Top Of The Pop-Ups: 15 Collectives In Singapore To Follow

What subculture will you discover in the scene? (Credit: Christopher Sim)

Without these hustlers and visionaries, the party scene in Singapore will definitely look a little duller. While you have plenty of clubs in Singapore providing stable locations for residencies, you’ll also find collectives and labels chipping in with unorthodox parties of their own, distinguishable by the types of sounds and vibes they crank out.

These collectives unite subcultures, inject spontaneity into the scene, and either educate or pay homage by consistently embellishing the nightlife community with their events. Some collectives throw these shindigs regularly, while others are more erratic in their programming, making their pop-up showcases even more of a novelty and exhilarating to hunt down. From reggae bashments and psy-trance jamborees, to techno units and hip-hop crews, here are some underground music collectives in Singapore you need to keep tabs on.

Kampong Boogie

Genres played: House, disco, jungle, reggae, hip-hop, funk

Three elements make up the Kampong Boogie experience, and they’re all reasons why the community – both punters and DJs – keeps showering it with love. First, its programming is open-format in an underground sense, meaning you’ll always get an unpredictable yet tip-top night of music spun by an all-star lineup. Second, its parties always sport an invigorating emcee element, often with the brilliant SWTLKR on mic duties. And third, Kampong Boogie parties are delightfully nomadic, so you’ll frequently find yourself partying in varying, unconventional venues. Read our full Kampong Boogie feature.

Find them here.

The Council

Genres played: Techno, house, disco

Despite having two clubbing institutions in their arsenal – Headquarters and Tuff Club – The Council has a knack for flinging curveballs with seasonal pop-up parties. After all, it’s a habit that its promoters often indulged in during the pre-Council days, previously organising surprise shindigs that would involve everything from gritty rooftops to kidnap-wagons. Today, this spontaneous inclination persists in series like Plastik Dreams and The Council Openair, manifesting itself in raves in dusty carparks, massive industrial warehouses and even sub-zero ice factories. Boundaries? The Council redefines them all.

Find them here.

Ice Cream Sundays

Genres played: Disco, funk, soul, hip-hop, house

Undeniably one of the coolest collectives around, Ice Cream Sundays is known for its lighthearted, jovial, daytime gatherings with groovy soundtracks that everyone can get into. Popping up everywhere from grand museum porches to forested locales in Dempsey, these chilled-out tastemakers dish out the finest weekend wind-downs.

Find them here.

Good Times

Genres played: Hip-hop, jungle, footwork, grime

The vibes this seasonal party unleashes stay true to its moniker. Best known for its longstanding stint at Blu Jaz Cafe, Good Times is a community-centric series that boasts sounds from the underground – from the rumbling crevices of bass music to the musical atlas of world music. It’s common to find DJs from different crews and collectives coming together to bust out sets from their distinctive libraries, making Good Times an inclusive shindig for all who love the scene.

Find them here.

Dub Skankin’ HiFi

Genres played: Reggae, dub, rocksteady, ska

Yes, you can even find Jamaican subcultures on our lil’ red dot. Dub Skank’in Hifi has been honouring the Rastafarian spirit in Singapore for many years now, often organising bashments filled with special guests flown all the way from the gem of the Caribbean. Top that off with dancers and live bands, and you have yourself a party brimming with infectious riddims.

Find them here.

Darker Than Wax

Genres played: House, funk, hip-hop, world music

One of Singapore’s most prominent labels, Darker Than Wax has been a mainstay in the scene with its regular feel-good fiestas, perfect for both daytime vibes and raves into the wee hours of the night. While based in tiny Singapore, the imprint boasts a global roster of electronic artistes who call it home. And locally, it flaunts a superstar lineup of acts like Funk Bast*rd, Kaye, Rah, William J, Daryl Knows and Marco Weibel.

Find them here.

