Written by Jax Figarola Stepping back from the energetic beats and quicker rhythms of drum n’ bass in Lean Ordinario’s sophomore album ‘Make Noise,’ LONER—his solo project—ventures into new territory with five tracks of mellow techno-trance music in his third album, ‘DROPSTAR.’ This shift in genre reflects the influence of Metro Manila’s underground rave and club culture, which has surged in popularity post-lockdown era. Transitioning from syncopated breakbeats and heavy basslines to faster tempos and ambient synths, LONER charts a new course while maintaining a kinetic pulse that keeps his old fans in the scene engaged. His shift from creating drum n’ bass, which is a genre relatively uncommon in the Philippine electronic music scene, to a more conventional blend of house and trance might initially seem like a move towards the familiar. Yet, ‘DROPSTAR’ defies expectations, proving to be anything but ordinary. While it might lack the novelty of his earlier work, it certainly rises above mediocrity. LONER still embraces the fast tempos characteristic of his previous releases, but this time, with a spirit of experimentation. He incorporated elements of house music, crafting seamless, repetitive melodic pounding of kicks and hi-hats against rich ambient synths, creating beautiful instrumental interludes. Furthermore, his charismatic and resounding vocals, especially on tracks like ‘Stop Playing’ and ‘Don’t Wanna,’ fit well in the project’s theme of noncommittal love and situationships. His voice feels like an invitation to an intimate, late-night dance—just you and LONER, lost in the rhythm, filled with moxie and mutual infatuation. The serene four-on-the-floor drum patterns where his vocals are absent offer a refreshing change of scenery. Beginning with the pre-game energy of ‘Stop Playing’ and building up to the dreamy crescendo of ‘Figure It Out,’ the album evokes a hypnagogic state on the dance floor. Each track during its instrumental passages offers a corrosive and psychedelic moment, transporting the listener to another world. My personal world was under the mushrooms in a forest, where I danced with Pinoy gnomes to a storm of spores. Despite the project’s brevity, clocking in at just under 15 minutes, ‘DROPSTAR’ quickly becomes an earworm especially after repeated listens. Each track, while distinct, contributes to a cohesive whole art piece. The ambient synths that dominate when vocals are absent beautifully complement LONER’s voice when it reappears, peaking the dance experience in standouts like ‘Bahala Ka Na’ and ‘Figure It Out.’ Despite the seemingly minimal production typical of trance, the production in ‘DROPSTAR’ is anything but minimal—it’s a profoundly sublime art piece in its entirety. With his amazing past releases and this new project, LONER’s contributions to the Philippine electronic music scene truly deserve applause. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
Author: Elijah Timothy Pareno
EP REVIEW: Yaelokre – Hayfield
Written by JK Caray Keath Osk, more known by their stage name Yaelokre, has captured the attention of the Medieval fantasy-loving, Renaissance Faire attending part of the online community—garnering millions of streams, likes, and even a fandom of their own. An all-around storyteller, weaving stories through music, art, and performances, the artist first showed promise through their single “Harpy Hare”. After a few months, Yaelokre follows up with their debut album “Hayfield,” the prologue to their ongoing musical centered around the world of “Meadowlark”. Depicted with gorgeous art and a strong stylistic direction, it’s clear that “Hayfields” is part of the love project that Keath Osk has been brewing for years. However, it is still the kind of art that can be hard for some people to digest due to its perceived peculiarity. As for the music itself, “Hayfields” is a tight and cohesive concept EP, with influences that range from The Oh Hellos to AURORA. Although it suffers slightly from its unpolished production, the picturesque storytelling paired with the eloquent almost Nordic style of singing proves effective at showing the points across. “Hartebeest” for one sets a thrilling introduction, hyping up the entire album aside from its cryptic lyrics. In it, the scene is vivid: it feels like running in a mystical forest that promises one-of-a-kind adventures. “Harpy Hare”, the more known single, is a catchy stomp-and-holler song about an overprotective mother told through interesting symbolisms and metaphors. The track carries the energy that Hartebeest starts with and adds more to it; Yaelokre’s headstrong voice being the center of the song, every word pristine. In “And the Hound”, the blistering tempo mellows down as it goes to a more ballad approach, featuring the most moving and most powerful vocal performances of the entire EP. Here, Yaelokre boasts their prowess in songwriting, the lyrics being equal parts morbid and captivating. The closing song “Neath the grove is a heart” starts with gentle flutes and builds up the song along the way. Compared to the other songs, the song is much lighter yet still as grandiose. Warmth is felt across the beating of its drums and the harmonious vocals in the end, innocent and magical. It is an enchanting ending that calls back to the start of the EP as it includes leitmotifs of “Harpy Hare”, and “Hartebeest”, further hammering the feeling of going home. By now it’s obvious that this kind of project does not mix well with some, but Yaelokre’s instant rise to success may have exemplified the amount of naysayers. Scrolling through the comment section of some of their posts, a horde of people express their disapproval of the concept calling it “cringe.” While the question of it being cringeworthy is subjective and varies from person to person, is it bad to just have whimsical fun? “Meadowlark” as a whole is a world built on childlike wonder, a time where judgment was not yet commonplace—would it hurt for us to revisit what it felt like back then? Sure, Hayfields and the rest of Yaelokre’s works may not be for everyone, but when it does hit, it hits you hard. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Darren Cashwell – NUMBER ONE
