Farewell 2021: 21 Highs And Lows That Shook The Singaporean Music Scene

From the highest moments to the lowest slumps, 2021 had it all (Credit: Various sources)

Even Nostradamus couldn’t have predicted this purgatorial situation we’re in. It’s been nearly two years since the pandemic reared its ugly head on our shores, and the music scene is still very much in shambles, essentially decaying in a coagulating tar pit of uncertainty and governmental inaction. It’s been a persistently dull narrative of despair that no one asked for, yet with new variants popping up like safe distancing officers, it looks like it’s staying for another unwelcome encore or two (cue the heckling). But even under such impossible circumstances – as it did in the year 2020 – the music scene finds it primal urge to survive.

As we stumble into what looks to be an equally pessimistic 2022, we unravel this past year to dig up the ridiculous tragedies and heartening victories that surfaced in the local scene.

Remember this insensible quagmire?

Low: The continued slaughter of party culture

It was in March 2020 when parties in Singapore first hit a brick wall, becoming the victims of a blanket ban that obliterated club events and pop-up raves. Unlike live musicians and bands, parties were never given an olive branch and still aren’t allowed to resurface as they’re perceived as a notorious, high-risk activity. In the authorities’ myopic eyes, two people at a DJ set are still somehow more dangerous than large crowds at a live gig. The equation remains broken and baffling.

Live gigs crawled their way back to existence (Credit: Lee Jia Wen)

High: Live music eventually made a comeback

Contrary to the lacklustre recovery that plagued the party scene, the resumption of live music performances was given more leeway as the months progressed. After some trial and error with capacity rules, live gigs are now able to occur in selected performance venues with social distancing regulations in place. These rules, however, are becoming more liberal. Case in point: JJ Lin’s November gig where he performed for 2,000 attendees who were seated closer to each other. The gig was considered a pilot event with new protocols in place, and till this day, such a move hasn’t backfired. Perhaps, we could start applying this to parties soon?

Longstanding festivals like IGNITE! were kept alive by its student body (Credit: IGNITE! Music Festival)

High: Gig traditions were kept alive

Singapore’s live gig calendar is usually bookmarked by several key annual events, and they’ve continued to persevere even in the thick of the pandemic. Amongst the youth, they’ve kept student-run festivals like IGNITE! and Rock & Indie Festival (RIF) afloat through socially-distanced hybrid formats. And over at The Esplanade, we saw two recurring series return with the allowance of live audiences – the esteemed Mosaic Music Series and the illustrious Baybeats Festival which ran for a mighty four days this year. The survival of such entities provided glimmers of hope for a waning scene.

We almost had a workaround for DJ performances this year (Credit: Courtesy of Matty Wainwright / The DJ Dispensary)

Low: DJs were framed as the Pied Pipers of society

What did the authorities deem scarier than the virus? A pair of turntables and someone behind the decks. Till this day, DJ performances continue to be banned; a rule kept in place by the misconception that all live mixed sets constitute hype-up music (think EDM) that will brainwash listeners to rage against the restriction machine. This year, Matty Wainwright from The DJ Dispensary proposed a workaround that actually got the green light from the government, allowing selectors to get out of their financial pinch and curate soundtracks for venues while giving them a conduit for expression. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it offered a step in the right direction.

Muto Masashi is just one of the many Singapore-based DJs who put out a record this year (Credit: The Council)

High: Our favourite DJs got busy in the studio

With parties and performances pulled from under their feet, some local selectors found the time to hunker down in the studio and put on their producer’s cap. This year, we were treated to some positive results indeed. Ice Cream Sundays resident, Muto Masashi, released his EBM-hued debut EP on Dekadenz Records. Rising beatmaker, MZA, also unveiled a debut record that explored trip-hop and drum & bass on his own Yen Disco Soundsystem label. House phenom, Halal Sol, released his Dijamin EP on Darker Than Wax. And speaking of which, label co-founder, Kaye, dropped his long-awaited full-length that showcased his boundless wisdom and production mastery.

deførmed is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding producers out there (Credit: Courtesy of Syndicate)

High: There was so much new music

If there’s one thing you can count on, pandemic or no pandemic, is that the scene will always be churning out new tunage. In our Rising Arp series this year, we discovered new bands like “friendship-core” band Carpet Golf, mathy drums-bass duo Altoduo, fuzzy alt-rockers Blush and indie-rock newcomers m1sty as1oth. We embraced new records from the likes of soultronica artiste Bitty, r&b crooner Marian Carmel, suave pop trio brb., nu-jazz veterans The Steve McQueens, alt-rock collective Saints Amongst Sinners, electronica experimenter deførmed, vaporwave voyager Don Aaron, ambient-inclined producer Anti Shift, dark synth mad scientist Microchip Terror and countless more. To say that this is just skimming the surface is an understatement.

