Written by Louis Pelingen When it comes to emo music, you will hear the elements evolve in today’s music. Where the angst and emotional turmoil grasped more bombast and grit, especially towards the hooks blasting off at farther distances and the instrumentation bringing all its firepower and elevating the writing that stretches the pissed-off characteristics to greater heights. Whether those elements slip through genres of indie and mainstream pop, rock, and genre-infusion spaces, it makes the songs themselves feel more punchy and easy to get into with those emo stylisms especially when sites like TikTok can get into these kinds of songs pretty quickly. And when it comes to Daine, a Filipino-Australian musician who has worked with certain artists like Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs and Oli Skyes, she meshes her influence of rock and metal with hyperpop and hip hop. It was only a matter of time before she would showcase how she would take this genre-fused take to emo, given that most of the songs were written around 2016. And after putting out singles for the past two years, she has finally put out her debut mixtape, ‘Quantum Jumping’. Genre-fused emo music mostly stands out if the melodies, instrumentation, and vocals stand out to make the emo-tinged tones work even more. Unfortunately, dozens of listens to this mixtape left me wishing that some of the elements are improved upon. Because for the most part, the lyrics of Daine’s past personal stories of growing up, either dealing with her very first personal breakup, social isolation, or mental illness do make up for some solid writing, especially when it’s framed as nostalgic and how it showcases Daine finally celebrating her triumphs which makes sense because most of these songs are written around 2016 and the mixtape is literally entitled ‘Quantum Jumping’. It clearly shows that this is an ode to her younger self who was still struggling with a lot of things back then and finally breaking through it as her embrace of emo music allows her to push past it and be the person that she is now, and I personally liked that sentiment. But when it comes to the music itself, there are just a lot of tough decisions that do not elevate the writing, specifically the melodies, the production, and Daine as a performer. As a performer, Daine still has room to grow as her delivery doesn’t bring more tension when she tries to express her angst or convincing charisma when she tries to be a bit more mellow. It doesn’t help that the production feels overstuffed with texture and not enough melodic tone as the trap percussion does not add to anything, the blurry textures and inconsistent drum and vocal mixes only make the tracks feel oversaturated and overshadow the guitars, and the vocal filter on Daine’s vocals only makes her sound so brittle on a lot of these tracks. But the bigger issue is the melodies, where the hooks end up sounding mild and stiff, and the lack of tempo variation and distinction between chorus and verse melodies on a lot of these just makes the mixtape feel a lot longer as a result. It’s the reason why the mixtape starts off on a weak note, with ‘cemetery dreams’ being the worst song to start the mixtape with the limp melodies and trap percussion that may have been imported from an amateur made pop song in the 2010s and this sadly continues with songs like ‘weekends’, ‘black and blue’, and ‘IDC’ even if Daine’s contrast between her deeper vocals and shouts are appreciated. But going past that, the mixtape does end up with a decent back half, with ‘glitter’ just having that guitar strums amidst minimal trap loops, ‘comes and goes’ being the best song as the production finally ebbs back with the oversaturation and allowing the mix to breathe with the drum machine textures fitting so much better amidst Daine’s heartfelt performance, and ‘new ground’ ending the mixtape on a nice note with the quicker tempo, punchy instrumentation especially with that guitar, and Daine’s assured vocals. To end this off, this oddly reminds me of Charli Adam’s debut record last year also has some genre-fused emo touches and personal reflection of their past and celebration of the present. While Charli Adam could’ve amped up her vocal chops on some of the songs in the record, it’s compensated with melodies that have some oomph to them as well as production that allow the mixes to breathe and let loose when needed. And I personally think that that’s what is holding me back with Daine’s mixtape, where the overblown production, stiff melodies, and lack of vocal charisma and tension just do not elevate with the writing that feels reflective and relatable to those who have struggled with their personal demons in the past. While Daine has grown from her past, and this mixtape does showcase her growth, it does not represent her best output at this very moment. For the time being, this might resonate with those who have been scrolling into the punk side of TikTok and Twitter. And for Daine, this jump is a good effort, but she can definitely leap into better strides in the future. Support the art & the artist:
Category: EPs / MIXTAPES
EP REVIEW: As Silent As The Forest – Tranquility
