We’re back!
It’s been a couple of rough years, and it’ll continue to be so, but thank you for sticking around. We’ll be heading into even more storms, but amidst the world’s crises and life’s troubles, listening has helped us stay sane in the team – as we emerged from the pandemic, we got ourselves back up and running too with shows here at Big Duck, starting from our return at C U THERE! to bringing in Malaysian punk firebrands No Good, to kickstarting our intimate B-4 showcase series. As we restart our editorial presence alongside our live events, we’re all just hoping for one thing: to see and celebrate music roaring back to life, with new voices and exciting new sounds. To kick in 2023, we’re chipping in with what we love – here’s a list of what we thought was amongst the most exciting music from our island released last year. Happy listening, and C U soon! - JX Soo
Listen to these albums by clicking on their respective album art.
Contributing writers: JX Soo, Isaac Chiew, Chester, Oto Sequeira
Honourable Mentions
Houg
The Biting Tempo
Electronic / released on Business Casual
Tripwave veteran Houg seals the deal with his sophomore full-length release, packing with analogue tones, excellent collabs (VIDEOTAPEMUSIC, Fontana Folle, Supergoods and more) and great hooks for all who love classic throwback-inspired mid-tempo hits. - Chester
Long Live The Empire
Deathless
Emo
Singapore’s most honest emo band return with a stellar follow-up to the dropdead classic Underbite, featuring deadly concision (“Deathless”), inside jokes (“tell nathaniel to get a life”) and the Caulfield Cult/Marijannah/Blush/Bandwagon’s Nick Wong. With that, you can’t help but want to keep rooting for them, until you realise that they’re happy to be almost entirely a shitpost (“lmao”) so it’s OK to not care as much – then suddenly, the songs hit even harder. - JX Soo
aeriqah
All We Have
Singer-songwriter
Led by Aeriqah’s excellent vocal delivery and diverse range of influences from acoustic pop to R&B stylings, All We Have is a must for those in need of a soulful tearjerker - a debut that presents an introspective, vulnerable and heartfelt voyage. - Oto Sequeira
Bakers In Space
MAGMA
Indie rock
An underrated pick from these indie rock veterans, back with their second EP. “Vesuvius” shines as a lead single with its searing guitars – but while awesome, its the opening track “Kage” that really stands out as a memorable highlight: featuring dark synth-laden tones and nervy spoken word from Marc Nair, it’s there where things really kick off for the album’s grittier narrative. - Chester
mattgnaw
Cherry Blossoms
Indie pop
Indie mainstay mattgnaw (Saints Amongst Sinners, Hidemen) carves out his own distinct sound on his solo debut with a refreshing blend of hip-hop, bedroom pop, & bossa sensibilities, providing a wonderful soundtrack to night cruising and tropical vacations alike. - Isaac Chiew
10
Kribo Records
Sounds Of Lecak
Funk
A dazzling showcase produced by Geylang’s resident genius Maggot, Kribo Records’ first full-length compilation is a whirlwind tour of everything soulful and smoky. Here, the maestro shapeshifts between monikers to touch everything from molam, funk, 60s tinged pop to all that could possibly lie between, showcasing the myriad of colors and identities that shift through the studio and surroundings. Take a sitar-touched opener all the way to a dirty ditty titled “Morning Sex” – there’s a guarantee here that no matter what, the grooves on here will be permanently wet. - JX Soo
9
Spacedays
Lucy
Indie rock
Spacedays return to offer another refreshing contribution to Singapore’s pool of indie rock psychedelia. On Lucy, the band present the culmination of their seven-year tenure, reflecting their roots as a two-piece garage rock outfit, all the way to their current brand of blooming psychedelia. Assisted sonically by legendary local producers Fauxe and Kribo Records’ Hakim, the record carries a finely saturated vintage flare on its cute – whether it be “Good Times” or “Lucy’s Space Garden”, the record finds itself staying a dynamically evolving beast, seamlessly balancing both atmospheric and groove-inducing modes, altogether forming a trip-out journey through the outfit’s inner thoughts. - Oto Sequeira
8
ALICIA DC
Maybe
Jazz pop
