Belting out BATE beats
> The DJ duo of Ethan Curzon and Yeah Wai Hong are stretching their horizons with their debut single and video One I Love
THE MALAYSIAN DJ duo, collectively known as BATE (which stands for Brains and the Eyes), are ready to shine on a global scale with the release of their debut single, One I Love.
Ethan Curzon and Yeah Wai Hong have been active on the DJ decks for the last six years, most notably as resident performers in Zouk’s Mainroom every Friday after the sun sets.
The One I Love single officially dropped on the evening of March 9 at a dance party at Slate The Row, Kuala Lumpur, but members of the media were treated to a sneak peek earlier that day during a press conference organised by Universal Music Malaysia, and Lion Music Group.
The single – which features Australian singer Blake Rose, and Californian rapper-singersongwriter Radio3000 (real name Kenny Hughes) – also has an accompanying music video that seems inspired by an episode of the British sci-fi anthology television series, Black Mirror.
The music video, which was shot in Australia, follows a man who uses a futuristic ‘dream machine’ while he sleeps as part of a treatment programme.
The device seemingly transports him to an island paradise where he meets and falls in love with a beautiful woman.
However, the system soon overrides from excessive dependency, leaving the man heartbroken.
Yeah explained that the video was inspired by the rhythm of the song.
He said: “During the verse, the flow feels like a breakup, and then when the drop comes, it feels like you’re re- united with your loved one.
“So, I’m like, you know what, [we’ve] got to make a video where this guy is really depressed and he wants to find his girlfriend [but] we mix it with technology and sci-fi.
“Towards the end of the music video, he sees the girl again [in the real world]. That’s the whole concept – missing someone.”
The lads also have a brief cameo in the video as the hosts of a talk show.
Initially, the plan was for them to have larger roles, were it not for unforseen circumstances during production.
Clad in matching BATE merchandise from Ethan’s own clothing line Obscr, and shod in Nike Air Force 270 shoes, the dynamic duo added that in their line of work, looking good is just as important as being a good DJ.
“Appearance on stage is very important. It’s to a point where it’s 80% appearance and 20% music, to be honest,” Curzon explained.
“Nowadays, if you look at the DJs, they look like superstars, and it’s different from before, where DJs just used to wear a black T-shirt.”
However, Curzon and Yeah both believe that fashion taking a more prominent role doesn’t necessarily take away from the art of being a DJ, but is merely a natural evolution of the job.
Curzon pointed out that even sports brand Nike is one of their many sponsors.
“A long time ago, to get a brand to sponsor you, you had to be an athlete, or an actor or something … so it was really different,” said Curzon.
Putting it simply, Yeah said: “This is our lifestyle.”