The hottest party in town is just around the corner. We’re talking about Boiler Room, of course, which is returning for its second edition in Singapore. Taking place on 20 July, the upcoming party features a stellar line-up of DJs from around the world who will offer their fresh and distinctive blends of house, techno, and underground music. Instead of a bunch of white guys in T-shirts, you can expect sets from the London-based DJ Jyoty, Hong Kong’s Xiaolin, and DJ Paurro, all the way from Mexico City.
Another cause for celebration: Boiler Room Singapore will put the spotlight on some of the coolest names in the local clubbing scene. There’s Amanda Keisha Ang, better known as A/K/A Sounds, who co-founded the inclusive, women-led DJ collective Attagirl! all the way back in 2013. There’s Natasha Hassan, or DJ Tashasan. As co-founder of the design and events collective, North East Social Club, Hassan also organises gigs and pop-ups showcasing independent music and culture. And you may have seen Ayano Ueno, who goes simply by Aya, spinning at parties by the local label Midnight Shift and the events collective Thugshop.
Below, the DJs tell us more about the many different sounds that they’re bringing to Boiler Room —from “housey rave bootlegs” to “a little bit of booty bass”—and how they are curating their mixes with a nod to their cultural roots. Plus, the tastemakers share the music acts that they are looking out for on the line-up, and why they’re excited for the evolving clubbing landscape in Singapore.
Tashasan
How do you feel about being a part of Boiler Room Singapore?
I’m eternally grateful and won’t take this opportunity for granted. I’m here to represent my identity, culture, sound, and my crew.
What vibes are you bringing to Boiler Room? What can we expect from your set?
Expect lots of bass, percussion, and all breaks—no gas. There will be hard drums, jungle, breakbeat, some fine dubs, and maybe a little bit of booty bass.
How are you preparing for your set?
I’m hitting the bouldering gym, taking vitamin C shots, rushing to meet my project deadlines, and messaging all my favourite producers for any unreleased tracks, haha.
What do you think of the Boiler Room Singapore line-up? Any DJs that you’re personally excited for?
It’s a fantastic line-up. People rarely question a line-up when it’s mainly men, but it becomes a big deal when it’s all women. I hesitate to use “girl power” under the guise of capitalism, but everyone in this line-up deserves to be showcased globally. Someone commented on the announcement post, “Who the f*ck are these people?” Let me tell you, you’re in good hands. Forget about your average male house or techno DJ.
Amanda, who co-founded Attagirl!, has done incredible work teaching women how to DJ, and that’s inspiring. Ayano is an amazing and underrated techno masterclass—a true dark horse. Olivia (DJ Xiaolin) is insanely talented, from producing to DJing, and she’s classically trained. I’m thrilled she’ll be introduced to a big audience. I’m most excited for Paurro’s set since we play similar sounds, so I’m a bit biased there. Lastly, Jyoty—need I say more? The queen of advocacy; it’s always a good time with her.
What do you love the most about being a DJ?
The best part about being a DJ is seeing the most introverted person in the room dancing during your set. You know you’ve done your job when that happens. Also, being able to spread sounds that are culturally important, especially jungle and dub music, means a lot to me. These genres have so much meaning and history—it’s not just about dancing and playing fun songs.
What excites you about Singapore’s clubbing scene today?
Honestly, there’s not much to be excited about in the mainstream clubbing scene itself. What’s interesting is outside of these traditional parameters—the different groups coming together to produce their own events outside of a mainstream club setting, not necessarily events that are happening at night or anything that require any vices. Collectives are approaching things more differently which is nice to see. I encourage everyone, especially the younger generation, to keep an open mind, explore all kinds of sounds, and not just follow trends. There’s so much more out there than fast BPM.
A/K/A Sounds
How do you feel about being a part of Boiler Room Singapore?
Super excited and nervous at the same time, still feeling like it’s all a bit surreal! It’s an incredible opportunity, and it’s a great send off before I leave Singapore for a relocation to Japan. Being part of this second edition of Boiler Room is a big deal to me.
