Written by Elijah P. 11 years after the release of dream pop and post-punk band from Brooklyn, New York’s DIIV, another band from the other side of the planet decides to name their debut album after the onomatopoeia of “ocean”. Enter Locked Down Entertainment’s bird. from Metro Manila, a 5-piece established by members from Chicosci, […]
Author: Elijah Timothy Pareno
TRACK REVIEW: BAHAW BOYZ – CHOY
Boasted as “Budots Drill” for locals, Davao City’s BAHAW BOYZ samples the classic Budots ‘tiw-tiw’ in Sample Drill’s most outrageous entry to date. Aptly titled “CHOY”, the three-verse gunfire bounces along the “sayaw mga choy” sample in between its fire hazard New York-influenced drill production. The quintet has released a handful of loosies and underwhelming […]
TRACK REVIEW: kyleaux & k1ko – Gusto Kita
Written by Elijah P. Philippine 2-step might be a pipe dream for neophytes who are born past the 2000s. But for others who’ve seen r&b delve in the corners of UK-influenced electronic music, “Gusto Kita” by 25 Hearts’ very own kyleaux & k1ko is a blessing for everyone born and adopted in the garridge and […]
EP REVIEW: Precal Dropouts – Little One, Travel Far
Written By Elijah P. Davao City’s Precal Dropouts are easy to spot in the current crop of local shoegaze, dream pop and post-punk revival bands. You have guitarists Josh and Jan Mark and bassist Ben going back and forth in scorching riffages and swells higher than the altitude of a souvlaki space station. In their […]
TRACK REVIEW: Angelo Shinohara – sayo
Written by Elijah P. Angelo Shinohara’s TikTok account is nothing but your typical “pogi cover” singer-songwriter. Cherry picking the latest alternative in the musicsphere and earning 6-digit views day in and day out, Shinohara in the light is the cliche viral artist, but in the dark, he’s different. Enter the shoegaze/dreampop version of Angelo Shinohara: […]
TRACK REVIEW: Lola Amour – Raining in Manila
Written by Elijah P. Metro Manila hitmakers Lola Amour have changed musically, literally. From shifting band members to constant codeswitching in songwriting here and there, the funky pop outfit are trained to release one single at a time. One hit after the other, the Al James collab “Madali” was almost getting there, which is by […]
ALBUM REVIEW: Kenaniah – s/t
Lipa, Batangas’s very own Kenaniah has been hitting it big since the past year with viral Spotify hits such as “Bahala Na”, “Hindi Ikaw” and “Better Now”. O/C Records has consistently kept his schedule busy by playing a bunch of large-scale shows in the past year or so, building networks in the circuit of festivals […]
TRACK REVIEW: RB Slatt – Pahna
Written by Elijah P. RB Slatt is part of the vanguard of young r&b/electronic/rap producers blowing things out of the water with their string of singles and remix that are influenced by several internet genres from the 2020s. Lambasted by the mainstream hip hop community for their looks and execution, RB Slatt could care less […]
TRCK REVIEW: ASIDE BOONDOCK ft. JustRaw – SOUFSIDE*
Written by Louis Pelingen This up-and-coming hip-hop collective hailing from Argao, Cebu is one to keep a close look on. Turning everybody’s heads this year with “Smoke Naka?” and its boom-bap production, loopy choruses, and slick flows, it’s easy to find yourself vibing to their hazy brand of hip-hop. These attributes lend true once again […]
ALBUM REVIEW: Kelady – BABAE
Written by Louis Pelingen In the first track, “Diaspora,” Kelady’s grandmother emphasizes the connections within the family. The track “We could separate but for me no separation I don’t like… If we separate we are dead already no more.” further imparts that message passed down from grandmother to grandchild. It’s a message that comes applicable […]