Words by Elijah P. Founded in 2015, progressive rock-slash-math rock trio As Silent As The Forest have personalized their arsenal into something more vigorous compared to holding-hands-in-the-air, tree-hugging milquetoast math rock bands out there. For a band that’s premised behind tree stumps, inserting atmospheric passages about the wilderness and the likes, ASATH have more what others bargained for in their latest EP titled “Tranquility”. As the title suggests, there’s more to peaceful riffages and swells than most advocates assume. In tracks like “Young Blood”, the band embodies indiemo sentimentality all the while armoring themselves with heavier lead tunings, deeper bass lines and masterful drumwork. The kick-off track “Unsaid” and its opening lines imply a fearless attitude, far from standing beyond the precipice of math rock’s cliches. There’s an even balance of calls for mercy and emotive vocal deliveries, making it border between a post-hardcore and math rock project. Rarely a divisive choice of thematic sound can come across as consistent but ASATH have done it in a way where they’ve told a story while simultaneously packing a catchy chorus or two. However, in the grand scheme of things, “Tranquility” can become lopsided by its contrasting tracks and almost identical song structures. As much as there are odd timing and tunings made in the record, the record can quite become tedious in continuous listening sessions, that’s if the listener doesn’t pay too attention to its devilish and sonically inherited details. The title track attempted to deviate from the tracklisting before it by adding an intense double kick drum – which in retrospect barely acts as a motif that helps elevate the track’s themes. By the last track titled “Dark Days”, the EP has turned itself into a full on post-hardcore record with guitars tuned lower compared to other tracks. That is where the project starts to fall flat on its head. As Silent As The Forest’s first ever EP stands on its own, but it barely stands out as a one-of-a-kind record that defines the movement. “Tranquility” has some highs when they’re paid close attention. The project has its lows when listened to as a wholly math rock record. Support the art & the artist:
EP REVIEW: Tsuyunoshi – 2004
Written by Elijah P. Tsuyunoshi, a young up-and-coming contemporary pop and r&b act hailing somewhere in Southern Metro Manila made some noise on the Soundcloudsphere for releasing catchy-as-hell bops and frequently collaborating with producers and performers who specialize in playing around genres that involve heavy percussion and lighthearted Ne-Yo-esque production (may it be drum and bass, dubstep, or 00s r&b). ‘joshwa’ — a producer based in Seattle, by way of Honolulu, whose frequent collaborations with Tsuyunoshi earned both performer and producer their own respective spotlight in the international r&b and rap spotlight in the United States — assists their compadre carry the entirety of their debut full-length 2004 to the Discord music scene and the entire world. For the clueless reader still begging who in the world is Tsuyonoshi: Where does “2004” start? At what point in time does the album begin? The album’s main star kicks off the album with weepy lyrics and a whiny hook, both possessing catchy and chant-worthy moments wherein Tsu’s voice doesn’t reach to a point of overbearing; “astray” starts and finishes with joshwa’s guitar chords serenading the listener. Tsu continues to bob and weave joshwa’s playful production choices, injecting anthemic melodies per syllable, consistently driving the track forward even if the guests try to surpass each other. “sidetracked” — one of the album’s main highlights — Tsu battles with balancing the valuable love language of spending time, alongside the dense production that adopts a clunky style, a sound that’s matched with Tsu’s running thoughts as he sings the words out loud in panic mode. “twofaced” adds lush guitar picking, funky synths, and the occasional high notes; the climactic vocal registers is honestly a skill Tsu needs to be recognized more besides the celebratory whiny vocal style. Overall, the entire album runs in 17 mins and 7-tracks. From the get-go you would ask yourself whether or not the relatively short length constitutes an “album”; But by the end of the day, the quality of the music speaks for itself. Tsuyunoshi’s “2004” proves that their ideas aren’t restrained by the limited length. The ideas in question: back-to-back banger r&b vocal stylings amplified by genre-defying production, the soft-loud dynamic highlighted by its tireless performance, and Gen Z’s massive influence in combining vibrant sound choices in the fold. Support the art & the artist:
EP REVIEW: CREPUSCULAR DAWN – IN FILMIC STASIS
Written by Nikolai Dineros Hardcore turned post-punk: At least, that is where the appeal for the newly formed post-punk outfit, Crepuscular Dawn, who recently unveiled their debut release, In Filmic Stasis, comes from. And while some may argue that hardcore and post-punk/no wave come from the same umbrella, one cannot deny that switching styles can be an arduous task, especially for the more creatively established musician. Upon rummaging through the vast archives of old, forgotten performance clips from the peripheries of the local hardcore scene, all in search of any material from the members of Crepuscular Dawn’s other projects, I was only able to find a handful of music to go by – one from Bandcamp and the other from YouTube. The parent hardcore bands in question are Eyes of Fire – Manila and Off The Chain, the former of which had a studio album – branded as stoner blues rock –, a live album, and a demo release published on Bandcamp, all for the taking. As for the latter, all I gathered was a live performance of their song “Mainland Pride” on YouTube. Fast forward to ‘In Filmic Stasis’, the once brutal