In the mid ’90s, Little Ong sold a part of his record collection.
WHO LITTLE ONG, CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN AGENCY FFURIOUS
THE COLLECTION VINYL RECORDS
ACT OF IMPULSE
In the mid ’90s, Little Ong sold a part of his record collection – which included rare LPs by Singaporean musician Dick Lee, and New Wave bands such as New Order and Depeche Mode – in a car boot sale. “Looking back now, I regret doing that,” he confesses. Like many others, Ong says he got “caught up” in the digital revolution. “At the time, CDs were compact, purer in sound, and required less effort to play.”
‘LOST’ AND FOUND
But Ong later realised vinyls afford a four-dimensional sound quality and distinct audio separation of various instruments – auditory aspects CDs fail to replicate. So, four years ago, he started rebuilding his vinyl collection, by seeking out the records he used to own in his youth.
WHAT’S PLAYING
Ong ’s extensive collection of 700 records reflects his diverse musical tastes, ranging from electronica to indie rock and jazz.
LO-FI CHARMS
“All these years, I’ve been so used to downloading music, that I’ve forgotten how multi-dimensional the listening experience can be.” With records, Ong spends time sourcing for an album cover he likes, pondering the song lyrics, and enjoying the album as a collection of tracks to be played from beginning to end.
SLEEK SLEEVES
Beautiful visuals factor in Ong ’s selection process. One of his most cherished records is I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty, which features colourful artwork and an extravagant pop-up design.
LOCAL TUNES
He is particularly proud of his collection of Dick Lee records, including Life in the Lion City, Orchids from Outer Space and The Mad Chinaman. “Records of old Singapore music are expensive because they are so collectible,” he says, citing prices of around $70 for a single of just two to three tracks.
ROUND UP THE TROOPS
In late 2014, Ong organised Singled Out, an exhibition where he invited 50 local creatives to reinterpret vinyl records as artworks for charity.
CREATIVE MASH-UPS
Ong also expresses his passion for vinyls through design work. He’s currently working on the design of a vinyl record to be released by local band Typewriter.
