¿?sick beats?¿

Designed by: Poh Enxi (20-E3)

With the June Common Tests upon us all, our return to school and the great outdoors may seem dismal and tinged with stress. In light of this and our extraordinary circumstances, the Sick Beats team will be bringing you a specially curated playlist of songs and instrumentals alike to calm, chill, vibe and (most importantly) study to! If ever you grow weary of listening to endless streams of study lo-fi, this is the playlist for you.

 

I’d Rather Be Me (With You) – ft. Zach Callison

Genre: Soundtrack

A dose of em Feels

A sweet and pure song about the bliss of being with your loved one. What more could you want? The soft strumming of a guitar paired with the soothing voice of the artist forms this gorgeous melody that can be looped over and over without getting tired of it. Feel free to alleviate the pain of your mundane mugging with these soft tunes! 8/10

 

Love Like You – ft. Rebecca Sugar

Genre: Jazz

Chill

Don’t get me wrong, the original soundtrack has amazing vocals but I figured that songs with lesser vocals could help you focus better. This does not mean that the instrumental version is inferior in any way however. Its melody paints such a serene scenery in your mind and, with its subtle jazz vibe, helps you settle into its relaxing and melancholic tune. Perfect for turning down your stress levels while preparing for the upcoming exams. 8/10

 

Virus – ft. Lena Katina

Genre: Synthpop

Chill

Lyrics about a passionate love combined with slick beats created this club-style song. The soothing voice of Russian singer Lena Katina (previously a member of T.a.t.u) is bound to calm you down while you stress over GP essays. So let the soft beats wash over you! 8/10

 

Blizhe (“Closer” in Russian) – ft. Lena Katina 

Genre: Soundtrack from an Acoustic EP

A does of em feels 

While the original soundtrack has really hype beats, I thought that the acoustic version would be easier to study with. The soft strumming of the guitar engenders a constant that calms one down when he/she is stressed. At the same time, Lena’s emotional singing in Russian and gentle inhales create a relaxing ensemble that makes it easy for listeners to concentrate while completing their homework. 9/10

 

Assassin’s Creed – The Flight

Genre: Video Game soundtracks

Mood booster

Scientifically proven to help with focus, video game soundtracks are what I turn to for a chill study session. This piece is for those who enjoy the adrenaline rush from playing video games and who want to feel something similar while studying. This score from the action video game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will make studying feel heroic and inspiring, like seeking knowledge in Plato’s Academy of Athens. 8/10

 

Merry-Go-Round – Joe Hisaishi

Genre: Film score

A dose of em feels

Studio Ghibli films are known to have soundtracks that sound nostalgic, transporting you to the bright, sunny landscapes of their films. The soft piano in this piece is not too distracting or overpowering, but makes you feel a sweet sense of nostalgia. If you too want to escape your anxieties and stress, or to imitate Youtube’s lofi hip hop radio girl, this is the song that you should turn to! 9/10

 

Dream Launch – WayV

Genre: Asian Pop

Chill, mood booster

Before you roll your eyes at another Chinese song, this is different – the world of C-Pop extends far beyond slow, old-timey ballads. Dream Launch uplifts and refreshes study-weary minds with its relaxed tempo and simple instrumentation, with a lovely vocal melody that’s catchy without being too intrusive. The thoughtful, outer space-themed lyrics describe persevering despite failure – perfect for study sessions. 8.5/10

 

You Say I’m in Love – Banes World

Genre: Indie, Chill

A dose of em feels, Chill

With a retro 60s vibe, the song has a calm and soothing chorus accompanied by a lo-fi beat, making it a piece of perfect background music for late-night studying sessions. Being a relatively short song, it is a song that you would surely play on repeat over and over again while mugging for the upcoming examinations! 8/10

 

O lume intreaga (“A Whole World” in Romanian) – ft. Ioana Ignat

Genre: Pop

A dose of em feels

A song about the heartache experienced after an intense love. Ioana Ignat’s unique vocals bring out the sadness in the lyrics, making this song an art piece that is to be listened to over and over again. Not only that, the regular beats and slow tempo helps one to concentrate while doing their work. 10/10

¿?sick beats?¿

Tired of hearing the same old songs over and over again? Here are some selected tunes as recommended by Eunoians! Each week, we publish 8 of our favourite submissions under our monthly playlist. Want to suggest a song? Click here! Thank you to everyone who have submitted a song suggestion, and be sure to hit us up if you want to see your songs on next month’s playlist!

