Last week, we celebrated the latest songs from the canon of Made In Singapore music to reach the ether. Now, we dig deeper into our national anthems with a critical eye. Read our review of the latest songs by In Space, IN THE NOW, Rahmat Damansari, Rangga Jones, and Igneous Sons.
Rangga Jones – ‘Perfect Imperfections’
Rangga Jones may be a relatively unknown name, but he’s making a strong case to change that with the release of ‘Perfect Imperfections’. On the single, Jones displays his formidable songwriting capabilities and versatile voice in a new and refreshing way. Over the course of the track, Jones showers his lover with praise and words of affirmation that are only heightened by his dreamy voice. It’s a remarkably smooth song to digest – one that will complement and brighten any experience.
While the track can be consumed for light and carefree listening, it can also bring back memories of loved ones, transporting you back to better times. It’s a lighthearted listen with depth behind it, and will not be forgotten soon.
Igneous Sons – ‘Flower’
Singaporean grunge/alt-rock outfit Igneous Sons makes its welcome return with its first single of 2019, ‘Flower’.
The track can be seen as a love letter to System of A Down. Heavily influenced by SOAD, ‘Flower’ features funky bass lines, creative drum fills and odd-but-fitting guitar riffs. The vocalist does a remarkable job of channelling his inner Serj Tankian. Throughout the track, the band puts on great performances across the board, with wailing solos, throat singing, chugging riffs and everything we’ve come to expect from SOAD. The closing riff is hard and pummelling, and will easily be etched into the memory of whoever listens to it.
In Space – ‘The Aviator’
“So why do I stay at home writing songs / If I don’t go living like my friends do?”
In Space’s ‘The Aviator’ from his eponymous debut EP is an embodiment of the new artist’s dreams and ambitions. This track highlights the difference between In Space, whose real name is Juan, and his peers. It might seem to be a lonely experience, but some, like Juan, might prefer the clarity offered by a little me time spent focusing on your craft, compared to the fog of social situations.
This track represents the drive and passion that Juan has in relation to his interests, and, just as the title suggests, his desire to be a pivotal figure in which ever field he pursues. And for that, we wish him all the best.
IN THE NOW – ‘Close To You’
‘Close To You’ is the debut single of electropop trio IN THE NOW. The track serves up a concoction of spacey instrumentals, mellow beats and gentle vocals best suited for a late-night drive down the highway – the atmospheric sound creates the perfect mood to sit back and relax.
However, lyrics such as “I’ve been searching for a lifeline / Got me stuck on the thought of you / And I’ve been waiting for a while now / Thinking if I could get close to you” highlights the subtle melancholy hidden beneath the chill instrumentals. The spacey sound of the song encapsulates the distance felt between two people who desires to bridge the gap between them, but might not necessarily know how. All this contributes to making this track a relatively powerful debut single, and makes listeners wonder what else is IN THE NOW capable of in the future.
Rahmat Damansari – ‘In Love With You’
“I didn’t want to fall in love with you”, is not an easy thing to admit. It implies that so much has happened, that the time leading up to the present has been a battle. Rahmat Damansari articulates this struggle ably but his expression is such that he transcends it. With clipped vocals and acoustic guitar lines that split the difference between resignation and mournfulness, he spills his heart.
Songs like this always have takers but this one wields a magic that cuts deeper and evokes a more profound sense of empathy than the surface-level commiseration inspired by its subject matter. That’s because the pain in Damansari’s voice is real – it bleeds into every crevice of sonic space and lingers in your neural grooves.
