The UrbanWire

5 guys and a girl from Copenhagen, Denmark, turned down touring the USA with Katy Perry to focus on this piece of work. So, press play and prepare to be amazed – Alphabeat have returned with their brand of pure pop magic, in the form of their second album, The Beat Is….

Alphabeat first appeared in the UK music scene in 2008, with runaway hit song, “Fascination“. It peaked at no. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and was even used in a Coca Cola Light TV commercial in the region.

Stine Bramsen and Anders Nielsen are the lead vocalists (If the Danish names confuse you, Stine is the only female, and Anders male). They’re supported by another 2 Anders: Anders Bønløkke on guitar, Anders Reinholdt on bass, Rasmus Nagel on keyboards, and Troels Hansen on drums.

The Beat Is.. is 43 minutes of powerhouse aural magic that pays homage to early 90s dance pop. The band have credited their influences to 90s hit-makers Black Box, Corona, and Ace of Base, among others.

Compared to their debut record, This Is Alphabeat, the band’s taken the sugar-rush and happy down a notch, ditching their cheerful 80s vibe for sleeker outfits and a decidedly more electronic sound.

The record employs a good deal of digital arrangement, with synthesised vocal warbling, intense bass, and electro-instrumentals coming into the mix. Pretty much all the songs are about love, as is the case with most pop records.

Noteworthy tracks “The Spell”, “DJ”, and “The Right Thing” showcase the band’s talent for clear, pop-songwriting. Coupled with key elements like catchy choruses, dynamic beats, and strong vocals, Alphabeat prove to be true masters of their craft.

The album opens fittingly with first single, “The Spell” – a worthy tribute to 90s dance, driven by high energy, Stine’s astounding vocal prowess, and a smashing chorus. Magical stuff.

“The Spell” single deservedly hit the no. 1 spot on the Danish singles chart upon release, and was well received in the UK, and won over even critics who hated their first record. The music video is a sprightly rendition of the single, packaged in electric blue and flashing lights, reminiscent of a musical era past.

The third song, “DJ”, is probably the easiest tune to catch on to. It sounds very much like Daft Punk’s “Digital Love”, and is a tad more relaxed than the other tracks, but retains some energy in its rhythm. Remember the sheer excitement added to that feeling of restfulness when school’s out? This number feels just like that.

Another notable track is “Heat Wave”. The record reaches its peak as this fast-paced tune builds into the chorus, where Stine’s remarkable vocals bring things to a dynamic explosion, and you can’t help but start bobbing fitfully along to the music, if you haven’t already.

Alas, there’re some bumps along the track list. The mellower numbers don’t fare so well.

The song “Q & A” seemed to go on forever, with Stine moaning, “We need some Q, and A, Q and A-hey, Q and A-hey” for the entire chorus. The lyrics were too corny for this one, and since it’s a slow number, such flaws are more noticeable.

“Chess” had background instrumentals that had an annoying bubbling sound effect, and the slow sway of the rhythm made it seem like the kind of song you’d hear at a cheesy beach party. It has the potential to grow on you, but with a title like “Chess” and a vibe so different from the rest, it stuck out like a sore thumb.

Overall, Alphabeat have really polished their act, churning out a record worthy of pop greatness. This album saw male vocalist Anders take a backseat, while Stine’s mighty lungs gave their all, injecting power and spunk to every tune she belted out.

Opinions will swing both ways, and fans will either be thrilled or bummed by the band’s new sound, which has moved into a completely different genre of pop – from the happy, sugary 80s to the danceable tunes of the 90s.

Alphabeat have proven themselves to be one of the better European pop acts to emerge in recent years, and are certainly not letting past Scandinavian pop greats – like fellow Danes Aqua and legendary Swedes Abba – down.

UrbanWire rates The Beat Is… a 4/5.

Title: The Beat Is…
Artist: Alphabeat
Choice Picks: The Spell, DJ, Heat Wave
Language: English
Record Label: Polydor UK
Release Date: Mar 1

Track list:

1. The Beat Is
2. The Spell
3. DJ
4.Hole In My Heart
5. Chess
6. Heart Failure
7. Heat Wave
8. Always Up With You
9. Q & A
10. The Right Thing
11. Til I get Round
12. 365 Degrees

Every December, Singapore’s bright lights shine even brighter, as the main shopping belt along Orchard road is decked out in all its festive glory. As every mall tries to outdo the other with a bigger tree or flashier decorations, the Christmas spirit is lost in all that plastic, glitter and electricity.

This year, how about a bona fide Christmas in the tropics? Be amongst greenery on a cool evening, maybe even with a light drizzle.

To round off its 150th year with a bang, 150 live Christmas trees have taken root at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Trees of the World is a display of Christmas trees decorated by various community groups, schools, and embassies, reflecting themes of Hope, Inspiration, and Peace.

The opening light-up on Dec 5 was part of The Botanical Party, a multi-sensory spectacle that brought together Trees of the World and a concert, Birdsongs, performed by local jazz musicians, world-music performers, and the Philharmonic Youth Winds.

Before nightfall, many were already walking through the Central to Tanglin core of the gardens, which had turned into a little Christmas tree farm. The 150 sponsored trees were lined neatly along walkways, each decorated by an individual group.

By dusk, the intricacies of different decorations had dissolved into the night. In their place was an idyllic scene of fairy lights that greeted the visitors, as all the trees glowed a serene blue in the darkness.

Serenaded by jazz music with a sky that tried to snow (it ended up drizzling), the scene was nothing short of magical.

There were classically decorated trees, like the ones by Ikea Alexandra and the Singapore Lyric Opera – They were Christmas cards waiting to happen.

