Despite the restrictions that govern Singapore, F&B establishments Naga House, Nothing Fancy, and Offtrack have hit the right notes by melding music and food to create a unique multi-sensory experience for anyone who winds up in this little city.
Restaurants are built on their culinary expertise, aiming to develop novel flavour profiles and deliver the utmost service to their patrons. These are the prerequisites of a dining experience, but a few have adapted and revised the foundations. Of many, Naga House, Nothing Fancy, and Offtrack broke this chain. The three share two primary pillars: food and music blending harmoniously, where eclectic music incentivises customers to visit or dine in longer. They boldly opened their doors amid the pandemic in 2022, defying the uncertainty that had caused a domino effect of F&B businesses shutting down.
(Pictured above) Nothing Fancy
During the trying times of the pandemic, the F&B sector was not the only one that went through a metamorphosis. Music did too. In the post-pandemic reality that we live in now, the landscape of music appreciation and engagement in Singapore is departing from “cultural cringe”, a deeply ingrained mindset that fostered a sense of inferiority toward local talents. “Foreign is better” was a biased admiration for them, but what catalysed the current seismic shift of including local talents?
Isolation nurtured a yearning for authenticity and a new wave of recognition for the burgeoning local music scene. “More people are looking inward for inspiration; this is influencing and giving people the confidence to start new collectives because we are realising now that we don’t need to rely on external forces to make good things happen here,” says Daniel O’Connor, co-founder of Offtrack.
“Our main target audience is to feature hidden talents in South East Asia which have not been shown a lot of love by clubs or music collectives,” Poon Yik In and Tay Boon Lee, the founders of Naga House and more so backbones of Singapore’s music scene, said. “There is a huge pool of talent to feature, which Singaporeans wouldn’t know until they turn up for our events and realise that these DJs have more to offer than they thought.”
Offtrack
As music reverberates off the walls again, a part of the scene is hopeful. Dean Chew, another co-founder of Offtrack, summarises this sentiment aptly, mentioning how the level of appreciation and engagement is different now. “There’s a more earnest attitude with party- goers, creating new conversations and dialogues more than anything, pre- and post-pandemic,” says Chew. As our entertainment needs are satisfied after two years without it, the labour that goes into creating hybrid programmes gains greater recognition.
The Trailblazing Trio
Naga House was originally a humble home-based business brewing cold brew coffee in their kitchens. Today, they are a brick-and-mortar establishment with a music arm extension, Naga Sounds, frequently throwing parties at Tuff Club. Similarly, Nothing Fancy started as a cosy café in Jalan Besar before transitioning into a natural wine bar. The beloved shoegaze party, Daydream Nation by Ginette Chittick, Jukulele’s and Fancy Tunes are some music-related events hosted under their roof. Lastly, Offtrack, born from a collaboration between established DJ collectives Darker Than Wax and Ice Cream Sundays, features a rotation of local and regional selectors while offering Pan-Asian food to complement their cult classic drinks. These spaces have transcended their roles as mere food and drink establishments, evolving into creative sanctuaries celebrating the seamless interplay between music and culinary delights.
Chow aside, they strive to create experiential moments. “The DIY ethos is a lot stronger now. We are experiencing the same spirit of the DIY culture from the 1990s but adapted to our current context,” says Chew, capturing the spirit of this evolving landscape.
In Singapore, where optimal productivity is prioritised, and every square foot is expected to generate income, F&B businesses are compelled to adapt and innovate with new concepts.
Poon Yik & Tay Boon Lee, founders of Naga House
The three can be likened to being a third space, where the auditory delights of live music, with the world of gastronomy and libations, also bring a unification of diverse communities.
For Asmine Koh, managing director of Nothing Fancy, food and wine are like the base of ice cream, and the topping is music. Just as sharing a favourite song can spark a connection, food and wine facilitate authentic encounters at her wine bar. “When you realise the person next to you has ordered a dish that caught your eye, you might ask them about it out of curiosity, and that is when a conversation naturally occurs. Unlike in other social settings where you might wear a social mask, this connection feels genuine.”
Through an unlikely encounter with a customer, Jiang, who does not drink natural wine, Koh explained the distinctions in her love for the alcoholic beverage. “We started talking and exchanging about ourselves, and it turns out she is a film professor. Her friend said she began spinning (DJing) at home as a hobby she picked up during Covid-19,” says Koh. What started as a joke about Jiang spinning at Nothing Fancy manifested into her being Nothing Fancy’s first residential DJ. “Her choice of music and transitions blew me away; I just thought of doing it again and again with her.” Koh continued.
