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Singapore’s drug laws are great: DJ Steve Angello

SINGAPORE — DJ Steve Angello thinks Singapore’s “drug laws are great”. The DJ, formerly one-third of the now-defunct DJ supergroup Swedish House Mafia, is in Singapore to speak at the International Music Summit today (Dec 11) and will play ZoukOut on Saturday.

DJ Steve Angello. Photo: International Music Summit

DJ Steve Angello. Photo: International Music Summit

SINGAPORE — DJ Steve Angello thinks Singapore’s “drug laws are great”. The DJ, formerly one-third of the now-defunct DJ supergroup Swedish House Mafia, is in Singapore to speak at the International Music Summit today (Dec 11) and will play ZoukOut on Saturday.

Speaking to TODAY in an exclusive interview, Angello revealed that he’s a fan of the republic’s strict laws. “I think restrictions are good because it's good for this genre of music. It’s not good for the scene if we have people overdosing and dying,” he said.

Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festivals, typically associated with a drug culture, have been getting a bad reputation with drug-related deaths. The closest incident to home was at the Future Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur in March this year, where a few punters died of drug-related causes.

With all of Singapore’s restrictions, he said: “I like that it’s tough and hard to do stuff but when you do it, it’s going to be very well-executed.”

And where better to start building the future of EDM than here. Angello, who says he has been coming to this part of the world for the past 10 years, is excited by the growth in the Asia-Pacific region and the availability of a whole new audience demographic here. “I saw this happen in America in 2005, 2006 when that whole (EDM) bubble started growing, and I see that potential here.”

Like him, Veteran DJ Paul Oakenfold, who is also in Singapore for the IMS sees Asia as the next epicentre for dance music. He said: “We saw it happen in Europe. Now the sleeping giant in America has risen. Where we’re going to be looking at next is this part of the world”.

“I know it’s far for a lot of artistes, but it’s worth coming here multiple times a year,” Angello concurred. 

But even as “everything is pop” when it comes to EDM, Angello feels that DJs have a responsibility to concert and festival goers. Rather than an act, Angello believes that dance music is “multi-cultural”, undefined by language. “It’s an atmosphere and I think that’s what people are buying into, and I think we need to keep the quality so that we don’t give them a bad experience,” he said.

Angello also revealed that his new album drops in the first quarter of next year, which he says will have some “melancholic” and “dark” tracks. And no, the DJ doesn’t feel that he has to come up with a club banger. “I play for the biggest crowds in the world, every day. They are the judges, and if I see something doesn’t work, I know what to do to make it work.”

He’s planning an extensive tour after the release of the album - and yes, he’ll be back in Singapore - but first, there’s his set at Zoukout.

He said: “I’ve always wanted to play ZoukOut. It’s always been on my radar but I’ve never really had time because I’ve done standalone shows or I haven’t been in the region.”

And no, he’s not fussed if he doesn’t replicate the same success he had with Swedish House Mafia. As for talk about a reunion, Angello didn’t mince his words. “No,” he said.

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