Laneway-bound Froya (MY) just dropped her new single Dark Chocolate and it’s sounding lush, persuasive and altogether delish. A far cry from the naive, glazed-over likes of her past Fries In Cream, they are both sides to the same endearing coin. What stays: the analog fuzz and quirky charm of her tone.
It’s kind of time we stopped being surprised by the quality and progressiveness which Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian and Southeast Asian music is revealing. With artists and listeners, and artists who are listeners themselves growing informed at an astonishing rate and depth, it only can get better hereon. Good music has always been here, only uncovered more instantaneously in the digital age.
Along with these artists and their brands come a new frame of reference for audiences, Asia and beyond. And while comparisons (in Dark Chocolate’s case, Lana Del Rey) are often drawn, it overlooks a host of nuances that only being in SEA can inspire. It’s so pleasing when art capitalises on the culture in which it is found, as long as it’s not overdone.
So here are a few artists from the region you can look out for at Laneway Festival Singapore 2017 this weekend! Alongside Froya, who’s grown tremendously into herself, BOTTLESMOKER (ID), Stars & Rabbit (ID) and T-Rex (SG) make Laneway sound like an eclectic, promising riot. Also KOHH and Wednesday Campanella, the first Japanese artists ever to grace the Laneway lineup are killing it. Give these lesser known tunes a whirl before you decide your festival itinerary in stone.
BOTTLESMOKER (ID), or Angkuy and Nobie, produce with self-made or household instruments Glockenspiel, Melodica and Nintendo DS using a bending circuit process.
T-Rex (SG) is relatively new band made up of members from Anechois, Sphaeras and Amateur Takes Control.
Stars & Rabbit (ID)’s super stylistic Imaginary Pop melds pop and folk influences with raw simplicity.
Korean-Japanese born KOHH (JP) has been producing for just under a decade now. Asian rap is its own sort of intense/insane.
As reiterated by Wednesday Campenella whose spiel is about oishi bento and hot whisky.