The Shanghai-based Taiwanese singer-producer has just signed to Houndstooth and is sharing her new single Times New Roman.
Houndstooth announce their newest signing, Shanghai-based Taiwanese singer-producer Scintii, with her first single for the label, "Times New Roman". Its melancholic 21st century nu-trip hop sound was developed with guest producer Danny L Harle (PC Music, Charli XCX).
"Times New Roman" is Scintii's first release since her second EP, Aerial/Paperbags, on SVBKVLT in 2018, and marks a step up from the wistfulness of her previous EPs to a tougher, deeper sound. The video for "Times New Roman" was directed by Kynan Puru Watt who has previously worked with Arca..
"Times New Roman is one of the main languages used in graphic design,"
Scintii explains,
"and this song is about finding that language for myself as an artist."
Scintii makes music that is neither obviously for the club nor is it synth-pop, instead forging a cyber-sleek and moody late-night electronica.
“I don’t really think about genre,"
she says,
"I think about what I'm trying to communicate – an atmosphere, or an emotion"
The track was co-written with PC Music producer and musician, Danny L Harle on a trip to London in summer of 2019, after Harle invited her to his studio to record some sessions.
"The main melody came to me while wandering round a shopping mall," she says, "but I wasn’t sure what to do with it.
Then I had the session with Danny and it just worked with the beat he was making. It really started to become about me feeling sure of myself as a musician and producer, going in a new direction and really being able to maximise my own voice."
With such instantly recognisable vocals, and a sound that is rooted in neither London nor Shanghai, "Times New Roman" marks Scintii out as one to watch.
Scintii - Times New Roman (single)