hugh Harris about the kookiest things, from food to fan experiences. RECOMMENDED: Upcoming concerts in Singapore Hi Hugh! What are you looking forward to the most in Singapore?Hey! My Grandma had a nickname her whole life: Flower. This was in part due to her effervescent disposition but mainly due to the fact that she was obsessed with all plants. Growing up between Australia and the UK we – my sister and I – would visit her often in Sydney and lie around on hot afternoons listening to her describe the Singapore Botanic Gardens to us with profound enthusiasm. It would inspire me greatly. I’m mostly looking forward to spending some time in the Singapore B

If you’ve been keeping up with our gig calendar, you’ll know that the Scottish indie stalwarts are bringing their disco-punk setlist filled with groovy basslines and guitar riffs from their self-titled debut through to their latest album Always Ascending to Zepp@BigBox on November 21. But before you catch the five-piece punch their way through an electrifying live set, bassist Bob Hardy tells us why he’s excited about returning to Singapore, the process behind recording the new album (and the new lineup), and what fans can expect at the show. RECOMMENDED:  Upcoming concerts in Singapore Are you excited to be back in Singapore?Yes, it’s been a while! The last time we were there was in 2006 and my memories of it is a little bit hazy, so I’m looking forward to coming back. What are you looking forward to the most?Playing the show and meeting fans – that’s really my highlight of touring. It’s nice to come to somewhere like Singapore where you get the buzz of traveling to somewhere exotic. But it all leads back to the show and performing somewhere you don’t go often. Let’s talk fans. What sets Singapore fans apart from those around the world?It’s been a while since we last played in Singapore, so I guess we’ll find out when we get there. But we do hear from Singaporean fans online and they seem like really nice people. Looking forward to experiencing the live audience again. With a new show, you’ll be playing tracks off the new album Always Ascending. What is the album abo