Chew and O’Connor have also put considerable effort into curating their selectors at Offtrack. “We see Offtrack as this platform to come out to play. With that, the selectors can bring their community, and it grows the space. It’s like an octopus with many tentacles — it keeps growing,” Chew remarks.
Ever so often, Naga House receives direct messages on Instagram from aspiring local DJs who want to play for them. “We are definitely open to that, and we do try our best to include new players in the game,” Poon and Tay mention.
Offtrack
Rocky Roads Aplenty
However, crafting the endeavour to host regional and local selectors is a challenging feat. Singapore, a city teeming with ambition and creative energy, has long grappled with the scarcity of dedicated music venues. Doubling up as a venue to host music comes with its setbacks.
Koh has had her fair share of unfortunate experiences at Nothing Fancy with numerous restrictions, such as difficulty securing the appropriate licenses and dealing with residential complaints and police raids. These incidents have caused the music to come to a halt. “When the authorities come, they will mention that it’s a residential area, and we’re not allowed to have a music event here, even if we mention that we have a license,” she remarks. It is a tough endeavour that Koh is aware of and cautious about. “At the end of the day, we just want to bring music out and to let people appreciate more. We are still trying our best, and we won’t give up,” she attests.
“For Naga House, we try to do music nights at our place once in a while, but it is not the best place to because the layout of our space isn’t ideal. There are also always limitations with licensing issues.”
The team at Nothing Fancy
They perhaps are more fittingly creative hubs under the disguise of an F&B establishment and appear to suit the definition of a “space” better as it allows room for what they can become. Poon and Tay’s observation comes to mind: Humans are always creatures of habit. We do not venture into the unknown unless forced to.
And rightly so. How can we be aware of — let alone enjoy Singapore’s evolving music scene if we are oblivious? The stereotype that Singapore does not embrace novelty is one that these spaces want to change.
Music stands resolute, and the other pillars need to work together. To Poon and Tay, music has always been an important part of their lives to express themselves freely, “Lacking in one of the other wouldn’t cut it to give a good vibe to the place.” Koh humbly brings her personality into the space by playing the music she enjoys, and for Chew and O’Connor, playing discerning music that is not found often in other bars has always been requisite.
Yet, the three bars continue to go beyond those elements because people want to visit such establishments for a curated experience that speaks to them. Nothing Fancy serves as a multi-concept space — tables can be rearranged on a whim to become a music venue, or the bar can be shifted to accommodate an art exhibition. Offtrack recognised that the one element missing from their vibrant music community was a physical space to extend the reaches of their musical realm, thereby optimising the bar’s acoustics as their priority. For Naga House, most customers are now friends, feeling completely at ease in the space, as if it were their second home.
Offtrack
Alone We Are Weak, Together We Are Strong
From the inherent constraints, there is a growing hybrid trend — and everyone has each other’s back. “There is more dialogue because Singapore is small. All of the different collectives share a calendar, which I believe is a component that enriches the scene more than before. We plug in and tap in as much as we can.” Chew noted.
“We need to push for the venues here because there is an opportunity for growth in this space without cannibalising each other. This is a positive trend that’s happening now. The more spaces there are, the bigger the community grows and the more culturally richer it gets. With more people becoming interested in music in these sorts of spaces, it works better for everyone involved,” O’Connor added.
Koh also resonates with this sentiment, “Nothing Fancy might be a brand on its own, but we need to be friends with everyone in the industry. We’re all doing the same thing — one person can’t get far, but with many, you can.”
Naga House
Brighter Days Ahead
Before they knew it, their first anniversaries had passed, leaving them with a palpable sense of achievement. These spaces have carved themselves into a niche where creative expression is frequently restricted. Undoubtedly, there are a few others quietly emerging and certainly more to name who have done the same as the aforementioned — blazing paths to allow such havens altogether to exist in Singapore. Some might question if the saturation of this spatial use would be for better or worse, but beyond the draconian facade of Singapore, they merely want everyone from all walks of life to take time out.
As the second year beckons for each establishment, Naga House, Nothing Fancy and Offtrack are a testament to how the convergence of diverse passions under one roof can leave an indelible imprint, standing self-assured at the precipice of new beginnings.
Dean Chew & Daniel O’Connor, founders of Offtrack
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