- Tiana Speter
EXCLUSIVE: Chilled indie artist Houg takes us step-by-step through his new EP
Fresh off the release of his luminous debut EP The Oscillation Scene, Melbourne-based Singapore-native Houg has firmly announced himself to the world with six tracks that dangle Houg's syrupy vocals across woozy and poised soundscapes across the space of six tracks. Equally pensive and persuasive, The Oscillation Scene not only presents a polished package from this trip-hop/chillwave artist - it also unveils the highs and lows that accompany passionate pursuits, and today Houg is taking us track by track through his stunning self-produced debut EP. Check it out below!
HOUG - 'THE OSCILLATION SCENE' EP WALKTHROUGH
The Oscillation Scene is a musing, and also an experiment. While storytelling has always been the creative force behind Houg, and keeping a narrative flow has always been a priority for me, I also made it a personal challenge this time to create more consumable and accessible music than my prior releases. Part of that meant keeping the tracks under 4 minutes, and also more centre-leaning; which has made this a refreshing experience for me - while keeping the themes of the EP compact yet coherent for the listener, the chronological and narrative flow also had to be kept intact.
BOY
Boy was always supposed to start the journey of the EP, setting the tone both sonically and thematically. The song literally starts with an unsettling pad of textures that crescendos with the line “I’m on a ride…”, a premonition for the constant sways in emotion that the album intends to impart. The fragility of the Self, weathered by various circumstances particularly in the journey of creative expression, is the focus of the EP.
ICBM
Boy was always supposed to start the journey of the EP, setting the tone both sonically and thematically. The song literally starts with an unsettling pad of textures that crescendos with the line “I’m on a ride…”, a premonition for the constant sways in emotion that the album intends to impart. The fragility of the Self, weathered by various circumstances particularly in the journey of creative expression, is the focus of the EP.
WET WANTS
The EP takes on a darker tone with ‘Wet Wants’, which recognises the pains associated with falling short of expectations, yet romances the unceasing pursuit of what the heart wants. The insistent “No I won’t go home” in the chorus encapsulates my desperate need to remain on this journey of creative expression,and my refusal to give in to my innate pessimism.
THE TOUCH
Swinging back towards something more upbeat, ‘The Touch’ harnesses the confidence garnered in the choruses of ‘Wet Wants’ and puts that into overdrive. Unapologetic, fierce and firm, the more rigid nature of the song’s beats, as well as the harsher vocal style is reflective of this newfound confidence, even if it’s only momentary. This touch of confidence, however ephemeral, has often helped lift me out of certain struggles.
SOFT PAINS
Setting off on a journey is an exhausting experience both emotionally and physically. While all the songs above focus on my psychological struggles with said journey, ‘Soft Pains’ wanders into the physical aspect of my experience. Being a sufferer of a slipped disc, my poor spinal health has on many occasions hindered me from achieving the most menial tasks in my daily life.
The pain is often paralysing, both to my body and to my personal ambitions. Its intensity is hard to overlook. A shout out and hopeful analogy for those who struggle with similar physical handicaps, but hopefully also relatable at least metaphorically to the luckier ones.
SLIPPIN'
The last track on the EP, and also the heaviest in sound, ‘Slippin’’ is 3 minutes and 12 seconds of chaos. It reflects on the tracks that came before it, and takes an expanded perspective of the struggles while also declaring that “It’s love” that keeps the journey going. It’s love that offers a path through the chaos, and an optimism for thestories to come in the story of Houg.
The pain is often paralysing, both to my body and to my personal ambitions. Its intensity is hard to overlook. A shout out and hopeful analogy for those who struggle with similar physical handicaps, but hopefully also relatable at least metaphorically to the luckier ones.
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BY TIANA SPETER