Dualtone (www.myspace.com/dualtone) is the performing alias of a 20 year old undergraduate currently at the School of Art,Design and Media at NTU.

She has recently released her self-titled EP, on Singaporean electronic music label/collective SILENTT(http://www.silentt.net), on the same day of her most recent gig, held at Home Club.

Her 7-track EP is a blend of melancholic, brooding vocals and dark, industrial, electronic flavoured trip-hop, at times veering towards progressive metal, and includes a few short ambient 'bookend' pieces. ("Sirenus" and "Closure")

The highlights of the EP are "Faultlines" and "Sweet Talker", two intense, caustic, propulsive numbers while "Machine" and "Sue Suicide" are slightly slower trippy, druggy pieces.

The bittersweet, cathartic vocals on the EP have deep roots, as she makes it a point to make songs that are strongly tied to her feelings and emotions. According to her, 'Machine' is about the obsession and idealistic self-delusion of one's existence, while 'Closure' is more about the crashing down of expectations and the forced closing up of unhealed wounds.

The EP also demonstrates Dualtone's polished and varied production skills even at a tender age, which is a nice touch for a debut independent release.

Dualtone is definitely one Singaporean musician to look out for in the future.

You can purchase Dualtone's CD EP for $8 at Straits Records (Haji Lane) or direct from the artist or label at their MySpace sites. International: Order via PayPal online at www.myspace.com/dualtone



*review written by Ikram, 28.10.07* Ikram is also a freelance writer for http://gratisvibes.com/