 

1. Billie Eilish, Khalid – Lovely
   Genre: Alternative, Indie
   A dose of them feels, calming, ghostly, somewhat floaty, a really nice harmony of two voices. 11/10. (Suggested by Andrea)
2. Pink Floyd – Shine On You Crazy Diamond
   Genre: Rock
   Good for studying, chill. For one, it’s 13 minutes long, nothing happens for the first minute or so, but overall, flowy; chill indeed. 9/10. (Suggested by Shi Yu, 18-U4)
3. Calum Scott – What I Miss Most
   Genre: Pop
   Mood Booster. Soft start that builds up, peaceful voice, good drum beats that hypes you up. 10/10. (Suggested by Zi Lun, 18-E3)
4. Rex Orange County – Sunflower
   Genre: Indie Pop
   A dose of them feels, slightly jazzy, feels like summer, oddly does sound like sunflowers and warm weather. 10/10. (Suggested by Andrea)
5. CHEN X Punch – Everytime
   Genre: OST
   Gentle piano notes accompanied with vocals. Mood Booster. 9/10. (Suggested by Andrea)
6. KATIE – Remember
   Genre: R&B, Soul
   Husky vocals, kind of EDM. Beat drops during chorus, overall pretty good. 9/10. (Suggested by Andrea)
7. ClariS – Irony
   Genre: JPop
   Mood booster, electronic sounds, energetic! (Suggested by Yan Peng)

Bonus personal recommendation:

Kodaline – Worth It
Genre: Indie Pop
A nice gentle blend of vocals and guitar sounds. Motivational, feel goodTM song. 10/10.

¿?sick beats?¿

Tired of hearing the same old songs over and over again? Here are some selected tunes as recommended by Eunoians! Each week, we publish 8 of our favourite submissions under our monthly playlist. Want to suggest a song? Click here! Thank you to everyone who have submitted a song suggestion, and be sure to hit us up if you want to see your songs on next month’s playlist! Check out this month’s playlist here.

1. Europe – The Final Countdown
   Genre: Metal, Rock
   A multi-purpose song, it will hype you up on a slow day with its heavy beats. A classic 80s rock song. 9/10. (Suggested by Ethan & Willy, 18-U3)
2. Kodaline – Brother
   Genre: Indie Pop
   This song is sure to hit you hard with a heavy dose of feelings. With its compelling and emotional lyrics, Brother is surely a 11/10. (Suggested by Voan, 18-U5)
3. The Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
   Genre: Alternative Rock
   A mood booster, and again, more feelings. Iris is more on the soft 90s pop side, although some may find it a little more generic. 8/10. (Suggested by Marilyn, 18-A3)
4. Alan Walker – All Falls Down (feat. Noah Cyrus with Digital Farm Animals)
   Genre: Pop
   It’s your generic pop song that starts off slow and rocks bass drops in the middle. It will surely hype you up on a sleepy day, and get your adrenaline pumping for the gym. 8/10. (Suggested by Cheryl, 18-E5)
5. Martin Garrix, Dua Lipa – Scared To Be Lonely
   Genre: EDM, Future bass
   As expected, this song largely comprises of electronic sounds. It’ll help you to focus when studying, good for gyming, mood booster, chill vibes. Again, generic trendy pop song, starts of slow, bass drops during chorus. 8/10. (Suggested by Tze Yuen, 18-I3)
6. OneRepublic – I Lived
   Genre: Pop
   Good solid rhythm, pumps you up. Brings good feels™ . 9/10. (Suggested by Wee Kai, 18-A6)
7. Paradise Fears – Battle scars
   Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie
   A mood booster, uplifting and heartful song. Definitely unique. 10/10. (Suggested by Jared, 18-U4)Bonus personal recommendation:
8. Florence + The Machine – Sky Full Of Song
   Genre: Baroque Pop, Alternative Indie
   Review: Pure vocals. 10/10.

Chinese Orchestra Concert Review

“Overall, I personally found the experience to be really fun! My section mates were pretty new to this instrument (Erhu) but I could teach them as I had experience. We had to synchronise our whole performance so that the music produce would not sound disjointed and we also had to take note of the dynamics, Crescendo etc. Just like our theme – ardour, the journey was very arduous as we are a new CCA.”

~Phang Kang Qu, a member of Chinese Orchestra~

 

On the 13th of May, EJ Chinese Orchestra put up an amazing performance entitled Ardour at the Esplanade Recital Studio, conducted by Mr Chin Yen Choong.

 

Opening with a familiar pop song – the impossibly catchy Havana by Camila Cabello – they started the night off on a roll by revamping its swinging, saucy jazz upbeat with the refreshing lilt of the traditional Chinese musical instrument, the 弹拨, making way for a very interesting new sound. This was followed up by the playing of Subaru on the 拉弦(laxian), a piece known for its soothing melody and simplicity, a beloved favourite of the laxian section themselves that bonded together over practicing to its sweet strains, and then, rounding off, 云裳诉, or, Robe of Clouds, as composed by Zhou Yi Guo was played by the Guzheng concerto. On the Guzheng was Pauline Lee Lin Jing, and with Phoenix Gay on the piano, a feeling of grandeur permeated the studio. The orchestra had to practice this particular song many times under the guidance of their conductor to ensure perfect synchrony. It was definitely a pretty difficult piece, but they managed to perform it flawlessly and seemingly without effort!