ALICIA DC’s music takes comfort in earnestly exploring the innocent challenges of early adulthood, all coloured with an adventurous pop palette melding jazz and prog influences. Building on her awkward yet endearing lyricism telling stories of self-doubt (“Maybe”), young love (“gray”), or even just wanting a pesky fly to go away (“Get Out”), the talented producer-songwriter flexes her chops on many turns, though never at the expense of her keen pop sensibilities: hear the exhilarating grooves and satisfying syncopation on ex-lover diss track “bbb”; or the tight, flashy bounce of the Collier-adjacent “Get Out”. Lush and tastefully produced (with assists by co-producer and scene veteran Isa Ong (sub:shaman, Claude Glass, Pleasantry)), Maybe astonishes with its off-kilter pop prowess – yet at the same time, what truly sets it apart is the EP’s relatibility. Ultimately a portrait of the singer-songwriter’s coming-of-age, DC’s debut makes one thing clear: she’s just an everyday girl who just happens to be making some pretty dope music. - Isaac Chiew
7
deførmed
Singapore Shitpost Status
Pisspeepeepoopoo
People can talk their ass off about what it means to make Singaporean music and what the fuck that means, but none have the answer quite like deførmed. Trained equally as a conservatory student and loving equally dangdut and DDR-styled breakcore, no love letter to Singapore has felt quite thrillingly rojak – and thus real and relatable – as his monumental 2022 opus. After all, finding Singapore’s beauty takes a bit of shitposting for (coping purposes), and with in throwing down every pisspeepeepoopoo, or complaint about Tampines and NUS, or just shouting “Singapore Hot” at the top of your lungs, deformed abandons all pretense (check out the sick brostep drop that tells you he ‘just put this song here to link the previous and the next song in the album’) to truly show how living in Singapore is truly the shit - in that way, Singapore Shitpost Status might be the greatest Singaporean album this year. - JX Soo
6
Doldrey
Celestial Deconstruction
Deathpunk
Bringing an iconic fusion of death metal and hardcore punk, flavored by HM2-driven riffs indicative of classic Swedish death metal sounds a la Entombed and Dismember, deathpunk heavyweights Doldrey inflamed pits from Gillman Barracks to Jakarta with their debut full-length LP. Compared to their seminal self-titled debut, Doldrey on Celestial Deconstruction are a sharpened crew with both style and songs: blending supplementary influences like doom, black metal and noise to reconstruct and adapt their sound for modern hardcore punk audiences. Balancing their signature, fast-paced deathpunk with a handful of methodical, slower tracks, Doldrey’s newly-demonstrated versatility and polish continued to show why they remain one of Singapore’s brightest young lights in heavy music. - Oto Sequeira
5
aspidistrafly
Altar of Dreams
Ambient folk
Ten years in the making, KITCHEN LABEL founders and Singapore’s ambient folk icons aspidistrafly return with a mesmerising third record, an ethereal journey through dreams aided by the power of passing time. Already masters of gossamer texture on their past outings A Little Fable and I Hold A Wish For You, the rhythms of life enabled Ricks Ang and April Lee to take stock of their sound – the results show themselves on their transportive third album, as they shed their former filmic haze to present a retrospective of their work with breathtaking clarity. On Altar of Dreams, the duo present jawdropping moments of beauty one after another – chamber-inspired numbers lead by gorgeous string arrangements (“Voice Of Flowers”), to elegant folk pieces (“Altar of Dreams”) and ghostly ambient pop (“Quintessence”) – all served alongside their obsession on collage and otherworldly sonic experimentation (“Moonmilk”, “Silks and Satins”). An impeccably elegant return that encapsulates the duo’s one-of-a-kind sound, aspidistrafly’s third record is a spellbinding portal that both reflects the spirit of their sound’s timeless beauty, while comfortably projecting their sound into the future and new directions. - JX Soo
4
Mary Sue
Kisses of Life
Experimental hip-hop
Following an incredibly prolific 2022, Mary Sue has proven himself to be one of Singapore’s most hardworking and stylistically distinctive MCs. Though you can find gems dotted all across his astounding productive streak – including travels, collabs, and loosies on Soundcloud galore – the MC’s February release remains the crowning jewel of them all, a confessional opus filled with glistening beats glowing with fuzzy textures and chopped reveries (check out “Orbs” for a stunning example), all matched with Sue’s brand of stream-of-consciousness soulsearching. While the interiority of Sue’s previous work was often clouded in metaphors and vague detail, Kisses of Life shines with its autobiographical strength, touching on everything from politics; his own relationships reflections on MF Doom; honest takes on his own sample work; to most touchingly, a heartfelt tribute to his grandfather, tracing his battle with lung cancer and death. But even when touching on grim times, Sue’s bars are here to celebrate life and bright new futures, assured to be himself. Life has many starting points – after all, he says it best on “Life’s Kisses”: “I’mma show you from the start in this race it ain’t about the sprinting / It’s the start to the hustle and we move in inches.” – JX Soo
