Hear. Here. Singapore. Episodes

What is the sound of nostalgia? In Singapore, a city remarkable for its progress since independence in 1965, you can now visit an exhibition at The National Museum of Singapore and listen to one panel of the iconic Solari Board …

One of the oldest and most beautiful temples in Singapore is Thian Hock Keng temple in Chinatown: it used to face the beach and ocean, and sailers and merchants would come to give thanks or seek blessings from Mazu, Goddess …

The smell has been described as old socks, rotten eggs, and dead grandmothers, but for those who know, it reigns supreme with it's hard as nails spikes on the outside and custardy fleshy seeds inside. We hang out with Ah …

Of all the things you hear in Singapore, the one thing that's most likely to catch your ear is the English accent here: hear comparisons to major English accents (US, AU, UK) and dive into the unique qualities that set …

For those thinking of visiting Singapore, our welcome mat is always out! This episode is for those who come to our sunny island, and want to know how to order coffee... like a local!

If you're willing to go west - really, really west - you can get an awesome sunset snap at one of the iconic spots in Singapore. Keeping guard on the breakwater of the Raffles Marina is a lighthouse that keeps …

Singapore's border checkpoints are among the busiest in the world, with a total of 450,000 travelers every day across the 2 land crossings. Join me an hour before dawn at the Tuas Checkpoint in the west as the waves of …

The oldest Hindu Temple in Singapore is the Sri Mariamman Temple on South Bridge Road, in the Chinatown district. It's famous for the annual firewalking festival and the daily poojas. More low-key and intimate is the Archanai, a personal pooja …

Listen to the mesmerizing soundtrack of a pooja, as a nadaswaram (long horn) and thavil (double-sided drum) add syncopated beats, drifting tempos and intricate phrases to the ringing bell as devotees seek the blessing of the Goddess Mariamman at the …

In the heart of the downtown core of Singapore is an open field where many historical events took place as Singapore bloomed from British Colony into the vibrant, thriving, independent city-state that it is today. It's big enough to accommodate …

Has the search for the perfect sound spa for the ears finally found a winner? I visit Bukit Timah Railway Station, part of the Rail Corridor, and if you walk 500m from the road, you'll find yourself in tropical forest, …

I explore a park that's right in the city, with a major expressway running along its western perimeter. It would seem a foregone conclusion that traffic noise bleeds into the park, and while that does happen, you don't notice it …

Singapore has Four National Taps when it comes to water sources, and the cheapest is local catchment water, i.e. natural rainfall. Rain water is carefully diverted into the reservoirs around Singapore, and in the east, the bi...

Covering 18 hectares in the heart of the downtown core, Fort Canning Park is an unlikely candidate for a quiet spot to relax, but the trees do an admirable job of blocking traffic noise. While wandering in the area behind …

Every Chinese New Year, lion dances take place all over the island in the 2 week festive season that starts every CNY. On Day 5, I was in Plaza Singapura on Orchard Road, and one troupe performed for hours as …

Walla is the buzz of voices created by Hollywood sound designers so a nice sonic atmos can be added to a scene where the extras had to be silent. It got me thinking - how does walla made by Oscar-winning …

Asian horror films like Ringgu, The Eye and Shutter revolutionized the genre, with Hollywood studios remaking these classics for English audiences. One common trope is cemeteries, which made me think: what does an actual Asian cemetery sound like? I went …

The landmark of the historic Kampong Glam Malay Heritage District is Sultan Mosque that dates back to 1824. It was the first mosque in the world to use a microphone & loudspeaker system to amplify the recital, and because of …

In 2019, Changi Airport handled over 1,000 flights a day, which meant a take off or landing every 83 seconds. Then the pandemic took a heavy toll on the aviation industry, and Changi was reduced that to just 80 flights …

One of the best open spaces you can enjoy are museums, many in classic older buildings. Singapore Arts Museum's 2 buildings in the downtown core are renovating, so they're over at Tanjong Pagar Distripark. The best exhibit for audiophiles is …

The last of my series of soundscapes for the venues for Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022 is for Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall. Commissioned by Arts House Limited for the Singapore International Festival of Arts. First Presented at Life …

I was commissioned by Arts House Limited to create soundscapes for 6 of the venues used for Singapore International Festival of Arts. This is for Goodman Arts Venue, which had an opening air performance space, and features the empty space …

The 2022 Singapore International Festival of Arts marked the first major festival in Singapore since the relaxation of Covid-19 safety measures. I was commissioned by Arts House Limited to create soundscapes for 6 of the venues as they came back …

With the relaxation of Covid-19 safety measures in Singapore in April 2022, Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022 would be the first festival to take place. I was commissioned by Arts House Limited to create soundscapes for 6 of the …