 

After the intermission, Sydney Lai Mu-En, Ang Jiayi and Pauline Lee Lin Jing performed a Guzheng piece entitled 蝶, meaning Butterfly – a Japanese Koto piece composed by Migawa. It required a lot of co-ordination and unity to be able to synchronize the piece and play it with such emotion and skill. 马兰恋歌, the Love Song of Malan, a Taiwanese aboriginal folk song of the Ah Mei tribe, was played as well, with the 吹管 (chuiguan) and 打击乐(dajile) – percussion instruments. This was a celebratory song to bring the mood up once more.

 

Following that, the next two songs performed were dedicated to the mothers of the orchestra: 鲁冰花, Dull-ice Flower, the theme song of a 1989 Taiwanese film, where its purpose is to express their love for all mothers; and 听妈妈的话,Listen to Mother, composed by Jay Choi in 2006, in which Teng Xin Yi put her passion into an impressive rap that won over both the hype and support of her fellow orchestra members, as well as the audience. Played with absolute fervour and dedication, one could see from how deeply every musician was immersed in the music and the affection they wished to convey to their mothers. They played the piece with absolute fervour and their immersion into the song really conveyed their affection for their mothers. Towards the end of the latter piece, all the members also came together to sing an acapella version of the song. This was, as one can tell, CO’s very own unique way to celebrate this Mother’s Day by expressing their heartfelt gratitude for their mothers.

 

The last song was a SYF set piece in 2017 for Secondary schools. 焰火(Flame) was inspired by Tang Dyansty poet Bai Juyi. This piece was played by the entire orchestra and reflects the ups and downs of life and represents the lives of youths and how the flame burning in all of us will flicker at times, but ultimately burns strong. Lastly, The Typewriter, was an encore piece performed with a few members of the orchestra with a bell and a typewriter as the solo instrument. Who knew a typewriter could be an instrument too? It was an interesting finale piece where the orchestra was synchronised with rhythmic typing on the typewriter. The upbeat and quick tune drives home the essence of the working day and at the end of the piece, the typer snatched the paper out of the typewriter and exits the stage, leaving the audience in hysterics and the sudden drawback to the reality of the situation.

 

When asked about how the audience felt about the performance, Tran Nguyen Anh Thu from 18-I4 said, “The harmonies were brilliant and all the different section could blend with one another to produce soothing music.” Megan Ong from 17-I2 also mentioned, “The members were all so in-sync, and complemented each other beautifully to play such moving, emotion-invoking melodies. You can really see how much time and effort they devoted into practicing to present a marvellous performance.”

 

Overall, both the audience and the performers thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the afternoon ended with the audience scurrying around the Esplanade trying to spot their Chinese Orchestra friends to take pictures and to give them flowers.

 

台上一分钟，台下十年功. EJCO has truly shown the amount of efforts that has gone in to putting up the performance flawlessly which allowed this concert to be a success!

Classical music review – “Resonates With” ft. students from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music

A staircase towering over three levels. A sea of faces with varying emotions. Some brimming with excitement, some faintly fascinated, some puzzled. Some totally indifferent. All transfixed on the flurry of action at the bottom of the towering staircase. Perhaps a slight twitch in reaction to a sudden change in sonority, or, a murmur that crosses the audience due to a unique instrument choice.

“Resonates With” was a classical music performance consisting of quartets/quintets featuring students from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music from 7-8th April at the National Gallery of Singapore, Padang Atrium. Instead of seating on cushioned chairs like those in large concert halls, the audience sat on the steps of a towering staircase, admiring the intricate architecture of the former Supreme Court and City Hall building, while bathing in the presence of quality classical music.

The performances which lasted for 30 minute sessions were enjoyable, both for die-hard classical music fans and rookies to classical music. For the classically-trained individual, the sheer expertise in technique was enough to amaze, while for the beginner, the exposure to the wide spectrum of musical instruments made an excellent first foray into classical music.

Not being a brass player, I surprised myself upon reflection that my favourite performance of the afternoon went to Brass quintet “Brassisimo”. Hailing from different parts of the world, the quintet consisting of ID-ANAN NETTHAI, trumpet, PHAM THAN BINH, trumpet, KATHERINE YANG, french horn, DANILO IGNACIO CONTRERAS OSORIO, trombone, PAWIN PUNGBUA, bass trombone, worked as a cohesive whole to pull off pieces ranging from classical repertoire such as Mini Overture by Lutoslawski to Star Wars by John Williams. The players communicated by glancing at one another knowingly, breathing in sync and listening to each other’s playing to ensure that one did not overpower the instrument who had the main melodic line. There was also a range of instrumental techniques used, such as the mutes on the Trumpets and French Horns, Trombone glissandos and even a surprise percussion instrument towards the end! Ending with a standing ovation, the Quintet pulled off a remarkable performance that was pleasing to the ears and soul.

If you are a newbie to classical music, attending these sort of informal events by semi-professional musicians are a good way to dip your toes into the wonders of classical music. First of all, they are free-of-charge. Second, they are usually located at fairly accessible venues. Thirdly, the musicians are actually representative of the standard one can find in full-fledged orchestral concerts. So the next time you hear about a free classical music performance, go for it!

Overall, the entire experience would attain a 4/5 rating.

Stay tuned for more reviews!