City Nomads Radio: Hawt Hand

dj hawt hand from singapore

Artist by day, DJ by night. Hawt Hand (also known as Dennis) a Singaporean DJ who has just started his weekly gigs at Singapore‘s house and techno club, Headquarters by The Council. When not dabbling with music, he’ll be seen doing screen printings on t-shirts with his other venture, Secret Item Menu. In this edition of City Nomads Radio, he shares with us his favourite parties in New York City, the last thing that made him really laughed and his curated mixtape for us.

What’s your earliest memory of music?

Hmmm, earliest? It’s hard to pin point but I can recall bits of sitting in front of the TV and trying to record “Star Guitar” when it came on MTV. I had a Michael Learns To Rock cassette tape and a Sony Walkman at some point and errr ahah, dancing to Michael Jackson.

How would you describe your sound to a stranger in 10 words or less?

Aww baby, I like it raw.

 

How do you choose the first song of your DJ sets?

I start by rubbing my hands together to get them to a reasonably warm temperature and it’s pretty automatic from there.

We heard you’ve lived in New York previously, share with us your favourite parties.

Oh man, I’ve got stories, if you’re headed up north, do check out Black Flamingo, Bossa Nova Civic Club and Sugar Hill Disco. They are great venues with lots of personality so its hard to rank them, but they are solid weekend spots, no FOMO (fear of missing out). Lot Radio up in Green Point is good midday/weekday chill option, it has got this amazing view of Manhattan and a good latte plus there’s a great bagel spot called Frankles round the corner. Oh, and if you’re there, look out for Bunker, Rinsed and Sublimate parties.

Aside from music, what’s your favourite hobby and why?

Urrmygawd, I’m obsessed with memes! And I got it bad, I’ll always pull out my phone and start trawling social channels for them at any chance I get. I’ve got it so bad that my Tinder profile now reads,

“me: meme lord,
you: swipe right”

What was the last full-length album you listened to?

From the first track to the last? Wow, it has been a while since I took the time to listen to an entire album in one sitting, but the last one was that I could remember was TLOP by Kanye West.

What was the last thing that made you really laugh and why?

See right. It is just perfect.

 

Tell us something about the mixtape you’ve created for City Nomads.

It’s a little snippet recorded from early in the night at Headquarters by The Council. It was raining outside so I cued up a couple of weather appropriate acid and lo-fi tracks.

Any shouts?

Hell yeah! Regional pretty boy Yadin is swinging down to HQ on the 26th, it was nuts the last time we got booked for the same night.

 


To stay updated on Hawt Hand’s upcoming gigs and latest mixes, follow him on Soundcloud.

sharmaine


Marketing & Business Development Lead

The Head of Marketing & Business Development at City Nomads. Sharmaine has a discerning ear for the latest tunes, an appreciation for the visual arts, a serious case of wanderlust and an insatiable thirst for Gin Soda. Say hi if you see her at the music gigs & parties around town!