Internet Music: The Essential Tracks Of Southeast Asia’s Underground

Culture, Lifestyle

Internet Music: The Essential Tracks Of Southeast Asia’s Underground

Our regional artists are creating music from their rooms — blending global subgenres with local roots. In a scene often focused on the West, these names are carving out something entirely their own.

By Aqeil Aydin

May 27, 2025

Today’s music landscape doesn’t just cover your typical genres of indie rock, hip-hop and R&B. The pandemic era changed the game by introducing songwriting and producing to the everyday person, resulting in a gold mine of new and old artists uploading to Soundcloud and Spotify, straight from their bedrooms.

In Southeast Asia, several underground artists have made it big through small setups, such as Cayenne and Astral Angels. This era itself also paved the way for many subgenres including hyperpop, pluggnb, jerk rap and rage, which allowed artists to express themselves with the sound that resonated with them the most. Riddled with synthesisers, distorted drums, and experimental vocals, the underground scene embraced chaos and the clashing of instruments to produce a distinct sound.

But when people think of underground artists, they immediately look to our foreign neighbours in the West. From rappers like Nettspend, who started making music from his phone through the app Bandlab, to artists such as Snow Strippers, who revived the sounds of previous Electronic acts such as Crystal Castles. The influence internationally is undeniable, but Southeast Asian artists have brought something uniquely their own — infusing cultural and traditional sounds into their music to reflect their roots and identity.

Diving into the underground, here are 10 standout tracks that capture the essence of Southeast Asia’s hidden gems.