Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Festival - Singapore Edition
By Cheryl Leong
May 16-18, 2008
Day One: WWF Multi-Level Sound System (Odeon Towers)
Day Two: WWF BEST WEEKENDER (Fort Canning Park)
Singapore
Here for the first time ever was the Singapore Edition of the sensational Worldwide Festival, led by acclaimed musical tastemaker, Gilles Peterson. This three-day roving extravaganza brought together a stellar lineup of artistes from all over the globe, performing alongside some of our own finest local and regional acts. It was an explosive combustion of creative talents, varied influences and eclectic musical tastes!
MTV Asia lets you in on what went down at the festival over the weekend:
May 17: WWF Multi-Level Sound System
Taking place simultaneously within three different locations in Odeon Towers, this was one cutting edge urban dance floor you would be sorry you missed.
First up, local DJ duo Dubwise took the stage at the Supperclub in Construction arena. Dabbling mostly in heavy bass, it was a waste that this awesome twosome started their set so early, and played to a small, appreciative, but mostly quiet crowd.
Moving on to Loof , we had Nomsta* Gooodness (that's 3 Os for you!) doing his thang with a masterful blend of genres, delivering a smooth vibe that was pleasingly head-bopping, as you sipped your Mojitos and gently rocked to the beat (Let me do a little plugging, and say that Loof is famous for their Mojitos!)
Down at the Basement Car Park, Xhin Vs Angela Flame on the decks looked set to prep the night up for all you party-goers. Pity the choice of venue left a lot to be desired however - let's just say that the music was not the only thing that was hot.
Simbad took over the space at Supperclub , thrilling dance enthusiasts all over with his stunning soul remixes. By this time, the crowd also seemed a little more warmed up and ready to party as well.
Over at the Basement outfit, Trickski grabbed hold of the reigns expertly, spinning an intoxicating concoction of groove-based house and techno beats to enliven the crowd, while back at Loof , we had Katsue continuing to serve up an atmosphere of relaxed evenings, with their pop/electronic vocals, hailing from Thailand.
Another of our very own award-winning talent came on next at the Supperclub - Inquisitive. The crowd (not to mention the international circuit), simply loved his unique fusion of styles and technical wizardry.
DJ Karizma eased into the decks next at the Basement , rocking the house down with his much sought-after house remixes; and hopping back to the scene at Loof , the Staash duo pumped out the good sounds of funk and soul for a raving good party anytime.
As the night drew to a close, the final acts strutted their stuff, with an eagerly anticipated set by Cut Chemist at the Supperclub . It is little wonder that he is one of the more respected DJs and Producers in the progressive music industry, constantly pushing boundaries and expanding his repertoire of styles and sounds.
Garfld, France's premier breaks and beats DJ, ended off the first night of WFF at Loof , while Ame continued to entertain the last few stragglers still shaking their booty on the dance floor with their house and techno dance anthems, followed by Has, also another flaming name on the Singapore circuits.
May 18: WWF Best Weekender
Rumor had it that this day would be the more rousing and exciting one, for its venue at Fort Canning Park had the added potential of being an open air, all-day event. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't very cooperative. The mid-afternoon sun as a scorcher, and there was only a meager scattered crowd across the grounds.
At the huge Outdoor Stage, the festivities of the day kicked off with Katsue and their easy-listening pop/electronic tunes, while over at the Energy Tent, Dubwise still managed to get the small crowd in front of the stage grooving.
Stereotyp & Al Haca took over the decks from the latter, with their bass-heavy remixes, while the Outdoor Stage gets prepped up for Singapore's premier samba percussion band, Wicked Aura Batucada. They owned their 45-minute set like no other, with their magnetic charisma and stage presence, along with energetic beats and sensual rhythms. It is too easy to see why Singapore's darling has achieved much praise across international shores.
Aldrin, local DJ extraordinaire over at the Energy Tent, is known for his thumping tribal-tech percussive vibes and once again proved why he's such a constant in our dance scene, while Toshio Matsuura, renowned in Japanese club culture, demonstrated why he has got it made.
Rising star Diplo finally came on, and the crowd went wild. Think: a mass of frenzied arm waving, hollering and pumping dance moves. We have to thank Steve Aoki and Cobrasnake for making guest appearances as well!
Of course, there is no forgetting Kruder & Dorfmeister's first exclusive Asian showcase. The famed duo of downbeat tempo is extremely respected in the progressive music industry for their timeless, distinctive club and funk tunes, which contributed largely to their immense staying power.
The man himself, Gilles Peterson wrapped up the three-day sound-fest with his influential and wide-ranging tastes in music, which he tirelessly strived to bring across. M.A.N.D.Y also helped take the crowd late into the final night with their electro-infused house anthems.
So that's that for the WWF, and if you can't get enough of a fix, check back regularly for daily updates on our exclusive artist interviews!
>> Cut Chemist
>> Dubwise
>> Wicked Aura Batucada
>> Gilles Peterson
>> Kruder & Dorfmeister
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