Since the beginning, we’ve been reviewing music on Hear65 every week, and now we'd like to break away from this tradition and pass the baton over to you - the listeners of Singapore’s music. If you've ever been itching to share your thoughts about a new track release, or simply want to introduce good earworms to more listeners, then read on.
For the uninitiated, the Hear65 website has a Review Function to help visitors discover and gain greater insight into the music in Singapore. Good music should always be shared, and we are inviting contributions from friends and fans of our homegrown artists.
Every two weeks, the Hear65 team will select 6-8 reviews every two weeks to publish in a Review Round Up article. Just check out the latest releases and submit your review for a chance to be featured.
Here’s what readers have to say this week:
Feel at Ease - Rangga Jones, ZIONN
Calum Kevin Seah, 93/100: Times might be incredibly precarious right now but Rangga Jones’ newest bop “Feel At Ease” truly balances a realistic portrayal of life’s ups and downs with a delicate amount of positivity and poise. The song begins with a catchy vocal hook that emits such relaxing lo-fi vibes you can’t help but sing or bop your head along right from the start. Coupled with Jones’ attractive vocal timbre and signature syncopated 808s, the song is topped off with a humorous and quirky rap by ZIONN, who yet again unleashes a myriad of rhymes with impeccable delivery. This is the second collaboration by the duo and is a true force of nature that enables listeners to tune out, a three-minute respite that makes us feel less alone and just a bit more hopeful about life. Whatever this is, we need more!
What Fools Do - Sarsa Kailas
Sophie Hilbert, 100/100: Something magically different! I love this piece for a lot of reasons but I think mostly because it is different to most of what we get to hear in the radio. For me it is a piece of art! The way the music creates this very particular atmosphere gives me goose bumps. It really manages to capture a very particular mood that perfectly undermines the lyrics and message of the song. Besides that Sarsa’s voice is just amazing and also very unique. The total picture that is painted in this song, is a picture I won’t get tired looking at all too soon!
TB, 100/100: Strong debut from young Singaporean singer Sarsa Kailas. While her sound hints a close identification with Adele, she is still able to provide a unique touch. Even more, her deeply personal lyrics touch upon one of today's most pressing but still underrepresented topics - mental health. With her song "What Fools Do", Sarsa expresses her relationship with her anxious and sometimes chaotic mind and how both impact her daily life. Highly recommendable!!
I.V. - Hezelith
Tom Lanigan, 100/100: Terrifically intense dance track with a deep latin groove, and a moody smoochy undercurrent. Really really love this one!
Everything - kotoji
Kneecap Bandit, 100/100: A very emotional piece from the always beautiful Kotoji! Interesting to see how much her sound has developed since her last release, with this piece really letting her vocals shine through right front & centre. I can't wait to see what else she has to offer as she continues to further develop her unique sound and fine-tune her production!
