City Nomads Radio: Planeswalker, Singapore

PUBLISHED July 31st, 2020 05:00 am | UPDATED August 18th, 2023 01:05 am

Once a devotee of the violin and viola, one indie music festival was all it took to make a convert of Mervin Wong. Better known by his alias Planeswalker, this Singapore artist took the plunge from classical to electronic music five years ago, and he’s been blurring the lines between genres ever since. Taking cues from sound-shifting mavericks like FKA twigs and Floating Points, Planeswalker melds string harmonies, otherworldly synth sounds, and field recordings into a hypnotic, immersive journey. Here, he chats with us about his recent solo record Perihelion, and the link between spirituality and sonic expression in his works.

Was there a particular event which pushed you to move beyond classical music?

Laneway 2014-2015. Back then I was still hellbent on developing a performing career within classical music as a violist and chamber musician. I was working part time as a runner at Laneway, and being up and close to the performances, the stage, and the atmosphere – it blew me away. I slowly realised that beyond genre or discipline, there is a whole universe of possibilities which I was blind to previously.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in crossing over from classical to electronic?

Rather than challenges, I found many similarities. The principles and rigour I’d been trained in were skills that were transferable, and highly applicable to exploring and creating music in the electronic sphere.

Through discovering the many genres, sub-genres, as well as cultures that surround electronic music, I felt freedom from the shackles of my previous training. The biggest challenge was finding a way to express myself – my own sound – within this vastness.

You’ve mentioned before that your album Perihelion is like a short novel. For you, what story does it tell?

It’s a story about journey, transformation, and transcendence.

This goes back to my classical ‘roots’ where you find ideas about the symphony as a form, as well as the tone poem – a piece of orchestral music which evokes some sort of narrative, scene, or landscape. So with Perihelion, I wanted to explore the idea of the four tracks strung together in sequence – from Genesis to Perihelion, Solis, and Luna in an arc or chronicle.

What makes a good electronic track for you?

I’m always looking out for a synergy between intention, expression, and execution; what kind of story is being told and if I’m immediately moved by it. William Basinski’s On Time Out of Time is one such track, it instantly draws me in with the very strange but focused atmosphere in its beginning. There’s also Baauer’s REACHUPDONTSTOP – following the energetic acapella intro, the drums come in on a beat which you least expect, and then completely draws you into its rising wave.

You’ve shared previously that your creative process feels like transcribing dreams into sonic expressions. Are dreams a big source of inspiration for you?

I’ve always been fascinated by what our subconscious holds within. Often, they’re a reflection of the real, yet they contain within them a certain depth to be delved into, a certain sort of spirituality. More than transcribing dreams into sonic expression, I find myself more often using sonic expression to reinvent or imagine my dreams. Music in this way helps me tap into the sublayers of my mind.

Your sound is very much an immersive experience. If you could set up the perfect space for people to listen to your music, what would it look like?

A spaceship that provides a multisensory experience of the music and performance.

Any producers or artists who’ve been on your radar recently?

Iyer, or Nikhil Ramakrishnan with his record Third Culture Tamilian that fuses Eastern instrumentation and footwork style rhythms. Kin Leonn with his recent single release of Endless that featured narration from Yeule. And OFTRT (Dominic Khoo) with his release of A different kind of room.

What’s next on the cards for Planeswalker?

I’m currently scoring a film by Carin Leong, a Singaporean and New York-based filmmaker. It’s titled Ghost Town and is a coming-of-age story of two best friends.

I’m also working on the audiovisual design for image maker and artist Charmaine Poh in her upcoming performance piece Where you move me most which is scheduled to premiere at The Substation’s Septfest 2020 on 24, 25 & 26 September. And I have plans to work on a conceptual electronic-based collaborative album soon!

Describe your mix for us!

With the state of the world right now, I wanted to craft a mix specifically for remote listeners. It’s a journey through different sonic states, beginning with Kin Leonn’s Endless, to Nicolas Jaar’s Fantasy (under his Against All Logic moniker), along with Tales, a track I released under Our Softest Hour – an online art space. It expresses a variety of emotions, exhilarations, as well as moments of calm and tranquility –  which I think we all need a little of in the present time.

Keep up with Planeswalker on Spotify, Instagram, and Facebook.