Q&A: "Decipher", Baybeats and New EP
Photo: Decipher
Singapore's local music scene has always been thriving to showcase their up and coming acts over the past few years. Decipher, a five-piece ambient post-hardcore band is one of them
Formed in 2013, The band's current line-up consists of unclean (screaming) vocalist Ahmad Hedzir, guitarist and clean (singing) vocalist Wira Satria, guitarist Darryl Lim, bassist Gary Doh and Niki Muliade on the drums.
More than a month after the release of their sophomore EP titled "Strange Comfort" and getting into Baybeats 2017 - which is one of the biggest local music events in Singapore - as a budding band, I had the opportunity to interview Wira Satria of Decipher (clean vocalist and guitarist).
Hi, Wira! Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview! How's the preparation for Baybeats coming up with the band?
Hey, its my pleasure! Preparations for Baybeats have been slow and steady. We’re along the lines of processing administrative matters before we start grinding on the practice sessions this June.
With the recent release of your sophomore EP Strange Comfort, how would you say your musical direction has changed over the past couple of years?
I guess it's fair to say that our musical direction has changed a considerable amount over time. We grew up wanting to be this band that played hardcore music with heavy breakdowns that would be attributed to more as “noise” by the norm. Four or five years later and I'm 22 now . I think we've all grown and experienced our fair shares of life to a certain point where we'd have matured over the years as musicians and friends too.
The first single of Strange Comfort titled Sleepless (which is arguably my favourite song in the EP) is a song with no unclean (screaming) vocals. What led to the decision to write such a song?
Thank you! When we entered the studio to track this record, we all came to an agreement that we’d just write what we feel and not care about what anyone else thought of. We threw away the notions of “what if’s” and “no’s” this time. Sleepless started out as an acoustic song and I wanted the integrity of its lyrics to paint its own elegant story. It all worked out pretty cool in the end, I mean Ahmad and I switch roles halfway through sets these days and that's pretty cool.
Photo: Decipher
While we're on the topic of writing, what is your songwriting process if you don't mind me asking?
Writing “Strange Comfort” was a really different experience for us. As a songwriter, I am a person who gets really, really emotionally involved with the music I write. When it came to writing the guys, I’d have to tell them the “story” of the song before we eventually start writing. I’d usually come up with the skeleton of a song and pitch it out to the guys. Darryl would eventually sit with me and we’d really beef up the guitar and bass parts. The final parts would consist of sharing stories with Ahmad as we collectively write the lyrics to our tracks.
Who are your key influences and/or role models that drove you into doing music?
It might sound rather weird from my part but The Rev (Avenged Sevenfold, heavy metal band)
He really inspired me to play music, not only cause he was one of the best drummers ever but also cause of his ridiculous demeanour.
It was mentioned in one of your studio diaries that you guys got Callan Orr from Dream on, Dreamer (Australian Post-hardcore band) to master your EP. How did you guys come to meet and work with him?
Callan was someone that I had wanted to work with for years. I was a huge fan of his work (namely in Stepson and Pridelands) and I hit him up with an email. One thing led to another and we ended up in Melbourne. That was pretty cool.
What's next for Decipher? Are you guys going to be playing more shows after Baybeats 2017?
We have plans of a single in the near future, that's for sure. Apart from that, there's a couple of shows post Baybeats that you might want to keep a lookout for!
Apart from Decipher, do any of you play in other bands? We'd love to check them out!
Ahmad sessions bass for a band called Ruth, Darryl does lead guitars for a band called Isles plus his acoustic stuff called “Little Sleep” and I’m doing up a little shoegaze act and a solo thing called “Breakwater” in time to come! Of course though at the end of the day we’re still heavily invested in Decipher.
Finally, who are your favourite guilty pleasure artists that people least expect you to listen to?
I love Carly Rae Jepsen.
Now before we sign off, any advice to aspiring musicians out there in Singapore?
There’s a time and place for everything in this world, Do what you want and what you yearn for but always remember that your future is what you’re working for at the end of the day. As much as playing music here is not a sustainable craft, have a blast with it before it’s eventually time to hang those boots up.
If you guys are interested in checking these talented boys out, follow them on the following social media platforms
Facebook: @thedeciphersound
Twitter: @Deciphersound_
Instagram: @thedeciphersound
Bandcamp: https://deciphersound.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3fi020uA9oZedrIQevTMQU