Syndicate

Genres played: Electronica, jungle, bass music, hip-hop

Another label that’s paved the way for left-field sounds to flourish, Syndicate is an audio-visual collective that traverses beyond music. With pioneers like Kiat and Cherry Chan at the helm, Syndicate holds much influence in the local scene. They’ve conceptualised events at the ArtScience Museum, curated a stage at Singapore’s Laneway Festival, and have even brought down acts like Om Unit, Daddy Kev and Mr. Carmack.

Find them here.

Interstellar

Genres played: Techno, electronica, IDM, trance, house

Like the cosmos, electronic music is a huge territory to explore. Interstellar is a collective that ventures into these many microcosms, resulting in raves rife with outlandish vibes on hyperdrive. Often bouncing gigs between Singapore and other parts of the Southeast Asia region, Interstellar has exposed the scene to sounds ranging from the darker techno assaults of Cleric and Stephanie Sykes to the IDM-leaning experimentation of u-Ziq.

Find them here.

Horizon99

Genres played: Techno, gabber, hardcore

These rave rebels are so stealthy, that even the usual techno punters were taken by surprise when they crept into the scene. Hype surrounding Horizon99 gradually grew after they were featured in an article on Vice, bringing to light their penchant for off-kilter gatherings that bleed techno bumpers and other underground oddities. They’ve appeared sporadically in hideouts in seedy Geylang, and even art galleries in Gillman Barracks, so who knows where you’ll find them lurking next?

Find them here.

Eatmepoptart

Genres played: Indie, alt-rock, new-wave

The hedonistic playground for hipsters, Eatmepoptart parties are a haven for anyone who grew up during the Madchester movement, the glorious Brit-pop wars, or even the post-punk revival of the noughties. Always with an alternative edge, you’ll hear everything from Bloc Party to The Smashing Pumpkins, with some Queen and Blondie tossed in for good measure.

Find them here.

Escape 56

Genres played: House, deep house, techno

The brainchild of local DJ and hardcore hustler, Zig Zach, Escape 56 is a departure from reality, landing in a raver’s paradise filled with quality tunes. A collaboration between Zach’s collective Blackout and Jagermeister, Escape 56 has welcomed global hotshots like John Talabot, Roman Flügel, Marvin & Guy and ÂME. Nights (and mornings) spent here are all about the musical journey – filled with eclectic gems and melodies galore – and you never leave these parties feeling the same.

Find them here.

Algorhythm

Genres played: Psy-trance, techno

Wait, what about psy-trance? Is it an alien concept in Singapore, you ask? The gurus behind Algorhythm beg to differ. They do more than give the oft-neglected genre an avenue to flourish in the Garden City. Algorhythm creates what they like to call “dance temples”, usually coated with plenty of UV paint, glow-in-the-dark decor and other trippy paraphernalia. Your cosmic, neon-soaked dream awaits.

Find them here.

Revision Music

Genres played: Jungle, drum & bass, world music, bass music

Any jungle in guy? If you’re a junglist yourself who fancies your accelerated beats and turbo tempos, then you’re probably already a devotee of Sub City, the flagship drum & bass event of Revision Music. Run by the seasoned promoter and DJ duo of Senja and Rah, Revision Music promotes other bass-inclined and worldly boogies – from music markets at Kult Kafe to global jams at Camp Kilo Charcoal Club.

Find them here.

Sunshine Nation

Genres played: House, deep house, vocal house

If you religiously survive on a diet of house music of the deep, melodic sort, I suggest you sign up for citizenship for Sunshine Nation. This boundary-pushing collective has organised electronic picnic festivals like the Garden Beats Festival, Hong Kong-inspired electro balls, and has even taken over surrounding paradisiacal islands for multi-day escapades. You don’t even need a passport, just a passion for partying.

Find them here.

.WAV(Y)

Genres played: Hip-hop, trap

Hip-hop sure has come a long way, and it’s no longer just about the classic sounds of your Grandmaster Flashes and Wu-Tang Clans. .WAV(Y) is a home for the new breed of hip-hop; for the street kids and culture fiends who dig their A$AP Ferg and Travis Scott. With sweaty, jam-packed parties that get their own mosh-like scrums, this collective often throws its parties at Canvas.

Find them here.