Cosmic Armchair
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Cosmic Armchair are an electronic music duo formed in 2008 in
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
by Cosmic Jane and Cosmic Ben. The duo are signed to Belgian record label
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
.


History

Cosmic Jane and Cosmic Ben first met at the NUS EML (National University of Singapore's Electronic Music Lab). They released their first EP ''A Different View'' in 2009 and released their second EP "A Second Look" in 2010. One reviewer praised this EP's "brand new revival to New Wave. It's the kind of song with an 80s influence with less cheesiness in synthesizers" as well as their choice of "recording of a girl speaking in a Singaporean accent". In August 2010, the duo performed in
Baybeats Baybeats is an annual 3-day alternative music festival organized by Esplanade, and held in Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory c ...
festival. In 2014 they became the first Asian band to sign an album deal with Belgium-based alternative electronic music label
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
which also represents international artists like
Front 242 Front 242 is a Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. Pioneering the style they called electronic body music, they influenced the electronic and industrial music genres. History Formation Front 242 were for ...
,
Recoil Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, for according to Newton's third law the force requ ...
,
Nitzer Ebb Nitzer Ebb () are an English electronic body music, EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends Bon Harris, Vaughan "Bon" Harris (programming, synthesizers, drums, vocals), Douglas McCarthy (vocals), and David Gooday (drums). The band were ...
and Bruderschaft. This gave them better access to audiences everywhere especially in Europe and America. This exposed them to overseas music critics in Germany, Sweden, and the UK, receiving favourable reviews of their "euphoric club-friendly tracks full of light trance leads and compelling dance beats permeated by ethereal feminine vocals" and "light and airy chill out track" and "synthpop and new wave waters with a fuller and more cohesive sound". The critics also gave positive reviews of their remixes for other
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
artists like: -
Psy'Aviah Psy'Aviah is an electronic rock band from Antwerp, Belgium. Career The band were formed in 2004. Later that year, they won the Studio Brussel Demopoll with the song "The Future of the Sun". In 2007, they teamed up with Len Lemeire (from Implant ...
- "Eurodance inspired remix" on Psy'Aviah - The Xenogamous Endeavour - Lovelorn Dolls - "laid-back radio mix" of “Miss Friday Night” - Mondtraume - "absolutely adored the trance touches in Cosmic Armchair's mix, and really appreciated the final few minutes of the song where the trance went along with the rest of the beat" They also received critical praise for their cover version of
The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
song Friday I'm in Love "Then Cosmic Armchair hits me with a track so full of candy rave goodness, a guilty pleasure of mine (don’t judge me, that’s my job!), and I am absolutely in love…but hey, it IS Friday. This album gets a thumbs up for this track alone." Critics in Singapore also enjoyed their ""old school electronic hymns that educe the rave days of the 90s" and they were listed in Singapore newspaper TODAY as one of "Singapore’s electronic music makers". As part of the Electric Avenue series of concerts also featuring other Singapore electronic musicians like weish, Cosmic Armchair performed two sets at The Esplanade Outdoor Theatre on 11 April 2014.
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
released Cosmic Armchair's third EP ''We are watching'' in 2014, and their fourth EP ''I Don't Belong Here'' in 2015. The 2015 EP was described as "a sound that comes close to Robyn or La Roux. Catchy electro with a house beat! I Do not Belong Here is a catchy, and with the right mix this could be a club hit." The duo performed ''Digital Dondang Sayang'' featuring
Pantun ''Pantun'' ( Jawi: ) is a Malayic oral poetic form used to express intricate ideas and emotions. It generally consists of an even number of lines and is based on ABAB rhyming schemes. The shortest consists of two lines, known as the in Mal ...
composed by Ben's
Peranakan The Peranakan Chinese () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (region), Nanyang (), namely the British Empire, British, Portugu ...
great-grandfather, at NUS Baba House NUS Arts Festival in March 2016. In November 2016, the duo visited Japan to perform songs from upcoming album at EBISU BATICA, Tokyo and at Treasure River Book Cafe, Chiba, Japan. In 2017, they released first Album ''Contact'' from
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
. One reviewer described it as containing "all the best attributes that Cosmic Armchair have represented all these years viz. an authentic channeling of 80s synthpop, now commonly called “synthwave”. Not that Contact is purely retro in scope as there are sufficient modern EDM elements to keep the younger listeners interested." They were named one of the ”10 Highlights of Past Baybeats that We’ll Never Ever Forget” on
Baybeats Baybeats is an annual 3-day alternative music festival organized by Esplanade, and held in Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory c ...
blog in 2017. In 2018 they were commissioned by The Esplanade to produce The Sight of Sound, performing original electronic songs while generating live animated images from different characteristics of their music, and inviting the audience to participate in the creative process by creating collaborative artworks inspired by the music.
Psy'Aviah Psy'Aviah is an electronic rock band from Antwerp, Belgium. Career The band were formed in 2004. Later that year, they won the Studio Brussel Demopoll with the song "The Future of the Sun". In 2007, they teamed up with Len Lemeire (from Implant ...
engaged them to remix another song, Hold On, for the 2019 album Soul Searching. In 2022 their song 'Bleed' was released as "an exclusive 19-track label CD compilation in the April 2022 issue of the unique Gothic magazine" in order to "celebrate 20 years of Alfa Matrix and over 30 years of collaboration in mutual respect and care". The Electrozombies blog review described Bleed as "classic, melancholic atmosphere. Soundwise with a lot of sad piano and strings and of course rain sounds in the background. The opening is so classic that it could be from L'âme Immortelle." In 2023, Cosmic Armchair performed at The Esplanade, Singapore, as part of the Red Dot August festival.


Discography


Albums


EPs/Singles

* ''A Different View'' (2009) * ''A Second Look'' (2010) * ''We Are Watching'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2014) * ''I Don't Belong Here'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2014) * ''O Come O Come Emmanuel'' (2017) * ''Falling'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2018) * ''Cannonballs'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2018) * ''Valentine'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2018) * ''Frontiers (Sight of Sound Remix)'' (2018) * ''See You (Sooner)'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2019)


Remixes

* ''Our Singapore (Cosmic Armchair Remix)'' (2019)


Compilation albums

* ''Matrix Downloaded 003'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2014) * ''A strange play - an alfa matrix tribute to The Cure'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2014) * ''Matrix Downloaded 010'' (
Alfa Matrix Alfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases musical styles including aggrotech, industrial music, dark elektro, synthpop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, the label consists of label and artists manager Séba ...
, 2021)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cosmic Armchair Electronic music duos 2008 establishments in Singapore Singaporean musical groups Musical groups established in 2008