Sofar Sounds: Bringing Back The Magic To Music
PUBLISHED August 1st, 2013 02:13 am | UPDATED January 20th, 2016 04:24 pm
A vaguely-mysterious looking email popped up last Friday – Ok so I had asked to be part of the burgeoning international movement of Sofar Sounds as a fan and reviewer, but even so, when this landed in my inbox Friday morning – you can imagine this chuffed face giving the eyes a few rub overs.
The lovechild of a music sloshpit that is London and an unyielding desire to put the magic back into live music, Sofar Sounds has made its name as a secret gig movement driven by passionate music makers and music lovers who host their homes, play their music, do photo/videography, and contribute their food/drink/company. ‘Secret’ is probably a misnomer of sorts
because it has now become anything but (in a very good way) and with fans clamouring for more, Sofar movements spreading across cities, across countries, finally landing on our shores not too long ago! (Whew that was a mouthful)
Upon arrival at (sorry, I could tell you but I’d have to kill you!) on a Saturday evening, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was a friend’s place, but such was the secrecy, I hadn’t known. The setting was sparse as she was in the midst of moving out, but it was comfortable. So began the three artists for the night:
Tall Mountains
Her melodies moved about seamlessly, a bird in flight. The voice, the enunciation, was tender, the violin (Josh Wei) cutting through like hot blade to butter. The guitars (with Mark John Hariman) were lilting, subtle yet present. The name Tall Mountains is a fitting moniker for Sydney Yeo: listening to her live in that living room is like watching a mountain painting come to life in its mysterious grandeur. Songs like Better, Long Distance, Who Told You, Monster were sprinkled in between with anecdotes, one of which was about weary travelling experiences from Jurong to Tampines to visit past boyfriends. I say ‘sprinkled’ also because (it might have just been me) she seemed a tad nervous playing and kept the banter short, presumably concentrating on being in the moment with the song. Not that it took anything away from the performance, judging from the whoops received when she ended her set.
Inch Chua
With our ‘college party’ plastic cups promptly refilled after Tall Mountains and some banter between fellow music lovers I’d just got to know, Inch Chua took the next set. (I have to say at this juncture that I am a tad huge fan of her work in Allura so you know where this is going and I don’t believe in unbiased ears anyway). Seasoned musically and personally from her artistic journey at home and now abroad in Los Angeles, the bluestreaked bundle of energy was excited to showcase some of her new work on her upcoming EP Bumfuzzle .
One thing that seems to punctuate her work be it in a band, as a collaboration with other artists, or simply being Inch Chua, is the energy that courses through her persona and songs, even in the slower tempo songs. That and the nonconventional chord progressions. After doing exactly that in her opener Devotion in Reality , she followed through in Inch style, with Artful Dodger being a delight to catch live in a living room. I liked how Dear Paramour (which has a lyric video to it here) was achingly heartfelt, accompanied by her story of ‘wanting things that are bad for you.’ Confessing to writing songs mostly about not being able to get over people provided a bittersweet backstory to the energy she had onstage. Without realizing, I wanted to hear more of her in the slightly cramped but otherwise comfy space, and I will be waiting eagerly to review Bumfuzzle when it comes out soon.
MONSTER CAT
I chat with Olivier who I have just met, an expat working in Singapore having travelled and lived in places like Copenhagen (ahoy Christiana!) and China who is here with his girlfriend. As we talk, I postulate one reason for the resurgence in the local indie scene: the influx of expats to Singapore over the years has contributed to a flowering not just of music, but of local culture. I posit that they seem more openminded to exploring new strains of music compared to the coversong culture that more locals appreciate. Moreover, I know that they are active contributors to the scene as well, organizing gigs and creative events. But that’s as far as I will go, because MONSTER CAT is set to finish the Sofar Sounds experience with aplomb.
Funnily, I have never really bothered to find out the real names behind Hentai Cat, Psycho Cat, Meta Cat (three out of four cats performing this acoustic set today.) Admittedly, I am a late follower to their live shows as well, only catching them at Gnossem’s show opening for Noisettes recently despite having heard their EP Mannequins over and over. Not that they would care – their fantastic set rolls right on, taking us through their strange and dazzling folk with Underwater, These Hands , and a new song, Mother , with its more electronic arrangement and repetitive lyricism – whether it’s a signal to a shifting musical direction only time will tell. An encore yielded their final song, Salem , which I felt was their most powerful song on Mannequins.
Sofar Sounds ends as quietly as it starts. However, it really brings the music to life in an entirely intimate and different setting to the beerguzzling, smokepuffing gig experiences that typify indie gigs these days, big or small. As the founder of Sofar Sounds notes, ‘there’s very little focus and respect for the music, especially for new acts.’ And that is exactly what Sam, Zoe and crew, who have started Sofar Sounds in Singapore, are against. The ‘exclusivity’ of being a secret gig in a living room isn’t a ploy, but a tenet, to bring back the magic to live music. I’m sure fellow music lovers would appreciate greatly.
If you’re thinking ‘that sounds awesome…I want to go!’ here’s what you need to do. Just sign up to the newsletter here which is sent out at the beginning of each month and as and when gigs come up, apply for a ticket. Tickets are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis so you snooze, you lose!
