Alive 10 Times (A Mixtape by OJ LAW) by Svanamix on Mixcloud

Mac DeMarco. How to start it with him? He did some crazy stunts on stage, being drunk here and there, and have some quirky sparks. So, as we sat down with him a couple of months ago in 2013, we asked him about the songs that he grew up with. We thought it would be Weezer or Ryuchi Sakamoto, or we even thought he would put Bob Dylan. But as he wrote down the list, we were surprised with his songs! So here is the mixtape contains of songs that Mac Demarco grew up with.

Mac Demarco’s Personalised Playlist by Svanamix on Mixcloud

So finally after a while in Singapore, we’ve decided to dig deeper to this country’s very own music scene and thanks to our gig friends, we found out about Obedient Wives Club or in short OWC. The band started making music since couple years ago, when Keith - the guitarist of OWC, decided to put something that’s lack in Singapore’s music industry. So keep scrolling down our page to get to know this band we saw first time live at Urbanscapes festival.

Please tell us a bit about the history of Obedient Wives Club?

YinQi: Keith had an idea for a fuzzy band with girl group vocals back in 2011 and he set out to recruit the various members. All of us are personal friends of his before the band, except Cherie who was introduced to Keith later and joined us only in early 2012.

Indie music in Singapore is much more being appreciate nowadays, I see lots of indie bands touring there, music festivals, and also Singaporean bands making their way on the industry, so what’s your opinion about it? Is it really like that? How is the indie music (or music in general) industry in Singapore according to your view?

Keith: Lots of people listening and no one is playing. Actually I don’t know if people even listen to the music. Attending festivals seem like the fashionable thing. A recent festival had a much better lineup than something coming up in January, but the one in January has become a brand name and people just attend it to be seen.

YinQi: I think there’s definitely a growing demand for indie music among the younger crowd. Of course, “indie” is all subjective as the internet makes discovery of bands easier, and technology allows just about anyone to make music from their bedroom. Personally, I see a healthy drive in the local music industry, regardless of the genre and standard of the music, but better to have many people trying to make music than sitting around waiting for that one good band to drop!

What is your best gig experience? And what do you think having the same stage as Franz Ferdinand later on at Urbanscape?

Keith: Best gig attended – Pearl Jam 1995. Played – Beach Fossils support slot. The crowd was extremely close to us. Haven’t listened to Franz Ferdinand since 2005 so I most probably won’t know half the songs they’ll be playing.

Y: Recent best gig experience has to be our Singapore Night Festival show in August! We had ample time and organizer support so we actually had backing vocalists and live violinists accompanying us. Very cool. I’m trying not to think too much about sharing the same stage as Franz Ferdinand. Probably as the lead vocalist, I will just do some research to see how he and other big bands make use of the huge stage space and improve on presence!

Lastly, we’re making playlist every week from different bands, would you mind to make one playlist that consist of 10 of your favorite songs?

K: Gallant’s “Manhattan” and Rhye’s “Open” ‘coz they are both make-out/sex music!

Y: Since I’m still on my high from Camp Symmetry, I will give some love to my Danish dudes Mew and their epic “Comforting Sounds.” The song is back on my iPod after a long hiatus and still sounds as good 10 years after it was released. Another tune that I still love, even after 10 years too, is Death Cab for Cutie’s “A Lack of Color”. There’s just something very lulling about the opening guitar notes that makes me want to close my eyes and let the notes wash over me.

Lennat: “Love Is To Die” by Warpaint – Stella’s drum parts are beautifully intricate. I’m sold within the first 10 seconds of the song; “Strife” by Savages – Dystopian Post-punk that gives me chills every single time.

Sulaiman: “Set It Right” by How To Dress Well – it’s about coming to terms with losing someone; “Løb Stop Stå” by Boom Clap Bachelors – it reminds of a road trip with a loved one.

Cherie: “Porcelain” by Snowbird – it’s Cocteau Twins’s new band, ’nuff said; “40 Days” by Slowdive – it’s my current heartbreak song.

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Listen up to the mixtape we named “Journey of The Past Future” (A Mixtape by OWC)

Journey of the Past Future (A Mixtape by Obedient Wives Club) by Svanamix on Mixcloud

To Get Attention (A Guide to 280 Festival) by Svanamix on Mixcloud

This is an introduction mixtape for Malaysia’s very own creative music festival Urbanscapes Festival 2013. Consist of 10 songs which represent the big range of music that will be playing during the festival, from Franz Ferdinand to SonaOne, Efterklang to L’alphaalpha, and so on. We hope this mixtape can accompany your days before the big weekend festival, where you can escape from your routine daily life!

Escaping the Wild (An Introduction to Urbanscapes Fest) by Svanamix on Mixcloud

Running, the exercise that has existed since thousand of years ago, has lately been stealing spotlight as the trendiest exercise. Move over, fixie bikes and muay thai, it’s time for pairs of colorful running shoes hitting the tracks. As running sophistication level escalates, we would like to encourage you to get your lazy ass of the couch, and run! It’s healthy, it’s easy, it’s free. It is also best accompanied by selection of songs that would pumped your spirit. Today’s #MixtapeMonday series is thoughtfully picked by Cholil from Efek Rumah Kaca who also loves to jog. The pace of him running reflected on his playlist this week.