The monumental return of Electrico (Credit: Martin Yeoh / Don Yeo)

High: The comeback of big names

Even in these quiet times, we observed several big returns from local titans of the scene. Legendary bands and musicians took this time of solitude to get cracking with fresh material, adding new releases to their venerable legacies. One needs to look no further than the comeback of Electrico, who unveiled a scorching EP that proved that they were still in top form. Rock & roll outfit, The Pinholes, also came back with a surf-tinted single to brandish the timelessness of their sound. Humpback Oak/The Observatory ex-frontman, Leslie Low, casually let a new EP slip out from his always enthralling imagination. And you even had the unexpected, triumphant return of The Oddfellows, iconic alt-rockers who released their first album in nearly 30 years. You just can't kill the spirit of local music, and these luminaries prove it.

Unfortunately, this is what most Singaporeans associate the nightlife industry with (Credit: Flickr / Nicolas Lannuzel)

Low: Nightlife became an uglier word

As if the nightlife circuit didn’t have enough problems on its hands, the emergence of the infamous KTV cluster this year did nothing to assuage the negative perception from the pitchfork-wielding masses. Due to the unsavoury antics of nightlife businesses that broke the rules (granted, it’s an agonising list of demands), the rest of the community that’d accommodated to the new norm ended up suffering with a forced suspension that hit harshly and abruptly. “Serves you right” seemed to be the hostile sentiment from those who constantly view nightlife as an undesirable part of society. This development gave them ammunition, to the detriment of an industry that doesn’t deserve the vitriol.

Ke’lektiv ran several episodes this year (Credit: Screenshot from Ke’lektiv)

High: The stream kept flowing

While the format of live-streams might’ve suffered from the inevitable bout of fatigue, it didn’t stop local DJs and promoters from taking things online – besides, what else are you gonna do when physical parties remain snuffed? This year, we saw tremendous undertakings from initiatives like Therapy Room, which emphasised the mental health of DJs and gave them a platform to vent their frustrations. The scene also witnessed a brilliant run from the folks behind Ke’lektiv, who hosted dozens of local selectors with their stacked episodes. Other standout streams include Reset Beats that collaborated with Rebel Decibel Soundsystem, and the short-lived local series that organised DJ performances within F&B establishments. 

Did you get lost in this virtual world? (Credit: Take Back The Nights)

High: Festivals entered the virtual dimension

With all the recent hoo-hah about the metaverse, it’s worth noting that local promoters attempted to explore this new frontier with a novel music festival this year. The team behind Take Back The Nights took up this challenge and went all the way, building a whole world – complete with a futuristic city and flying whales – that guests could roam online with a controllable avatar not unlike the mechanism of open-world video games. Offering a diverse lineup of electronic and live sets, as well as exclusive panel discussions with industry insiders, TBTN was a brave course that few dared to tread.

Keeping hardstyle in style (Credit: Hard Vibing)

High: Emerging collectives stood their ground

The colours of our scene are painted in by the diversity of its native collectives; they are what give our city’s musical terrain texture and substance. Experimenting with different genres and formats, several groups made an impact in 2021 to shake up the status quo. You had the Hard Vibing team aggressively pushing the hardstyle scene and its growing bunch of producers. You had the TRANCE4M family who helped give trance a chance with a year-end mega-stream. You even had the Dad Bots Collective who helped foster interest in the modular synthesiser subculture in Singapore with their live events. And while not a DJ/producer collective, a special shout-out goes to SG Footwerkerz who keep the essence of Chicago footwork alive with their gung-ho dance crew.

Ipanema was one of the clubs originally slated to participate in the pilot scheme that flopped (Credit: Ipanema)

Low: The pivotal pivot problem

A word that was flippantly thrown around a lot this year, ‘pivoting’ was posed as the misguided easy fix that would save clubs from the brink of extinction. I’m talking about the preposterous proposed pilot scheme for clubs that was meant to roll out at the beginning of the year. With burdensome, budget-draining regulations in place, it wasn’t surprising that major players like Zouk, Marquee and CÉ LA VI expressed disinterest in its participation. Although the scheme did eventually choose two clubs to partake in it – including Orchard Towers institution, Ipanema – it was eventually scrapped and never saw the light of day. Surprising? Hardly.

The sound of silence engulfed f&b establishments in the city (Credit: Dmitry Demidov)

Low: Pin the tail on the rule-changing donkey

In light of the pandemic, the enactment of rules is a valid development – no one’s arguing against that. What’s annoying is when the rules placed on businesses keep changing arbitrarily with little lead-time or justification. This included regulations like the set-up of CCTV cameras, relocation of entertainment provisions, and removal of tinted windows to allow visibility from the outside, just to list a few. But perhaps the most abhorrent rule was the forced elimination of recorded music in F&B establishments. These were dark times that killed the vibes of countless businesses, especially for pivoted clubs that rely on music for their identity. Thankfully, that rule’s been lifted, and let’s just hope we’ll never have to dine in silence ever again.

Weish is just one of the numerous hosts behind indiego’s radio programme (Credit: Mediacorp)

High: We have a new radio station for local indie music

This year, the mainstream community found another resource for alternative local music. Launched by Mediacorp on its meLISTEN platform, indiego is a new radio station that fills the shoes of now-defunct entity, Lush 99.5FM. Its core team currently comprises scene fixtures like Gareth Fernandez, Charlie Lim, Weish and Auzaie Zie, and they’ve roped in a roster of DJs that include musicians, Omar Kenobi and Krysta Joy. indiego covers everything from folk and electronica to rock and hip-hop, showcasing the staggering breadth of our vast to uninitiated and seasoned audiences.

