Interview: SBTRKT
Like unassuming drops from a drizzle, Aaron Jerome’s SBTRKT tidal wave rise in 2011 ensued from his seminal singles and remixes leading to an eponymous album that has been highly praised by artists and the media alike. There’s no other way to put a specific genre tag on his tracks other than knowing that it is a SBTRKT piece. Emotive, minimal and marrying pop sensibilities with distinctively melodic flavours, the sound of the masked crusader has been a much needed breakthrough from electronic music’s years of stagnancy.
I spoke to SBTRKT after his first ever South East Asian gig at Home Club, Singapore where he reveals the ingenuity behind the mask, the division between artist and body, Deadmau5’s brand and Thom Yorke’s interactiveness.
Interview: Low Kay Hwa
[Time Out Singapore] The 26-year-old Singaporean novelist Low Kay Hwa had a rocky start in the publishing world. First he was duped into paying over $6,000 to get his launch book Destiny’s Cries published, after which only five out of 1,000 copies were sold. Then he received criticism for what detractors saw as over-simplified writing and cheesy plots. Now, with ten books published, 33,000 copies sold to date, over 110,000 Facebook fans and his own publishing firm to boot, Low is truly paving his own destiny.
5 wine bars worth checking out
[inSing] The local wine drinking culture is going mainstream with retailers and establishments opening their doors wider to both novice drinks as well as wine connoisseurs. Gone are the days when only a selected few with deep pockets could afford quality premium wines. With more vineyards from the New and Old World wineries, top-tiered wines are becoming more affordable than ever before. We popped the cork, swirled those glasses and sipped the white and reds at some of the best wine bars around.
Review: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
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[inSing] “Who’s up for an adventure?” asked a beaming Alexander Anderson (played by Michael Caine who can still run at his age). That question heard in trailers - and asked about three more times throughout the film - set the premise to what is to be an action-packed journey through an island where the only mythical thing about it is that its ecological system is flipped—small animals are huge and vice versa. And as the credits rolled, we caught ourselves asking, “What adventure?” Honestly, without the ingenious idea of changing the ecological system, the film would have been over in 30 minutes.
Top 10 Things to do This Week (Jan 23-29)
Dash Berlin
Zouk l $40 includes two drinks
Jan 23, 10pm
The Dutch DJ-producer will be dealing trance-heads his emotive and driving selections once again at Zouk.
Mix: Volmax’s III
Image: ST. KRYPTONIA by Hillary White
Indie super-band The Dead Weather opens for the hip-hop and R&B half of the eclectic Volmax III -following in the same vein as the last two mixes: never pigeon-holed. With current urban lyrical and production purveyors Shabazz Palaces, SBTRKT and Das Racist helming the front, the lesser-known Khat who has been compared to The Weeknd are both featured.
Nicholas Jarr remix of a Azari & III track takes us to the house portion of the mix while quickly introducing a gem of a remix from Sandy Rivera. The acapella of Pigeon John’s “The Bomb” threads through the electro mayhem from Hacker Boys and Mark Sherry’s latest while new remixes of Avicii and Justice and Cobra Starship peaks it up.
With the latter hinting elements of dubstep, the mix heads to its tail-end with wobbles and heavy bass hitters from the likes of Zeds Dead, Gemini, Sub Focus, Noisia and Joker. I’m a big fan of the vocal prowess of Alex Clare and he did a fantastic cover of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” which features. Zane Lowe’s alter-ego Whateverman closes the mix with his rework of a Snow Patrol favourite.
Download the mix and I wouldn’t worry if you start head-bobbing; that’s really the whole point. Thank you for listening.
Tracklist:
1) The Dead Weather “So Far from Your Weapon”
2) Shabazz Palaces “yeah you”
3) Sinjin Hawke and Lucid “Fizzy Drink”
4) Das Racist “Happy Rappy”
5) Mount Kimbie “Would Know”
6) Radiohead “Lotus Flower (SBTRKT Rmx)”
7) SBTRKT feat. Jessie Ware “Right Thing To Do”
8) Stateless feat. Amenta “Blue Fire”
9) Khat “Mumbles”
10) The Weeknd “Thursday”
11) Zomby “Riding With Death”
12) Azari & III “Into The Night (Nicolas Jaar Remix)”
13) Will & The People “Knocking (Sandy Rivera’s Club Mix)”
14) Pigeon John “The Bomb (Acapella)”
15) Hacker Boys “Amheba (DJ Kharma & Mighty Atom Remix)”
16) Mark Sherry “Sangre Caliente (Organ Donors Remix)”
17) Avicii “Levels (FTampa Remix)”
18) Justice “We Are Your Friends (P.Attack & B. Manifest Remix)”
19) Cobra Starship “The City is at War (Paranormal Attack RMX)”
20) Zeds Dead “Adrenaline”
21) Sub Focus feat. Kenzie May “Falling Down”
22) Ed Sheeran “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You (Gemini Remix)”
23) Flinch feat. The Villains “Let Me Go”
24) Deadmau5 “Raise Your Weapon (Noisia Remix)”
25) Joker feat. Jessie Ware “The Vision (Breathe In)”
26) Alex Clare “When Doves Cry”
27) Bjork “Venus as a Boy (Parker Remix)”
28) Snow Patrol/Zane Lowe “In The End (Whateverman Remix)”
The Monthlies: February
Kiss My Culture presents The Monthlies, an exclusive round-up of international and local acts to look out for through the month. Which acts will you be catching for February and why? Share your opinions in the comment box below. Also, keep up-to-date with top event picks every week on KMC’s Top 10 Things to do This Week. Have a Fab-Feb!
Disclaimer: All dates and confirmed artists are correct as of release.
The Monthlies: January
Kiss My Culture presents The Monthlies, an exclusive round-up of international and local acts to look out for next month. Keep up-to-date with top event picks every week on KMC’s Top 10 Things to do This Week. On that note, have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Disclaimer: All dates and confirmed artists are correct as of release.