The start line until second kilometer is the easy part. Still high-spirited. Estimated time: 15 minutes.

1. Roscoe – Midlake 

2. I Feel The Earth Move – Carole King 

3. St.Petersburg – Brazillian Girls 

4. Ventura Highway – America

Third to fourth kilometer is where we’re getting critical. All the sweating, the faster heart-beating. This is where usually the thought of quitting crosses our mind. So we need songs that will pump the adrenaline, that will keep us going. Estimated time: 15-16 minutes.

5. Alter Ego – Tame Impala 

6. Yet Again – Grizzly Bear 

7. Standing Next To Me – The Last Shadow Puppets 

8. Winter Hill – Doves 

Fifth kilometer. According to some researches, after exercising for approximately 30 minutes, our body will produce enzyme that induces some kind of happy feeling. A joyful outburst. Estimated time: 7-8 minutes.

9. Get Lucky – Daft Punk 

10. I Saw The Light – Todd Rundgren

Sixth kilometer. Cholil’s personal target before trying for 10k run. Victorious-themed songs needed. Estimated time: 7-8 minutes.

11. Ready To Start – Arcade Fire

12. Bright Lit Blue Sky – Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti

The sweaty road of satisfaction. Estimated time: 10 – 15 minutes.

13. Impossible Germany – Wilco 

14. I Think of You – Rodriguez

15.Oh Marc, Please, Let Me Fly With My Lv – Giorgio Tuma

Cholil said that he usually runs at Stadion Kuningan or somewhere around his office, after office hour. Join him, shall we?

(Thanks to Tiara Ayuwardani for helping me wrapping up this article)

Emily and The Woods, a four piece London-based band are kind enough to compile us a mix for this week’s #MixtapeMonday even though they are in the middle of producing their newest EP. “This eclectic list is made up of many tracks that are important to me. I have a funny mix on my iPhone, but they tend to be the most important songs to me; they inspire and illuminate. Either the lyrics or the singing itself jump out at me first and each of these tracks have a stand-out quality to me!” said Emily. We really enjoy this mix and we hope you can enjoy it as much as we do!

Tracklist:

1. Joni Mitchell – Cactus Tree
2. Bob Dylan – You’re a Big Girl Now
3. Willy Mason – Oxygen
4. Kendrick Lamar – Growing Apart (To Get Closer Together)
5. Hannah Cohen – Crying Game
6. Haitus Kaiotye – Malika
7. Fyfe – St Tropez
8. Foals – Late Night
9. Frank Ocean – Monks
10. Atoms For Peace – Ingenue
11. Erykah Badu – Certainly (live version 1997)
12. Ane Brun – Do You Remember
13. Amy Winehouse – I Heard Love Is Blind

Tracklist:
Little Girl Blue - Nina Simone
The Dumbing Down of Love - Frou Frou
I Know It’s Gonna’ Happen Someday - Morrissey
Go or Go Ahead - Rufus Wainwright
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow - Lykke Li
Untitled #1 (Vaka) - Sigur Ros
Herido de Sombras - Ibrahim Ferrer
Love hearts - Flunk
Safe - M83
I’ll Never Forget You - Birdy
I Heard You Singing - Jimmy Gnecco
Undenied - Portishead
Crowd Surf Off A Cliff - Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton
Hope There’s Someone - Anthony & the Johnson

Tracklist:

1. Sovereignty – Japandroids
2. Float on – Modest Mouse
3. 1979 – Smashing Pumpkins
4. Little Motel – Modest Mouse
5. Shining Light – Ash
6. Young Hearts Speak Fire – Japandroids
7. Tonight, Tonight – Smashing Pumpkins
8. Sometimes – Ash
9. Today – Smashing Pumpkins

Tracklist:

1. Single Bed - Nightflowers

2. When People Like You Filled The Heavens - French Films

3. You Held My Hand - Flowers

4. Curry Crazy - Bad Dream Fancy Dress

5. Night Time Made Us - The Pastels

6. I Am (If You Are) - Murder Mystery

7. Go Kid Go - My Favorite

8. Warm girls - Girls At Our Best!

9. Butterfly Kisses - Wallflower

10. Love and Death in Metroland - Always

11. Selangkah Keseberang - White Shoes and the Couples Company

12. Bounding - Ice Choir

Tracklist:

1. Tame Impala – Alter Ego

2. Pure Saturday – Awan

3. Everything But The Girl – Walking to You

4. Vampire Weekend – Finger Back

5. The Strokes – 50/50

6. Serge Gainsburg – La Javanaise

7. Jens Lekman – The Cold Swedish Winter

8. The Flippers Guitar – Coffee Milk Crazy

9. Medeski Martin & Wood – Let’s Go Everywhere

10. Camera Obscura – Do It Again

11. Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al

12. Manucao – King of The Bongo Bong