Rattling off subgenres of music, DJ Arthur Tan sits comfortably in his seat and is completely in his element. The ease with which he discusses music comes from over a decade’s worth of professional experience, first as a dancer, then as a DJ, producer, and musician. He talks of Afro beats, UK garage, and stutter house – the up-and-coming sounds that will soon reverberate off dance halls and clubs (that is, if they haven’t already).
But what’s the local equivalent of all these international symphonies? Off the top of his head, and to the best of his ability, Arthur Tan answers that it’s budots. A grassroots subgenre of EDM, budots is the theatrical Filipino counterpart to the musical brackets that have been popping up in nightclubs everywhere. Though the DJ does admit that at some point, classifications such as these become meaningless.
“Because of the Internet [and due to the influence of] bigger artists, music has almost become genreless,” notes Arthur. “Now, there’s the presence of an almost genreless music, which I think is great.”
For DJs like Arthur, the experience of music can be both immersive and inclusive. In a way, it’s globalization at work – melding African drums with grunge from the UK or Chicago house. Now, you don’t even have to go to a club to enjoy club music. In fact, his recently held exhibition at Ayala Museum, entitled “Curated Frequencies: A Sonic Exhibition,” showcases this exact thesis. Performing in the museum had allowed Arthur to introduce listeners to a spatial and 3D audio setup – a pioneering act in the Philippines.
“When I was traveling around, I saw how a lot of clubs put emphasis on the speaker placement, quality of sound, and how people were using visuals to create mood,” he shares. “Curated Frequencies is the first of its kind in the country. I wanted it to be an immersive, multi-sensory experience to show that dance music isn't just constrained to partying — it can be elevated in many ways.”
Of course, the most important aspect of any musical performance is the DJ or musician himself. To be a good DJ, Arthur maintains that one must be able to read the dancefloor. Not only that, he or she must be able to tell a story and showcase his or her unique style through music or mixing. All of these successfully checked off the list for audiences who witnessed Arthur’s 1-night exclusive only show.
After the Manila performance, the DJ jetted off to Singapore to showcase his talents. The narrative in his performance isn’t lost either. Each song is personal to the DJ, and he’s made sure to bring his audience along through a somewhat nostalgic listening party. “I remixed a lot of the songs that I loved growing up, but I put a modern [production twist] on to it,” he explains.
At the end of the day, music – as with any art – is an evolving industry. While Arthur has years of experience tucked in his back pocket, he finds himself a continual learner. Constantly on the lookout for good music, he is a mainstay on SoundCloud, Spotify, HQ, Apotheka, and Xin Chao.
While in many ways, he’s shaped the club scene himself, the DJ continues to hone the next generation of musical purveyors and pioneers through After The Noon, his music label and artist management service, which brings both local and international artists to the scene, reminding Filipinos that yes, there is a lively – if somewhat underground – music and dance scene that’s only waiting to be discovered if you haven’t already.