3
Sobs
Air Guitar
Indie pop
Coming four long years after their debut album Telltale Signs, Sobs build upon the evocative bedroom stylings of its predecessor to deliver an emotive hook-filled pop masterclass. Without losing the satisfying sheen of their first record, the trio impressively push the boundaries of their sound on their sophomore record Air Guitar, replete with chunkier guitars, adventurous arrangements, and whimsical synth adornments full of character. With playful melodies and wistful lyricism, the indie pop trio embarks on a mighty quest for their own “sound of pop music” – defying a chart-oriented outlook on the genre, they delve deep into the style’s gloried past, mining for gems through their own lens to redefine their own take on “pop”. Be it power pop, shibuya kei, or hyperpop (stemming from Autumn’s solo project Cayenne), their influences run deep here – from the stadium-ready opening chords on “Lucked Out” to the self-professed “Sonic-inspired” drum & bass of “Friday Night”, the band’s familiar sound is reinvigorated with a fresh, daring energy. But even as they are deep students of their form, Autumn's captivating vocal performance remains at the center of Air Guitar’s magic, spearheading each and every one of its lovelorn stories. Be it the title track’s melancholic yearning, “Burn Book”’s soaring refrain, or the heartwrenching singalong on “LOML”’s massive outro, Autumn spearheads a core message that remains at the center of indie pop’s appeal – no matter how big the message, the ones that hit the hardest are the ones closest to one’s heart. - Isaac Chiew
2
CURB
Hope You’re Doing Well, Michaela
Emo
CURB have an amazing band name. Ostensibly deriving their name from late nights and memories hanging out with friends on the curbs, CURB distill that power of that fitting name into the DNA of their music: if the power of emo finds ground zero in celebrating the magic of mundane memories, CURB are there to celebrate the version of that magic growing up in Singapore – 100% true to their lived experience, Lithe House to Lasalle. Though indebted to the genre’s giants (think Fiddlehead and Title Fight), the trio find their own way – ground their moments of release not with hackneyed melodrama but specific Singaporean realities. The result makes every single climax a devastating rallying cry – “Last Bus” says it best: “Never left 1A Short Street / Never left Dhoby Green,” hear them sing. Then match these words to Michaela’s tightly constructed arrangements, each part maximising the power of their lean trio in every indie rock mode – be it the urgently charging “Bellboy”, or the slowcore-to-soulsearching “Insult Through Injury”, or the epic riffing on “Become Again” – and you find an electric album packed with shouty hooks and superb songs that hit close to home, utterly convincing with heart, soul, and camaraderie. The result is a shining beacon that dazzled and injected fresh air in Singapore’s indie rock pile this year – shining a torch on the path ahead for a genre that has almost become a stagnant staple on the island’s sweaty underground. - JX Soo
1
Wormrot
HISS
Grindcore
Returning with their most innovative and experimental release yet, grindcore stalwarts Wormrot show why they are still top of the world on HISS. While maintaining the abrasive grindcore as perfected in their previous releases like Dirge and Voices, Wormrot climb the stylistic ladder even further on this masterwork, developing their sonic landscapes with ventures into atmospheric black metal, traditional hardcore punk, ambient music, and even clean vocals, all delivering exciting and refreshing new approaches to extreme metal as a whole (look no further than “Broken Maze”). A perfect swan song for founding vocalist Arif, their third full-length record is a creative beast that flirts with the idea of grindcore itself, proving the band as a unit that is a unique force more than worthy of their reputation within the global extreme music scene. - Oto Sequeira