I was recently welcomed to a front-row seat experience as I attended my first gig during the pandemic. I had the opportunity to watch Houg and his band at the Blue Room at The Projector. The event was in held in conjunction with the release of his debut album, The Biting Tempo. I am delighted that Singapore is slowly opening up and live performances are returning to the roster.

Credits: Keith Wong

The live aural experience was augmented with relatable visuals throughout Houg’s performance. The past year has seen Houg release luscious grooves by way of collaborative singles with musicians all over Asia, breaking boundaries in his form of pop sensibilities and creative processes, coming together to piece together The Biting Tempo.

Credits: Canglo

The Biting Tempo is focused on Houg’s living stint in Australia from 2017 to 2020. It was a period of time filled with ups and downs, having to deal with turbulent situations such as decayed relationships, introspective stubbornness, and poor lifestyle choices. DXO, summarizes all that as it leaned towards a trippier side of time. The single explores the time between two lives, the morning hustle of a part-time day job, and a musician come evening. It is the dreary feeling of waking up in the cold hours before daylight to fulfill daily obligations compounded by the knowledge that tomorrow will bring the same with it, and the time-warped grogginess that defies the chase of wanting to be immersed in the music community.

Houg pointed out sweet moments during his theatrical performance, such as receiving an uplifting note from a child on the long tiring train ride. The recurring visual of the Myki card (transportation card in Melbourne) definitely made me miss travelling even more. Jarr definitely hits me emotionally as I feel like it is a track anyone can relate too, especially living in the fast-paced society of today. Musicians have definitely taken a hit during COVID-19, but out of this pandemic, Houg has managed to use the time to perfect his craft.

Stay connected with Houg collaborations, music videos and updates through his social media; Instagram, Facebook and Spotify!

The Biting Tempo is now available on all major digital streaming platforms!