Create an otherworldly metaworld on stunning soundtrack EP 'AQUASIA' Launches MESHMINDS 3.0: ArtxTechforGood exhibition @ArtScienceMuseum Marina Bay Sand Singapore on 1st September, cop tickets here: https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/events/meshmindsartxtechforgood.html

Owe Money Pay Money (O$P$) + Benedict & Palmer in collaboration with Zoosh33 Music, Metamo Industries and The MeshMinds Foundation are pleased to announce the release of AQUASIA. The exhibition, which runs from 1st to 30th September 2023, will showcase all five tunes from the EP in many various forms such as interactive gameplay, VR experience, and more.

This 5-Track EP takes listeners on a cinematic journey into an imaginary marine utopia. Through immersive sound design and visuals, ‘AQUASIA’ offers a new perspective on the immense challenges and possibilities of living in a world afflicted by rising sea levels and climate change. Each of the five tracks on the EP accompany a different metaworld in the ‘AQUASIA’ universe. Together, the compilation packages all 5 soundtracks into a fully realised narrative, providing a sensory experience that persists beyond its physical concept showcase.

Track by track description: Owe Money Pay Money (O$P$) - AQUASIA: This is the title tune of our EP AQUASIA and is a cinematic composition that fuses uplifting and euphoric instrumentations, invoking feelings of hope for the future of humanity, the accompanying video takes us on an introductory journey through the city of AQUASIA. Owe Money Pay Money (O$P$) w/ Zadon - 不跟流行: Here we team up with Singaporean Mandarin Rap Extraordinaire ‘ZADON’, this wonderful collaboration crafts a narrative through sharp hip-hop vocals, telling a story about taking big steps forward and making your dreams reality. Bumping together with our singnature phat beat, Zadon brilliantly blends Mandarin, English, as well as Singlish lingo to create a multicultural manifesto of the Geylang Crunk lifestyle in the futuristic Southeast Asian city of ‘NeoSantara’. Benedict & Palmer - Waiting Room: We put this out under our other alter ego guise , Benedict & Palmer. Waiting Room is a deep Progressive dance tune, emulating the vibe of transiting between virtual realms, as humanity waits for the appropriate time to upgrade their future into the city of AQUASIA. Owe Money Pay Money (O$P$) ft. Kaye - The Ether: The Ether is a cinematic composition fusing euphoric and ‘Vangelis-style’ instrumentations. Topped off with sultry melodies by Singaporean Saxophonist Kaye, the ‘Blade Runneresque’ tune paves the path for the ones who are ready to bid farewell to the old ways of an unenlightened past and prepare for a brighter, hopeful future. Owe Money Pay Money (O$P$) - AQUASIA (Aldrin Remix): The title tune of AQUASIA receives an uplifting melodic techno remix, courtesy of legendary Singaporean DJ & Producer, Aldrin. This simple yet beautiful dancefloor anthem celebrates the arrival of AQUASIA’s first residents, who begin to build a new, positive life for future generations of humanity.

‘AQUASIA’ - the Music EP is available from 1st September 2023 on all Major Digital Streaming Platforms, Online Dance Music Stores, and Social Media Platforms. ‘AQUASIA’ - the Music EP is also available with Spatial Audio on Apple Music and other compatible platforms. The Official Music Video for ‘不跟流行 w/ Zadon’ will also be launched on 1st September 2023 and available on all major video streaming platforms.

Owe Money Pay Money sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

Race: I found a kimball collins' "Clubnights Vol 2" CD that was left in a cd player in a room my family was staying at during a vacation to Las Vegas when I was 13 or so and it was like the universe had sent me a message.  I was a big sci fi nerd and trance music to me sounded like music that people in the future would listen to.  It sparked my love for electronic music and shaped my entire outlook on life.  This was in the very early days of the internet, so I would spend entire days in Virgin Megastores whenever we were on subsequent vacations listening to everything they had in the "electronica" section.

Ben: It all started when my mum sent me for piano classes as a kid to kick it all off. Through years of going through many instruments and styles, even playing the organ for church at one point of time. It was only when I saw Mr Hahn of Linkin Park scratching on a turntable, then I decided that’s what I wanted to do. A later video I saw of DJ Craze competing in the DMC World Championships spurred my beginnings as a DJ with Hip-Hop and turntablism, which I then later I ventured into many sounds of Electronic Dance music in different realms, eventually taking over my life and has never stopped since.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

Race: Detroit duo Octave One.  Lately we've been changing the way that we produce and trying to incorporate more live production/performance and Octave One have been doing it for decades. Taku Takahashi from m-flo.  We had the chance to meet and hang out with him during his show in Singapore a while back.  He is one of the true OGs of Japanese hiphop/electronic music.

