“What we are trying to do is more than resurrecting a lost art form and connecting it with present day creativity,” Yap said. “For individuals, it offers a tangible and unique way to make new memories while reminiscing old memories by engaging with music and art.”
Other projects the duo will be working on include limited runs of records by local artists, Yap shared. “This includes creating locally made, hand-cut, hand-pressed, and hand-signed limited edition records with artists like the talented local singer-songwriter, lewloh, and a special first-year commemorative record for Sing Song Social Club, which will be designed by local creative Kristal Melson.” In addition, they’ve also had their first corporate client.
On top of workshops, Art/st also holds listening sessions. “We see ourselves as matchmakers and enablers, pulling together both music and visual artists” and celebrating local talent, Yap said, adding that she hopes the effort will go towards promoting and preserving Singapore’s arts and culture scene.
In the course of her research, she shared, she read that “there used to be a vinyl pressing plant in Tanglin Halt”. Records have famously been produced in Japan, the UK and the US, but, “it’s nice to know that back then, in Singapore, we used to make records”.
She recalled scouring The Adelphi, known for its audio equipment stores, for parts and knowledge, and being told by the “uncles” there: “‘Girl, why do you want to do this? Don’t, lah’.”
“One year from today, I hope I’m not the only person cutting records in Singapore, because I want to try to revive this history that most of us don’t even know about,” she said. “When we say ‘music’, nobody thinks of Singapore. But, let’s change that, hopefully.”
For more information about Art/st’s workshops, visit https://www.instagram.com/art_strecords.
