We bring you behind the scenes of these two hot new releases, with interviews of Brannlum and Jeff Hue
As 2016 comes to a close, the Singapore music scene has been buzzing with hot new songs with an electronic flavour - Jasmine Sokko's 1057 (which has topped Spotify's Singapore Top 50) which has since been remixed by producers from Singapore and Malaysia including Brannlum; and Ffion's Over ft Jeff Hue, which was co-written with electronic musician Jeff Hue. We especially like the strong electronic music presence on these successful, popular mainstream releases. So we decided to speak to the musicians involved.
What led you to remix this song?
When I heard 1057, Jasmine's vocals stood out and I was sure that I wanted to put my own take onto the song. I felt her delicate vocals would be complemented with a bass-heavy drop, further bringing out the emotions of the song. So I took the chance and dropped her a message, asking if she would be open to having me do a remix of the song. Thankfully, she was really awesome about it and sent over the vocal acapella!
What were some of the challenges you faced in the process?
I feel the biggest challenge about all remixes is to be able to create a new track whilst paying homage to the original, and it applied to this remix as well. In addition, I chose to remix the track in reference to only the acapella, thus having to create the accompanying chords and adjust the timing of the vocals from scratch. This method was challenging and time-consuming but paid off in the end as it allowed me to create a remix that was fresh and different from the original.
What do you like best about the song?
I feel that the song comes together at the bridge, which is also my favourite part. Along with the introduction of a lighter synth melody, the cinematic drums builds the emotional tension of the lyrics, while reaching the final drop. I love the fact that the song's intensity takes the listener on an emotional journey throughout.
What do you plan to do next?
I've been working on a couple of originals that I hope to put out over the course of 2017. In the meantime, I'm working on several remixes of artistes as well, including Evanturetime and Cosmic Armchair, which will be coming out soon as well!
What was your inspiration in creating this single?
When I started working with Ffion to create this song, we went through a few ideas in the initial development, from a slow, chill song, to a more upbeat song in the end. I wanted to be able to translate what she had composed, lyrically and emotionally, into the final product.
What was your creative process like?
I wanted to create something fresh and accessible, and went through a few references of songs I thought would suit the song. I worked on a vocal demo track that she recorded in her bedroom for a long time to develop a suitable arrangement before finally getting in to record the vocals that we used in the track. I started working on the synth chords, before adding a beat to it. However, I later changed the groove to give it more energy, and changed the arrangement of the synths to match the new groove. I used a sliced vocal lead, which I used in the drop, which I thought would add a lot of flavor to the song.
What was interesting or unusual for you in this project?
The interesting thing could be the workflow of the song, as I ran through so many variations of the song, and each variation caused me to edit different elements and components of the song to alter it's personality. So the final outcome is actually a result of constant attempts to change parts of the song, but one at a time, resulting in something different from where we started.
What will you be doing next?
I am currently working on my EP, which I aim to be an epitome of my musical journey over the last few years, encompassing everything I've learnt about music thus far.
1057 - Jasmine Sokko (Brannlum Remix)
Brannlum is no stranger to uplifting, melodic, trance-influenced electronic music. As a singer-songwriter who has collaborated with vocalists Skye Soon and Shawn, he's been actively releasing songs and performing shows. His Discovery EP was launched this year at SPECTRUM, the electronic music festival organized by NUS Electronic Music Lab.
When I heard 1057, Jasmine's vocals stood out and I was sure that I wanted to put my own take onto the song. I felt her delicate vocals would be complemented with a bass-heavy drop, further bringing out the emotions of the song. So I took the chance and dropped her a message, asking if she would be open to having me do a remix of the song. Thankfully, she was really awesome about it and sent over the vocal acapella!
What were some of the challenges you faced in the process?
I feel the biggest challenge about all remixes is to be able to create a new track whilst paying homage to the original, and it applied to this remix as well. In addition, I chose to remix the track in reference to only the acapella, thus having to create the accompanying chords and adjust the timing of the vocals from scratch. This method was challenging and time-consuming but paid off in the end as it allowed me to create a remix that was fresh and different from the original.
What do you like best about the song?
I feel that the song comes together at the bridge, which is also my favourite part. Along with the introduction of a lighter synth melody, the cinematic drums builds the emotional tension of the lyrics, while reaching the final drop. I love the fact that the song's intensity takes the listener on an emotional journey throughout.
What do you plan to do next?
I've been working on a couple of originals that I hope to put out over the course of 2017. In the meantime, I'm working on several remixes of artistes as well, including Evanturetime and Cosmic Armchair, which will be coming out soon as well!
Over by Ffion and Jeff Hue
Jeff is a highly qualified and talented professional audio producer, mixer, engineer and sound designer. Besides creating his own electronic music, he also performs with electronic quartet Canvas Conversations. Recently both the band and Jeff (performing solo) played at SPECTRUM, the electronic music festival organized by NUS Electronic Music Lab.
What was your inspiration in creating this single?
When I started working with Ffion to create this song, we went through a few ideas in the initial development, from a slow, chill song, to a more upbeat song in the end. I wanted to be able to translate what she had composed, lyrically and emotionally, into the final product.
What was your creative process like?
I wanted to create something fresh and accessible, and went through a few references of songs I thought would suit the song. I worked on a vocal demo track that she recorded in her bedroom for a long time to develop a suitable arrangement before finally getting in to record the vocals that we used in the track. I started working on the synth chords, before adding a beat to it. However, I later changed the groove to give it more energy, and changed the arrangement of the synths to match the new groove. I used a sliced vocal lead, which I used in the drop, which I thought would add a lot of flavor to the song.
What was interesting or unusual for you in this project?
The interesting thing could be the workflow of the song, as I ran through so many variations of the song, and each variation caused me to edit different elements and components of the song to alter it's personality. So the final outcome is actually a result of constant attempts to change parts of the song, but one at a time, resulting in something different from where we started.
What will you be doing next?
I am currently working on my EP, which I aim to be an epitome of my musical journey over the last few years, encompassing everything I've learnt about music thus far.
We're happy to see these two talented (and friendly) electronic musicians making headway into the Singapore mainstream pop music scene, and we wish them all the best for 2017 and beyond.
Find out more about Brannlum:
Follow on Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/brannlum
Download Discovery EP: https://brannlum.bandcamp.com/releases
Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brannlum
Business Inquiries & Collaborations: brannlumofficial@gmail.com
Find out more about Jeff Hue:
https://soundcloud.com/jeffhueofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/iamjeffhue/
https://www.facebook.com/jeffhueofficial
Find out more about Brannlum:
Follow on Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/brannlum
Download Discovery EP: https://brannlum.bandcamp.com/releases
Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brannlum
Business Inquiries & Collaborations: brannlumofficial@gmail.com
https://soundcloud.com/jeffhueofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/iamjeffhue/
https://www.facebook.com/jeffhueofficial
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