Last Updated on 2025-06-10 by a-indie
A Deep Dive into the New Album “Singapore Dreaming”
The Irony and Themes in the Title
-Yuuki Takita: Now, I’d like to ask about your latest album “Singapore Dreaming.” First, I understand that the album title was inspired by the film of the same name, but what emotions or atmosphere are conveyed in the words “Singapore Dreaming”? Could you explain again?
It’s playing off the idea that the ultimate Singaporean dream is to have the 5 C’s (Cash, Career, Car, Credit Card, and Condominium) with a lot of focus on work and achievements but not a lot of time and thought for anything else. I’m sure it’s like that in many other places in the world. A big theme in the album is just trying to deal with that whole thing and navigate the environment we’re in.
Stripped-Down Songwriting
-Yuuki Takita: What kind of discussions or exchanges of ideas took place among members during the production process of the album?
By this point with it being our 5th album, “finding our sound” or songwriting was no longer an issue at this point. A lot of the discussion was more about what was essential in the song, what could we cut down, which parts were redundant or draggy, etc. A lot of trimming and getting right to the point. This is probably why the songs are pretty short.
Pure Guitar Sound and Recording Philosophy
-Yuuki Takita: The overall sound of the album was impressively sweet and pure, especially the guitar sound. In the process of compiling such aesthetically sophisticated songs into an album, what kind of sound direction or concept emerged?
I can’t say there was a conscious sound direction or concept other than playing what we ourselves wanted to hear in a song. But we do have these 2 rough guidelines whenever we embark on a new recording process
avoid adding extra guitar parts or layers, so keep it to what the 5 of us would be able to play live
“binge” the recording process, so we try to finish bass in 1 day, drums in 1 day, vocals in 1-2 days, guitars in 1-2 day
Lyrics Depicting Struggles with Modern Society
-Yuuki Takita: In contrast to such beautiful sounds, I felt the lyrics reflected conflicts and anxieties between society and the individual. For example, I glimpsed a critical perspective on the blurred boundary between work and life. Are there any common themes in the lyrics throughout the album, or any personal messages to society that you could share?
Common theme in the record is general anxieties about the fast paced work culture we have, the feeling of useless in a society of achievement and one-upping each other, the disconnect between social media and real life, and general feelings of guilt whenever we’re “unproductive”. Underlying all those is the presence of nature surrounding us amidst the chaos and that we take for granted! We forget we’re all just monkeys who happened to become “conscious” and that we’re all just trying to make things work on a floating rock.
The New Phase for the Band
-Yuuki Takita: Was there a breakthrough song in the album production, or a song that represents the biggest change for the band? If so, please tell us about it and why.
I don’t think there’s one specific breakthrough song per se, but rather the fact that this whole record was such a smooth and confident process for us to write. It’s great because we’re all on the same page about what our core sound is, compared to previous records where there was still some uncertainty. It’s also kind of a sign I guess that for this sound of ours specifically, this is probably as good as we can get it to be and should probably move on to exploring other things.
A Message to the Listeners
-Yuuki Takita: What kind of people would you like to listen to “Singapore Dreaming”? Also, in what situations would you like them to listen to it?
I think generally people living in a big city was the demographic I had in mind, mostly because we ourselves are those people. We don’t drive and are always on the move walking to places, taking the train, buses, etc. so in my head that’s how we would listen to and perceive this record – listening on the go. But of course, please still go buy the vinyl! Hahaha
-Yuuki Takita: Finally, I believe Japanese music fans will surely like “Singapore Dreaming” and your music. Please share a message for your Japanese fans.
Two words.. SEE YOU SOON 😉
Subsonic Eye Album Release
5th Album “Singapore Dreaming”
Release Date: June 11, 2025
Tracklist:
1. Aku Cemas
2. Why Am I Here
3. Sweet
4. My iPhone Screen
5. Overgrown
6. Lost
7. Being Productive
8. Situations
9. Brace
10. Blue Mountains
View on Bandcamp
Subsonic Eye Profile
Singaporean five-piece Subsonic Eye have established a rich discography in the realm of jangle-pop and indie-pop in less than a decade. Their 2023 album “All Around You” refined their signature snappy hooks with a newfound awareness of the entanglement of urban environments and the natural world. They have always been fascinated by nature and their surroundings, dedicating much of their music to celebrating the environment. Their fifth album, “Singapore Dreaming,” centers their home of Singapore through a more focused lens. Whereas “All Around You” was a space to grapple with the complex feelings inspired by an intense world, “Singapore Dreaming” is that intense world itself, interpreting the energetic urban context through tense, direct, and pop-oriented songs. Despite the new vision, the signature elements remain: mesmerizing walls of sound, catchy riffs, brisk rhythms, and perfectly timed punches, all held together by the dreamlike voice of vocalist Nur Wahidah.
Writer: Yuuki Takita
Born in 1991 in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, he is a freelance writer. After graduating from the same university as TEAM NACS, he enrolled in a music vocational school, majoring in the writer’s course. There, he produced three music free papers, handling everything from artist interviews to editing. Leveraging this experience, he joined a cross-media music company with both a free paper and a web publication, where he gained experience in writing reviews, editing, and sales. After leaving, he worked at a major record store, also writing disc reviews for their in-house media. This led him to start his activities as a freelance music writer. Currently, he is a salaryman and music writer who dreams of holding an outdoor music festival in his hometown of Tomakomai. He loves cats, watching movies, and reading. Komatsu Nana and exploring curry & biryani are part of his lifestyle.
Articles written so far are here
Articles written for other media are here
Twitter: @takita_funky
- is a music media platform run by BELONG, a Japanese music organization. We publish music articles with a focus on indie music.