Four Blank Walls: Experiments in Sound #4

Synopsis

The acclaimed Four Blank Walls: Experiments in Sound, organized by NUS Centre for the Arts third space, returns for its fourth edition as a part of the NUS Arts Festival 2025 to break the fourth wall.

Four Blank Walls is an ongoing sound art project recurring every semester. For each edition, a new group of NUS students with different sound artistries workshop together with the guidance of electronic sound artist Syafiq Halid to create a collaborative experimental sonic performance. This festival edition of Four Blank Walls pushes itself to new heights by involving literary elements by n:ow arts, culminating in an experience that pushes the boundaries of conventional music, sound and written art. This edition under NUS Arts Festival is presented as part of third space supported by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific.

This edition of Four Blank Walls features NUS student musicians Aditya Joshi, Ian Sin, Nic Wong, Shreya Ramasamy and Xiao Wen, and NUS student artist collective n:ow arts. It is facilitated and directed by Syafiq Halid. Secure your tickets now for an evening filled with musical innovation and creative exploration.

This show may feature loud sounds and strobe lights.

The show will be held at NUS University Cultural Centre Atrium. The venue is wheelchair accessible. It is a free seating/standing performance where audiences are encouraged to roam around for the duration of the performance. If you have specific access needs or questions, please get in touch with our team at [email protected].

Syafiq Halid is a manipulator of sound, electronic artist and experimental percussionist based in Singapore. He has worked in several traditional and contemporary performing arts projects regionally with various collaborators and companies at platforms like the Esplanade, National Gallery Singapore, ArtScience Museum, Nusasonic and Goethe Institute.

Drawing from sounds, aesthetics, and experiences of the Malay world, Syafiq’s compositions traverse the grey realms that exist between the traditional and the contemporary. His creations deconstruct, exploit, and reimagine these sounds, manifesting them into an experimental sonic language unique to Southeast Asia.

Aditya (stage name Adeee), a devoted aficionado of hip hop, immerses himself in the rhythm and flow of the genre, reflecting his passion in every aspect of his persona. Clad in oversized baggy attire that echoes the street culture, he draws inspiration from the vibrant aesthetics of graffiti, mirroring the urban energy that fuels his creativity. Inspired by the Indian Hip Hop Scene, he immerses himself in diverse artists, fusing their influences into his music. Beyond hip hop, he explores varied genres, skillfully blending their elements into his beats and rhymes. His eclectic approach creates a distinct sound, showcasing his commitment to pushing musical boundaries and evolving his craft.

Follow and support him at @thisisaditya17 on Instagram.

Ian Sin (stage name Minian) is a beatboxer who utilises a loop pedal to layer his vocals live. As a one-man band, he recreates entire songs using neither instruments nor pre-recorded tracks, but only his voice. Being a vocal percussionist, he has developed a style that prefers energetic yet soulful genres such as country, reggae, progressive house and liquid drum’n’bass. After earning the title of Loop Station Champion at the Singapore Acapella Championships last year, Minian aims to continue pushing the limits of his acoustic-electric hybrid style and hopes to further empower the local Acappella scene as such.

Follow him at @minian_musik on Instagram and @minian4949 on YouTube.

Nic Wong explores art at the cusps of intersections, dreaming of those fleeting moments of tensions and release, and weaving disparate threads into coherent focus. Nic’s passion lies in the exploration of patterns and structures, and how they’re perceived. Building on an oddly eclectic span of musical experiences, Nic primarily writes and performs with the progressive symphonic metal band Sangriento, and is currently building a photography portfolio at @uroborael on Instagram.

Shreya is a versatile vocalist from Singapore, blending the rich traditions of Indian music with contemporary global sounds. Also a passionate guitarist and electone player, her artistry revolves around reimagining the intersections of Tamil pop, Carnatic melodies, and Western musical genres such as rock and pop.

Follow her journey at @shreyathekid on Instagram.

Xiao Wen (b. 2004) is a Singaporean composer studying at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore. She is passionate about writing music that reflects her own experiences and creating musical experiences that can impact others.

Xiao Wen has worked with soloists such as Martin Jaggi, Carolin Ralser, as well as ensembles such as Duo Tarenna, b-l duo, Trio Immersio and Tacet(i) Ensemble. She has participated in festivals such as Sounds of Now Vienna Contemporary Music Festival 2024 and International Composition Institute of Thailand 2024. Other than composition, Xiao Wen also plays the piano and the electone. Find out more about her works at her website here.

n:ow arts is a new theatre-based art collective, formed by chong shen hao, Evangel Wong, Koh Tzee Yen, Lew Yi Wei and Lim Kai Ling. n:ow arts aims to spark meaningful dialogue through nuanced performances that shine a light on the human experience and pressing social issues. By doing so, they wish to expand the boundaries of what the arts can be and who it is for.

They believe that there is no better time than n:ow to create.

Follow them at @now.arts on Instagram.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

NUS University Cultural Centre Atrium, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent, Clementi, Singapore