Their monikers read like characters from an RPG (role-playing game); their aesthetic is distinctive, with many leaning towards post-apocalyptic cyberpunk. Weaned on the underground techno music scene that was heating up here pre-pandemic, most are self-taught mix masters who are quickly gaining a cult following with their edgy and diverse sound and energy now that we all can dance again. Meet five from Singapore’s new generation of DIY-style superstar DJs – here we go!
How did you get your start as a DJ?
“Around 2018, I was going to raves organised by Horizon99 (a now-defunct outfit that earned a cult following for its DIY-style techno parties), and one of the founders asked a friend and I to dj for one of its nights… We had no professional experience, but were interested in ballroom sound (a mix of house, funk, hip hop, R&B, disco and electronic music that emerged from the pageant-style parties first popularised by the African-American and Latino LGBTQ+ communities in New York in the ’70s), and combining it with the likes of techno and dance music… That was my first set… With DJing, the learning curve is okay. People in the scene tend to be open to teaching one another, and you can look things up on Youtube and listen to other DJs’ sets on Soundcloud, but it’s crucial to have a sense of rhythm. To me, DJing is creating a vibe for that hour that you’re behind the decks.”
Have you always been musically inclined?
“I was in the band in school on saxophone.”
Would you consider yourself a professional DJ now?
“No, I consider myself a hobbyist… I am a visual artist by profession.”
Tell us about your DJ moniker.
“It’s a homophone for situasi – the Malay word for situation – that popped up in some Malaysian memes that I had chanced upon online. I thought it made a cute DJ name.
What got you into DJing?
“I regularly hit up techno clubs such as Headquarters and Tuff Club, and sometimes Kilo Lounge and (the now- defunct) Canvas pre-pandemic… I loved how the crowd in these places went for the music first and foremost. It made me realise how important a DJ is in setting the mood for a night out and making people feel good, and I thus aspired to do the same. I also see DJing as a form of creative expression – a way of sharing my musical tastes and a part of myself with others.”
Tell us about your first DJ gig.
“I started spinning at virtual gigs from my bedroom, but played my first live set at the inaugural edition of the techno party series Modal in June. The Modal crowd is supposed to lean towards hard techno, and I made the mistake of going a little more experimental and euphoric, but I guess we all have to start from somewhere and learn from the experience.”
Do you have a day job?
“I’m actually a full- time student in Lasalle College of the Art’s Diploma in Creative Direction for Fashion programme and also work part-time at a cafe.”
What are your main influences as a DJ?
“We had so many international DJs visit pre-pandemic and I would always position myself close to the decks to observe them at work. One of my favourites is Vladimir Dubyshkin from Russia, who doesn’t really spin hard techno – my preferred genre – but incorporates grooves that make everyone frolic on the dancefloor. I’m also the self-professed number-one fan of this local DJ named Haan. I dig the raw energy of his sets and how he mixes different techno genres so effortlessly.”
Tell us about your DJ moniker.
“It used to be goth hobbit, but I’ve disemvoweled it to GTHB. There’s no special meaning or story behind it other than the fact that I love The Lord Of The Rings.”
How did you get your start as a DJ?
“I’ve friends who used to run the now-defunct Horizon99 techno party series, and they would ask people – especially those new to DJing – to try their hands at spinning because the whole idea of their nights was that anything goes. I had never intended to DJ, but I found it so fun that it’s since stuck.”
Describe your sound.
“What I listen to and play as a DJ are completely different. I tend to listen to a lot of New Wave bands, but on my sets, it’s usually hard techno and dance stuff. I like French and Berlin-style techno, but I don’t think I’m very good at spinning those.”
Where do you usually spin?
“Anywhere people want me to, though these days, it’s mostly at the events thrown by (the emerging indie party and gig organiser) North East Social Club.”
Do you DJ full-time?
“No. I used to hold a corporate job, but I am currently taking a break… I also don’t have enough songs in my music library. I don’t know how full-time DJs do it – mad respect for them.”
What’s your pre-gig routine?
“I mostly just try to sleep early the night before; stay hydrated and avoid anything with dairy.”
How do you work together?
Kai: “We run events under the queer collective known as Bussy Temple, where we play individual sets, but are always present at the other’s set to hype and support.”
What got you into DJing?
Kai: I picked it up when I was studying sculpture and environmental art in Glasgow, where the party scene is an important space in which those in the queer community can find and connect with one another… Till today, I play for an online, electronic music community radio station called Clyde Build Radio that’s based there – it’s a nice way of sustaining all the different relationships I’ve built with the city’s party communities.”
Zenon: “I was reallly forced to be wiith my emotions during the pandemic. It was also a period when I started therapy, so there was a lot of excess energy and tension within me that I needed to express. I couldn’t use words to describe what I felt, so I tried other channels, such as acrylic painting. DJing came naturally because I wanted a way to express myself through sound.”
Describe your DJing style.
Zenon: “A lot of DJ-ing is about exchanging energies with the people around you. When we’re behind the decks together, we exchange a powerful and supportive energy with one another, and I’d like to think that we translate that to the ravers on the dancefloor.”
Describe your DJ look.
Kai: “My uniform is a harness, a binder, a black tank top and my ‘moustache’ that I create with mascara. I want to look as masculine as possible.”
Zenon: “I like to go topless because I see that as making a statement about my transgender body. I would also ask my friends to do painting on my face and body because I’m not a fan of conventional standards of beauty.”
Photography Phyllicia Wang & Athirah Annissa Coordination Assistant Pang Jia Wei Hair & makeup throughout unless otherwise stated Sarah Tan Makeup for Kai & Zenon Beno Lim, using KVD Beauty All clothes and accessories throughout Subjects’ own
This article first appeared in the Nov 2022 Party Edition of FEMALE