Written by Elijah P. Pop duo Darren Cashwell has a colorful history, from creating remixes on the fly with top EDM DJs before the pandemic to transitioning into gentler, chorus-driven guitar pop, and finally crafting cool-guy pop music with “NUMBER ONE.” Ironically, much of that “color” in their music now feels somewhat dated, given the oversaturation of pop from the 2016-2019 era. For a track that aims to capture the feeling of love and being “wanted,” it ends up sounding one-dimensional and lacking the charisma needed to make a strong impact. The guitars and drums are standard pop-rock fare, and the rap-influenced style of the duo follows a familiar blueprint. This may be the effect of a major studio standard: evident in songwriting style and a lot of imagery that’s tailor made to look safe and barely reaching any newer ground. Their background of being music producers in the past still seeps through, coming full circle all the while being not sticking. This formula makes “NUMBER ONE” feel somewhat predictable, especially considering the duo’s seemingly contrasting styles. Neither member stands out distinctly, and their chemistry seems to be missing. The chorus, unfortunately, doesn’t quite stick with the listener. Star Music Philippines appears to have a tendency to feature artists who, like their roster, can come across as somewhat generic. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: Shan Capri – Past Flight
Written by Aly Maaño You may not know it yet, but Shan Capri might just be your next favorite alt/pop artist. Despite being new in the music scene, this artist isn’t afraid to push sonic boundaries by producing songs that reflect her eclectic taste. With her new single “PAST FLIGHT,” Shan lets us feel the rush and exhilarating feeling of meeting someone—an instant connection, a tender but fleeting desire. Drifting away from her soulful sound, Shan takes a deliberate turn to produce catchy hooks and melodies with a rich, flirtatious bass woven into her dreamy, sensual vocals. “PAST FLIGHT” begins like a summer adventure with its zappy riffs gearing into a playful chorus with an intimate delivery. It’s intuitive in its attempt to be soft but also impulsive. The song possesses a certain tenderness and vulnerability but is also effortless in being sexy. It’s short like most pop songs but just as it ends, you’ll want to impulsively hit play again. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Liminal by Ruru
Written by Faye Allego Picture this: You’re twelve years old, your parents run an internet cafe down the street and you borrow your Kuya’s PSP 3000 to play The Sims 2. Your best friends come by to play the bartender game on Y8.com while Kuya is on an extreme DOTA battle. You’re not too keen on the fact that it’s the first day of school when you wake up but at least you’re having the time of your life now and who knows, maybe your mom might pack you Yan Yans or an extra bottle of Yakult for lunch tomorrow. You didn’t think of it then, but amidst all of the popular mid-aughts games, excitements, and leisures, “no one knows where they’re really going.” That lyric from Ruru’s new single titled “Liminal” transcends me into this portal of, well, liminal spaces. Spaces I had never thought would be so empty, yet full of life in retrospect. The song is upbeat, it does not contain the subtle mood of tragedy commonly heard in wistful chord progressions and melodies, however, the lyrics say otherwise. The song’s lyrics as well as perhaps the lack of strings, share key elements seen in the Hauntology genre; in the sense that something “lost” from the song’s features is haunting. Aside from channeling how the song feels sonically, this song looked like a kaleidoscope of every single one of those dreamcore, corecore, weirdcore, and vaporwave aesthetics I’ve seen across social media. Any lyric can be used to caption a liminal space photograph and evoke the feelings of longing for something you didn’t realize you’ll never get back as an everyday, mundane feeling. The worst part is that “something” can be everything from the past. In Ruru’s words, “We’re just way too in our heads/ Passing on acquaintances/ Some days I’m not quite myself / Yet I’m on my bed…” Liminal is also one of those unique tracks where you don’t need to actually feel a certain emotion when listening to it despite the existentialist lyrics. It’s a song that could pass as an Animal Crossing tune on a Nintendo DS. It can be your go-to shower song, or the absolute final song you choose to go on your Instagram story when posting to a monthly wrap-up collage template. I’d love to hear this track be a part of an album that explores the genre of Hauntology or even avant-garde electronic music that we don’t typically see in OPM. Additionally, the cover art for this track could pass for an album cover itself! It looks like Ruru’s self-portrait is taken from a driver’s license, exemplifying adulthood or the oversaturation that can suggest the technicolor that life brings in the mundane. Or maybe she just looks really good and so does her music. That’s what I think. Cheers to more Ruru! Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Fern. – SO FLY