Shye has grown far beyond her bedroom producer days (Credit: Christopher Sim)

High: Alternative acts gained mainstream success

Often, the primary societal consciousness of the Singaporean music scene encompasses artistes in the pop space. But this year, with the rise of more left-field acts, more and more Singaporeans are finally beginning to dig deeper. Synth-pop act, Jasmine Sokko, is one such musician who’s successfully widened the accessibility of more obscure talents. The inclusion of both Linying and Shye in this year’s National Day anthem was also a win for the indie-pop circuit. The meteoric rise of rappers like Yung Raja is helping to shine the light on homegrown hip-hop. And through the hustle of labels like Where Are The Fruits, musicians like M1LDL1FE, lewloh, Astronauts and BGourd are even getting airplay on local television programmes.

Wala Wala said goodbye to an important part of its premises this year (Credit: Wala Wala)

Low: Casualties amongst venues

Several noteworthy venue losses were incurred in the scene this year, some due to the wrath of the pandemic and others to logistical hiccups. One prominent institution was The Substation which moved out of Armenian Street after 30 years, following arduous discussions that went south with the National Arts Council. The news of Rails’ and NINETEEN80’s closure, both thematic destinations by A Phat Cat Collective, shocked the scene as they were hardy troopers that fought against the virus for 18 months. Wala Wala at Holland Village sadly announced the shutting of its second storey space that had been known for hosting live gigs since 1993. And after 17 years, Loof will depart from its residence at Odeon Towers in light of demolition orders.

Vertigo 26 features a music selection curated by Robin Chua aka KiDG (Credit: Vertigo 26)

High: The promise of new habitats

It hasn’t been a wasteland for all venues, however. Riverside club, Canvas, announced its closure earlier this year, but has since rebranded as an izakaya called Ikigai. The eclectic Kult Kafe also broke hearts when it left its Emily Hill locale, but has already found a new home at The Grandstand. Lifestyle store and cafe, Choice Cuts Goods + Coffee, expanded this year, opening a second storey concept called Jungle Groove at its Joo Chiat address. And also in the vinyl department, we saw the launch of Vertigo 26, a new record store and city bar with a catalogue of over 1,000 albums. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming launches from HONCHO and Offtrack, both initiatives by stalwarts in the scene.

Meanwhile in Taiwan… (Credit: basika)

Low: Singapore’s conservative approach in the region

As a self-professed first-world country, you’d think Singapore would be more confident in its reopening efforts, wouldn’t you? Unfortunately our party scene remains down in the dirt while our counterparts across the region move on with life. Countries like Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, India and China have had more bustling club activities in spite of the fear of cases and variants; meanwhile, our dancefloors have been closed off since day one. It’s pertinent to note that countries like Thailand are currently suffering a ban on nightlife, but it was allowed to resume operations earlier in the year. For a city with a high vaccination rate and extensive distancing measures in place, it is disappointing that we never moved forward – not even once. 

It’s never too late to pick up a new skill (Credit: Ministry of DJs)

High: Not too cool for school

The lingering isolation encouraged many to take up a new hobby. And for those who really missed partying and wanted to set up their own home rave, picking up skills at a DJ school became a feasible idea. Catering to this demand, several establishments stepped up to encourage sign-ups and inspire the next generation of DJs. This year, the longstanding Ministry of DJs school boosted opportunities for aspiring selectors and students by having regular streamed performances. Veteran DJs in the scene also started opening their doors to rookies, including Aldrin in his home studio, and DJ Tang and Stephen Day with Beats Boutique. Mixing aside, you also had training centres like Grid Culture and Pop Studio Academy that taught participants how to produce music as well, paving the road for future talents.

Local musicians composed new originals to complement these murals along Bukit Merah (Credit: National Arts Council)

High: The melding of music with art

Music has never existed in a vacuum, but has the capacity to coexist with other disciplines, especially in the realm of art. While music couldn’t be digested conventionally this year, it managed to manifest via different mediums, complementing with art exhibitions and events across 2021. One such occurrence was the Running with Strippers showcase at Pasir Panjang Power Station, combining the antics of CAKE and Intriguant’s UPLOADING series featuring a melange of live performers. You had album launches that were a part of the annual Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA), and exclusive singles that were integrated into art trails and installations as part of Arts In Your Neighbourhood. And even earlier, the scene observed the return of The Observatory’s experimental music festival, Playfreely, albeit in an improvised format. Music can exist in many forms, and it was given another lease of life through art.

Low/High: The Omicron situation

Of course we had to end our year with a new terrorising variant! While this might potentially throw us into another age of darkness, the scene has proven that it can still survive in this dystopian scenario with the developments that has it produced over the year. If we can find the silver lining in the upcoming burst of initiatives and adventures to come, we might just be able to get through the foreboding dark clouds of 2022.