Ben: From international wizards like Four Tet, Max Cooper and David August, to local geniuses like Fauxe, Frinla and Stephen Kain. The similarity in all these cats are their exquisite musicality and unorthodox abilities of bending sounds according to their will, which is something that I truly admire and am influenced by.

3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?

Race: Geylang Crunk has been in production for a decade, and we are just now ready to pull the curtain back on the bigger vision beyond the music that we make.  It's a living, breathing world that we deploy in different ways for different events and exhibitions.  We have 3D prints of the characters, holographic prints of different scenes from it, you can even put on a VR headset and walk around on the streets of this world.

Ben: Earlier this year, I launched my own record label called Zoosh33 Music, which serves as the music arm of our immersive collective Metamo Industries. In the short term, the long awaited full O$P$ Geylang Crunk album is coming! It’s taking a little longer than we expected, but rest assured… it’s in the pipeline! And to top it off, the side project which Race and I created called Benedict & Palmer have an arsenal of music ready to go, as we take on our joint love for uplifting euphoric and progressive sounds in the House & Techno realm!

4. How would you describe your sound?

Race: Geylang Crunk is a cinematic, cyberpunk take on bass music, fusing asian vibes with big beats that get you moving.

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

Race: We produced a special audio-visual piece for Singapore Artweek 2022 called "Re:Fractioned".  It was the first major post-covid city wide arts event and we got to projection-map the historic National Gallery/Supreme Court in the civic district.  It's the final boss of public art in Singapore.  It required 35 cinema projectors linked together to cover the entire facade, more than 2 football fields wide.  Our track "The Ether" accompanied the visuals and was blasting out across the entire downtown core of the city for hundreds of thousands of onlookers over the course of three weeks.

Ben: Light to Night Festival 2022. As our Metamo Industries collective was selected to create an audio visual piece to be displayed on the facade of the National Gallery of Singapore for 20 days on loop. Just right at the end of the pandemic, right before all restrictions were lifted, this was the closest that we got to a “gathering” which allowed us to showcase our cinematic creation to the general public in the form of our signature liquid Singapore designs featuring many iconic landmarks in Singapore, which eventually led to the birth of my music label Zoosh33 Music.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

Race: Stay true to yourself and make music that means something to you.  Honesty and integrity in your craft will translate into quality.  You can't fake that and it will show through your work.

Ben: It’s definitely a lot easier to pick up on, especially if you have no music background. My only advice is to not stop learning, always be evolving, and be passionate to your own sound. And most importantly, DO NOT MIX AND MASTER WHILE PRODUCING! Both processes are meant to be done separately, obviously I had to learn it the hard way haha…

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

Race: The Leftmind International crew, they are our fellow Geylang hip-hop brethren.  The Cosmic Owls, another Geylang collective.

Ben: I’m heavy on local Singapore artists. So peeps like Frinla, Stephen Kain, Infra24, The Cosmic Owls and the whole crew from Kribo Records. Continued stalwarts like Fauxe, Intriguant, FZPZ and Halal Sol continue to elevate their craft with every new piece that they put out.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Race: Lately I've been going back through all the BBC Radio One essential mixes from the turn of the century.  They are goldmines for inspiration and make me super nostalgic.

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

Race: I continue to build our Geylang Crunk metaverse in Unreal Engine.  The tools to realize our creative vision are always getting more powerful and Unreal Engine is like having an infinite sandbox to create with.

Ben: I’m currently doing 6 jobs, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I like to do when I’m not making music. Most of everything else I do outside of making music is along the lines of building the music label, continuing to grow the Geylang Crunk vision by searching for more artists to share their stories, and I have been the music curator of Ritual Gym and recently became a coach there.

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

Race: 1) My Roland MC-707 has really changed the way I think about and produce music.  2) My standing desk.  You don't know how much a standing desk can change your life until you have one! 3)  My gaming PC for cooking up complimentary visuals while we work on beats.

Ben: I’m simple… My Maschine drum pad, a MIDI keyboard, and a cup of strong brew or glass of wine (depending on the time of day).