Written by Louis Pelingen It seems as Fern. is now working towards his next solo project for the foreseeable future, with him steadily putting out songs that now linger within 2000s R&B that he fawned over, showcased through both the art direction and the music itself as there has been more intrigue towards the 2000s nostalgia more than ever before. But out of the three songs that he has put out thus far for this upcoming project, “SO FLY” is the one that struck the most within his delve towards this 2000s R&B flair. From the chalky drums, glittery synths, and warbling bass that carry a composed, pristine melody, Fern’s vocal touches ooze with so much charm and wonder that he manages to stick the landing towards creating a sense of inviting allure, something that his vocal flair alongside the abundance of harmonies and melodies able to encapture marvelously. Despite the drum textures sound a bit flimsy, this song’s melodic spark is remarkable from front to back. With every single listen, it never fails to fly high to something ever so spectacular. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: DIONELA ft. Jay R – SINING
Written by Elijah P. After almost hitting every note and scoring every possible R&B collaboration known locally, Bulacan-based pop singer-songwriter Dionela has finally hit the algorithm goldmine in streaming with their collaborative hit “Sining” alongside R&B royalty Jay R. Not too long ago, the same mainstream artist and respected industry titan passed down the “crown” to the young neophyte on live television. Dionela humbly turned down the offer by returning the symbolic crown to Jay R in the same segment. Looking back at that moment symbolizes a lot about Dionela’s output: clunky, laughable, and an overall striver that fails to follow up the greatness of any industry singer-songwriter from decades before. Despite numerous attempts to hit the sweet spot in choruses, the “all my life” line is more laughable than sticky in the sensual listening experience. “Sining” is as grating as sprinkling rotten cheese on a bad serving. The awkward use of Tagalog in the verses and choruses feels forced, much like the strained high notes. Meanwhile, the unbearable lows don’t cover up the shortcomings of Nelly’s Tagalog counterpart. When Dionela tries, they try hard, just like the chorus they’ve written. Jay R, on the other hand, turns the track around. However, when an industry veteran tries to steal the spotlight rather than complement the feature, something unequivocally goes wrong in the execution of the track. “Sining” neither looks nor sounds sexy; it’s a track that begs to make sense. Like a ribcage rumbling from the notes of a xylophone while rupturing longing feelings. Did that passage make sense? Not really, and neither does “You’ve turned my limbics into a bouquet” when your prefrontal cortex is fully developed. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Shanni – 19
The second single from neophyte soft pop singer-songwriter Shanni is more enchanting than their debut by a lot. Venturing into dreamier soundscapes rather than city pop beginnings, Shanni’s “19” commands a slightly more consistent and somber approach to their tender sensibilities in pop songwriting. Shanni sings over the gentle compositions as if skiing on a mountain: It’s breezier than it sounds, and with its execution landing more consistently compared to “Sa Panaginip,” “19” feels like an ode to the influences worn on their sleeves. Call it derivative of Men I Trust or Faye Webster all you like, but Shanni is carving out their own lane in songwriting. It’s not theirs to claim just yet, but “19” serves as a proper stepping stone for the young pop star as they emerge from their creative shell. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: To Love Everything Ever Again – Jonah
Written by Elijah P. In every scattered, programmed drum loop, bitpop-influenced keys, meddling string section, and vocal delivery, there’s an underlying sensitive theme at play in “To Love Everything Again” — the solo indietronica and chamber pop project of Janpol Estrella. The track exudes a tight embrace and a strong tug at the heartstrings. It’s quiet yet hauntingly melodic; there’s lingering depression yet a playful energy that hangs in balance with a grim foresight. “Jonah” is the debut single you shouldn’t miss. Singing about sensitive topics such as sudden urges of suicide and the like, Estrella carefully orchestrates an experimental thread of influences: electronica weaving through folk-inspired elements and such. While listeners groove to “Jonah,” it serves as an assuring sign of hope and a reminder of the reality we all must face eventually. The concept of “youth” remains central to the artist and its listeners, as experimentation and pushing the envelope exist on the fold, which is exactly what To Love Everything Ever Again is doing right. “Jonah” is a single that everyone should check out in the year 2024. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: fuzzy headcoat – Czai
Written by Elijah P. Eastern Metro Manila has become cloudier and more ethereal than ever before. The solo bedroom project fuzzy headcoat delves into the ethereal wave, exploring the indie/alternative genres with its almost repetitive distorted guitar work, xylophones, and the gentle twee vocals of their vocalist. Drawing inspiration from the enigmatic “world music” netlabel and incorporating hints of Reed-isms in their vocal work, fuzzy headcoat partly satisfies expectations while balancing it with charming instrumentals. Although the track may feel hollow at points and repetitive for its own good, “Czai” embraces its transient nature, appearing fleeting and almost structureless yet meandering in its separate listens. This is an impressive take on jangle pop songwriting because it functions as a song and doesn’t delve too deeply into abstraction. fuzzy headcoat shows potential, but they still have a long way to go. Support the art & the artist: