Written by Louis Pelingen

SHNTI’s growth as an artist is one that felt nice to see. With her debut EP last year, she showcases an unsurmountable amount of potential realized as her skillset and charisma as a lyricist and a femcee shine through. 11 months later, Tabi Ka Sakin continues her glow. Her first track written in Tagalog continues to embody her strengths as she effortlessly goes through Tatz Maven’s gloriously produced beat that’s full of crisp textures and meditative chimes. There’s so much about SHNTI’s delivery and vocal chops that make the song about the reflection of the challenges of life that are ahead of us and the message to be with friends that will comfort us along the way to resonate in a surprisingly warm way, whether that be the playful intonation that she implements in the first few couple of bars, the calming ease that she gradually keeps up throughout the entire song, and her melodic singing that has improved in spades and helped out by how it’s multitracked and how she leans into it with grace.

It is a song that might be simple to grasp, but it’s one that never fails to make me smile with each listen. It succeeds in what it’s trying to go for and more, where SHNTI’s lilting presence in her inviting writing and potent melodic structure alongside Tatz Maven’s soothing beat allows the entire package to not only be easy to get back into but also create the kind of balm that we all need in 2023. Life doesn’t have to be lived with just ourselves, because in truth, we need the bonds and connections to make it everlasting.

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