HYPEWith their polychromatic body tattoos, it was no surprise that they managed to turn curious heads even though they were only dressed in casual t-shirts and jeans.
What was left of their intimidating image disappeared when they flashed a wide grin and stretched out their hands for a warm handshake. The 23-year-olds wiped off their perspiration and gave every indication of being thankful for the air conditioning as they slumped backwards on the snug couch opposite me.
Out of the music scene for months, lead singer of the now defunct Singaporean pop-rock group Quick Quick Danger, Marc Lian, sprung right back into the game along with rapper Richard Jansen to form pop duo Trick last February.
“Quick Quick Danger simply ran its course,” Marc recalled as he furrowed his eyebrows. “There was no bad blood between the members, just circumstances that were out of our control.”
Richard, who has been in the hip-hop scene for six years, was avoiding the public eye due to some unfortunate “betrayals” in the Singaporean music scene.
“I decided to let go of everything and start afresh. But in order to do that, I had to be on the low-key for a while to get things figured out.”
Despite their individual setbacks, Trick picked up speed. On Jul 31 last year, the duo released their first single, “BPM” on iTunes. It aired on local radios like RIA 89.7FM and 987FM, and even managed to clinch a spot in the latter’s Top 20 charts.
The duo also just recently released their second single, “The Life“, on Jan 31, chalking up close to 23,000 views on YouTube in just half a month.
But Trick isn’t stopping there. The duo has already begun producing their Extended Play (EP) slated for release later this year. The record revolves around their sentimental experiences on love and relationships.
“The lyrical content comes from a mix of both personal experiences and what we have observed,” Marc muses. “It’s a fun record. The songs have a happier sound!”
Grinning, Richard added, “But there is actually a one song on breakups. It’s like a ballad.”
Fans are in for a treat. The EP, to be produced by the duo themselves, will boast many different sounds varying from hard rock to electronic dance music.
“We have tracks with heavy guitars and drumming, and others that are similar to club music where there are huge build-ups and drops. The rest of our tracks have a traditional pop and dance feel to it,” says Marc.
Of course, as musicians who take pride in their art, Trick hopes to get overseas gigs and make themselves a name internationally following the release of their EP.
“I’ve never played internationally with my old band. With Trick, I want to change that. We want a place in Asia and with our EP, hopefully we will be able to play some shows overseas,” says Marc.
Keep an eye out for Trick because at the astounding speed they’re progressing, they might not be known as just local artists in the years to come.
Follow Trick on Twitter: @ThisIsTrick
Follow Marc on Twitter: @MarcInDanger
Follow Richard on Twitter: @RichardJansen
Photos courtesy of Trick and Klix Photography.
Check out other up and coming Singaporean bands!
Members: Benjamin Kheng, Jonathan Chua, Narelle Kheng, Sandra Tang
Genre: Pop/Folk/Soul/Blues
Members: Ryan Lopez, Victoria Chew, Shaykh Enn, Edwin Waliman, Bryan Sta Maria
Genre: Pop/Rock
Photos courtesy of The Sam Willows and The Summer State.