The community centres and schools were a little more personal in their decoration.

Some had group pictures hung up, and most schools displayed students’ crafts. They looked simple and raw, their ornaments mismatched like patchwork quilts.

But to Germaine Chan, a visitor to the display, these were more endearing than the dazzling cones of lights downtown.

“The primary school kids’ decorations put the ones at Orchard road to shame,” she said, “The décor’s a little dimmer here, but you can tell the effort was personal and sincere.”

Sadly, the world isn’t without its flaws. The companies with business-only intentions turned a tree or 2 into unsightly billboards.

Despite the light rain falling, people were still walking about, umbrellas up. If anything, the lights seemed to glow warmer in the rain. The display was a true community effort to create something beautiful for all to share at this festive time of year.

It certainly isn’t what you’d expect of a big city at Christmas. But, what better way to relax on a cool December evening than in good company and silent reflection of the year past?

Trees of the World at Singapore Botanic Gardens
When: Dec 5 to Dec 31
Time: 7 pm to 12 am
Where: Singapore Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Road
Contact: (65) 6471 7138 / 6471 7361

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An independent bookstore with a specialty in Literature, BooksActually has been a quiet part of the local book scene for some time, and they just turned 4 years old on Nov 29.

Borne of owners Karen Wai and Kenny Leck’s shared love for reading, this compact establishment didn’t survive 4 years just by sitting pretty in an old shophouse. The shop has achieved much this past year, and on closer review of the rustic mix on display, they offer a lot more than just books, actually.

UrbanWire drops by for a look at the shop’s hallmarks.

^{Meet Karen and Kenny.}

First Impressions
Entering the shop on a rainy December afternoon, you’d think you stepped into the storybook department of Santa’s Workshop; The walls are tightly packed with various literary works – from Nabokov and Orwell to classic fairy tales –, you hear a typewriter hard at work somewhere on the upper floors, soft music plays, and the place smells of fresh paper and wood.

The second floor houses a brocante (secondhand market). On display are common items from bygone days – cream glass marbles from our parents’ childhood, and old rubber stamps. Their non-fiction sister shop, Polymath and Crust, is on the third floor. It carries titles including food, nature, geography, and history.

“It’s like another world,” said Helene Mayne, a first-time customer, “You can tell these people really love books. This shop is a sensory experience.”

Literary Installations
At present, there are a number of installations at the store. Here’s a quick look at our favourites:

1)    Brillat- Savarin’s Literary Orders: Just by the entrance, you’ll find stacks of vintage paper and a coin box. Typewritten on each piece is a passage from Karen and Kenny’s favourite poems and novels. They’re free, but you can drop them a little reward.

2)    We Share Stories: An exhibition initiated by the Singapore Design Festival. “We Share Stories” invites you to drop off a roll of film of pictures you took, and exchange it for a roll taken by someone else.

They liked this so much at BooksActually, they’ve asked to continue this little project after the festival ended in November. So it’s still there, and an almost permanent feature.

Intellectual wall-art at the entrance: Spot your favourite author’s portrait.

“These installations are something for people to think about,” said Karen, “You don’t necessarily have to come in to buy a book.”

Installations will be up for the rest of the year.

Birds and Co.
Amongst the range of books, you’ll also find the shop’s handmade stationery on display.

^{(Image courtesy of BooksActually)}

Birds and Co. is BooksActually’s stationery line. The collection includes pencils with famous authors’ names on them, and a good variety of whimsical handmade notebooks, like the “Chronicles of the Deer” and “Portions for Foxes” ranges.

“We like the old way of bookbinding, so we do a lot of handmade stationery, with hand-stitching. All the covers of our notebooks are hand-printed, since we really like the letterpress,” Karen told us.

Notebook prices start from $3.

Hand-stitched book spines.

Publishers Too
Unpublished writers take note: BooksActually also has a publishing arm, Math Paper Press.

“Publishing’s a very personal process. Both of us edit the works, and if we like something, we try to incorporate our ideas,” said Karen, “if we feel illustrations suit the writing a lot, we will try to get in touch with our artist friends to do a collaboration, things like that”.

Book launches and author readings are held for free as well, both for the author and the public. This is their way of showing support for the local writing scene.

And if all that wasn’t enough, the couple hand-picks every title the shop carries.

“It sort of reflects our own tastes,” said Karen.

Kenny summed it up in 2 words: “Processing Hell”. But hey, hard work pays off, evidently.

The average novel is sold at $35 a copy.

BooksActually is certainly a very busy 4-year-old. With so much going on, we find it amazing that the owners whole-heartedly micromanage everything about the business.

“It’s our labour of love, so we have to see that we’re involved in every aspect,” said Karen happily.

What Lies Ahead
From their humble beginnings making rounds at university book bazaars, BooksActually has come a long way. From their original second-storey shop space, they now occupy an entire shophouse.

Polymath and Crust, their non-fiction collection, started just this May. Also, the shop was approached to be the official festival bookstore of the Singapore Writers Festival, held in October.

“We’re happy we’re still surviving. We hope to create a legacy and be around for the next 10 to 20 years, or more,” said Karen.

They’ve only just turned 4, but the 2 owners already have some new goals to work toward.

“We’d love to expand more on our title selection,” Karen said.

There are also hopes for Polymath and Crust and Birds and Co. to become separate entities and have shop units of their own.

To us at UrbanWire, it looks like BooksActually might actually get to create the legacy they hope to have. If it’s love and passion that drives a place, then they ought to be sticking around for another 4 years and more, easily.

BooksActually
86 Club St
Contact: +65 6222 9195
Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday – 11am to 9pm
Sunday – 12 pm to 6pm
Getting There:
Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, Exit G