Comedy Trio rathmock Bring Their Eclectic And Eccentric Sound To The Stage In EP Launch Show
There’s some proper ingenuity behind their comical demeanour (Credit: Courtesy of rathmock)
Self-proclaimed local comedy outfit rathmock are not one to go with the flow. Unapologetically eccentric, the trio’s quirkiness shines through in their music, which seems to move with a mind of its own. Guided by their signature slogan – “rathmock likes to make music fun and make fun music” – the band of oddballs, which comprises Abdul Hakiim Bin Muhamad Hamim (better known as his electronic producer moniker deførmed), David Lim, and Yap Yi Yang, are hell-bent on pushing the boundaries of music and sound.
Earlier this year, they released their debut EP – Hi we are rathmock (on April Fools, no less), ushering listeners into a sonically unique journey filled with surprising twists and turns. While math rock may form the skeleton of their sound (hence their band name), the trio admittedly “plays everything from instrumental to experimental music”. Putting a fun twist on math rock’s odd time signatures and keys, the band dresses up disjunct melodies with an eclectic blend of striking key and tempo changes.
Their upcoming EP launch show is expected to have humorous ap-peel (Credit: Courtesy of rathmock)
Blending various genres from lo-fi and jazz to even theatre and hints of screamo, it’s almost hard to fully describe what rathmock’s sound is like, simply because there is nothing quite like it – every track sounds so similar, and yet so distinct from the other. A best attempt to make sense of their sound is that it closely resembles a movie soundtrack; one where you don’t quite know how the story ends, and so you sit and listen, and let the music speak for itself.
The album kicks off with “Hi we are rathmock”, setting the stage for what to expect in this EP. The soothing ballad starts off gently before urgently picking up speed at the last moment. The song grows more discordant with time, underscoring rathmock’s dexterity for atypical rhythms and angular melodies. “Hi we are rathmock” is the only lyric interspersed throughout the song, cheekily introducing listeners to both the EP, and the band’s experimental sound.
Other hits include “Mass stroke”, rathmock’s take on what seems to be a lovesick song, where math rock meets bossa nova, mimicking the yearn and ache of being young and in love; and “Discount”, a song that blends upbeat and erratic tempos with increasingly dissonant and harsh vocals, in a fresh and ingenious take that mirrors one’s slow descent into insanity. The album closes with “マス・ストローク” (directly translating to “mass stroke”), which as the name suggests, follows their second song “Mass stroke” but sung entirely in Japanese. It is a perfect EP closer, reiterating rathmock as a band that’s not only unshackled by sound, but also language.
Despite having only one newly-released EP under their belt, rathmock’s genre-defying and don’t-take-life-too-seriously approach to music has caught the eyes of local suits, including Singapore’s largest alternative music festival Baybeats, at which rathmock will take to the stage as one of the festival’s budding bands for the year.
Following their well-received Baybeats audition, rathmock will be holding their very first self-organised show. Come 23rd August, they will be playing at ROOM 526, alongside beloved local acts vylt (horrorsynth), FXTRT (math rock) and Nosedive (dreampop). Tune in to catch their debut release and a mix of cleverly and chaotically arranged covers bound to either leave you doubling over in laughter, or doubling down to leave the venue. Either way, it’s not a show to miss.
This contributor feature was written by Cherie Wong.
Cherie is a human whose life revolves around music – except, you know, playing it. Ask her for the lore on any band and she’ll give it to you. Just don’t ask her to sight-read. You can find her at @shuhreee_ on IG.
