Listen to Shelhiel’s experimental new serenade ‘Sayang’

Malaysian producer Shelhiel has returned with a dramatic new track, ‘Sayang’, his first full-length single in 2022. 

• READ MORE: Shelhiel: The auteur riding a new “organic” wave of Malaysian pop music

Described as a track expressing “undying affection” for a loved one, the genre-bender begins as a tender paean led by a heavily compressed acoustic guitar and unadorned falsetto vocals, before becoming abruptly interrupted by a minimal, bass-heavy house beat at the halfway mark.

Listen to the evocative single below.

‘Sayang’ is Shelhiel’s first new full-length song for the year, following a string of reworkings and remixes. In June, the producer released the ‘Farewell, Angel’ EP, which consisted of a string-led reworking of his 2020 track ‘Runnin, Merindu’ and two musical interludes.

Earlier in March, he released ‘SUPERSTROBE (Remixes)’, which showcased remixes of tracks from his 2020 EP ‘SUPERSTROBE’ by electronic musicians from across Asia, including Malaysia’s PUTOCHINOMARIĆON, Singapore’s Fauxe, Korea’s oceanfromtheblue and crwn, the electronic side project of SOS drummer King Puentespina.

Shelhiel’s debut EP ‘SUPERSTROBE’ was released in November 2020, and features collaborations with oceanfromtheblue, fellow Malaysian singer-producer NYK and rapper Airliftz.

The EP was later featured as one of NME’s 25 best Asian albums of 2020, with writer MC Galang highlighting the producer’s accessible and intimate songwriting: “On ‘Superstrobe’, Shelhiel brings us along on his fictionalised journey as a fallen angel finding love outside of paradise, navigating the spectrum of pain and pleasure with piercing intimacy – and great accessibility.”

In March, Shelhiel was featured as one of a handful of Asian acts showcased at annual Austin media conference SXSW, alongside Japanese punks CHAI, Korean synth pop quartet ADOY, Elephant Gym, Balming Tiger, Haru Nemuri and more. Later in May, he performed alongside fellow Malaysian artists Lunadira, The Fatalis and Babychair at Kuala Lumpur’s City ROARS! Festival.

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