What vibes are you bringing to Boiler Room? What can we expect from your set?
I’m hoping to translate as much of my set through my identity as a Singaporean, and I’m an advocate to supporting producers from around the region in APAC, especially if they are women or belong to other sexual and gender minority groups. My musical journey has been quite interesting being in this part of the world, and I wish to showcase my influences as well being an ‘80s/‘90s kid growing up here. Expect some classic UK bass and housey rave bootlegs in the mix.
How are you preparing for your set?
To be honest I’ve been quite busy with the details of my relocation; I haven’t gotten to finalising my set, but I’ve been curating it bit by bit. I do it a little like how I do a radio show: I think of a theme and I research around it and mould it together the best way I can at the end. It’s a little less spontaneous than what I’d normally do, but it’s more intentional.
What do you think of the Boiler Room Singapore line-up? Any DJs that you’re personally excited for?
The line-up is so solid, everyone is pro and a heavyweight, and the vibes are going to be massive. I’m personally looking forward to hearing Xiaolin and Paurro as I’ve never watched them perform before, so it’ll be an aural treat.
What do you love the most about being a DJ?
That I get to share the music I listen to and love with people around me. And it makes me feel great to know that they feel great too. I can’t stress how much joy it’s brought to my life to be of service this way. That is reason enough for me to keep going. It’s become such a big part of my life.
What excites you about Singapore’s clubbing scene today?
Post-Covid, there’s just so much new talent that emerged from just learning how to DJ at home and streaming their own parties with friends. That’s the spirit that I felt kind of got lost a bit before, and now I think people are more open-minded, accepting and hungry. Back in the day, I did feel it can be hard to assimilate into the music scene here if you didn’t know many people; now there’s social media and so many micro-communities who start their own initiatives and create their own gigs. Attagirl! started this way as well, and it’s really nice to see this energy continue to be strong.
Aya
How do you feel about being a part of Boiler Room Singapore?
I feel extremely lucky, honoured and excited to represent Singapore for a showcase on a platform this big. Singapore is truly a vibrant city with great talents and a scene that’s been very inclusive and supportive. I can’t wait to feature the sounds that represent me and the city I call home.
What vibes are you bringing to Boiler Room? What can we expect from your set?
High energy, uplifting, fun and good vibes! I tend to gravitate towards those sounds as they represent who I am and what I love sharing with the crowd. I want this set to be special, one that represents my Asian roots and who I am. Expect some traditional Asian instrumental sounds for this one!
How are you preparing for your set?
I’ve been more focused on relaxing myself. Eating and sleeping well with long walks in the evening have definitely made me feel more focused on the music direction I’m going for.
What do you think of the Boiler Room Singapore line-up? Any DJs that you’re personally excited for?
I’m honestly excited to see everyone! I am proud of and aspire to be like Natasha and A/K/A, and start my very own collective with a purpose and sound direction someday. As for Jyoty, Paurro and Xiaolin, I’ve been watching their videos and can’t wait to see their sets!
What do you love the most about being a DJ?
I love the energy from the crowd and connecting with people on the dance floor through music. The exchange of energy is intimate. It makes me feel alive. I’m truly happy when I DJ and I want to say thank you to all the dancers who make it worthwhile and special.
What excites you about Singapore’s clubbing scene?
I truly mean it when I say that Singapore is a vibrant city. You can easily find good promoters pushing nights from drum and bass to breaks, from disco to techno. You can even get your fix of experimental, left-field sounds every now and then. Because of all that’s happening in this city, the crowd we get here are much more open to sounds that are new, cutting-edge and even traditional. What I hope to see in our scene in the future is even more support from people, and a stronger bond between other collectives and clubbers—a scene where we can sit under the sun and talk about ideas and music together. I would like us to embrace all the genres we are pushing, be true to what we believe in, and work together to make the scene even better!
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