and in-your-face mosh preachers are now sporting synths, dismal and eloquent songwriting, a melancholic “Insiang” (1976) cover art, and a copious amount of reverb and high pass filter across the guitars and vocals, respectively. Sad vibes all over, but you can still bang your head to it. ‘Whirlwind’ is a brilliant tone-setter, kicking off with a rich rhythm section backed by an infectious guitar riff, and the singer’s expressive and emotional crooning that remains at the forefront throughout the five-track project. True to the band’s hardcore roots, “Geworfenheit” then takes all these elements and elevates them even further. The vocals are much more potent, the wall of guitar and synth passages that are simultaneously at play are explosive, and the glittery counter-melody provides more glam. “Pilgrim” is memorable for its intense and powerful guitar-bass line that complements the thumping batterie, and that “Death is the only constant” line that goes on repeat at the final leg of the track. Much like ‘Geworfenheit’, it borrows a lot from the band members’ former hardcore sensibilities. The first three-track run is a strong and uncontested one, but even “Empire of Speed”, which follows after “Pilgrim”, has its fair share of amazing feats. It is easily Crepuscular Dawn’s most upbeat and straightforward song in the record, thus making it stand out on its own, at least before “Leper God” plunges at the opposite direction to finish ‘In Filmic Stasis’ at a depressive note – typical gothic fashion. Support the art & the artist: N/A
EP REVIEW: Chall – Quezon Citypop
Written by Elijah P. Looking for an alternative sound is like choosing a specific category at a bookstore; the possibilities are endless. For solo artist Cloud aka Chall, he has familiarized himself with several sounds and chose to give it a spin in his YouTube channel; From the noisy walls of sound of My Bloody Valentine to the drunkard hypnagogic musings of Mac DeMarco — both artists nowadays are a dime a dozen due to their unashamed imitators regurgitating their ideas. And it is safe to say that Chall tries his hardest not to end up like one of his idols in his latest EP. Chall waltzes in the streets of Quezon City at the break of dawn. With a cigarette in hand, he treats himself to a dinner-for-one blowout in lieu of the release of his debut EP titled “Quezon Citypop”. His feelings regarding a lost love are as consistent as choosing a soft pink and red color palette, but musically, his actual output pales in comparison to his long-haired shredder persona online. In Chall’s first ever extended play effort, we hear passionate ballads track in and track out, breathing in the nicotine of everyday hustle and bustle while simultaneously breathing out the scent of sea salt by the shore. “Quezon Citypop” sounds exactly like you imagine: a hybrid of jangle pop hanging by the sea of city pop cliches. From track 1 to track 5, you get the idea that Chall wanted to replicate what was great about Citypop, but one thing he hasn’t made clear is what does it have to do with Quezon City? Our imagination with a genre that was prominent in the past feels hard to pin down in the EP. “Quezon Citypop” hardly imagines a better tribute with barely any heady songwriting — something Chall should brush up on in the future. At the opener “Midnight Moonlight”, the track bum-rushes the second the record starts. It was a sudden whiplash of bass slaps and uneven mixing choices that don’t gel well with the urban romanticism themes. As well as the consecutive tracks that followed such as “Easy Morning” and “Tanging Halik”, both tracks felt longer as usual due to its elongated song structures that bore more than they could amuse its listener. Additionally, the sheen on those guitar solos hardly echo right through the awkward hook writing. Neither can the occasional technical wankery can save the EP from being madly in love at its genericness. The last tracks like “Pretty Japanese” and “After Hours” are on the nose attempts at duplicating the aesthetics of City Pop whilst implementing a ‘sad boy’ twist in its lyrical themes. The only problem here is these themes barely work in that kind of unorthodox setup. The closing tracks yields an underwhelming afterthought that hardly values any relevance to its title and the production’s attempt at polishing a clean, jazzy, funky City Pop-inspired record. Chall’s “Quezon Citypop” represents stale ideas of a movement that’s gone way past its due. The lonerist upbringing hardly convinces and sways and it all the more sells cheap nostalgia, abandoning all original angles of what makes Quezon City a center for pop in general. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
EP REVIEW: LORY – s/t
Written by Elijah P. Parañaque’s very own desktop pop musician Mikee Mendoza aka Lory released their debut self-titled EP with the help of Terno Recordings. Like a tidal wave on a sunny afternoon, the 16-year old sophisti/city pop wunderkind virtually came out of nowhere. With their label distributor promoting their upcoming EP in the middle of a Facebook doomscroll, the chance of seeing a polo-wearing starry-eyed musician with a knack for guitar licks and synth-y embellishments are unmissable, unless you’re the type to follow Terno’s highly curated city pop picks in the past 3 or 4 years. Apart from this project, it appears that Lory could gel with the Terno crowd, only for a short while that is. Partly this is due to the uncharismatic vocal presence throughout the self-titled project. “Pleaser” and “See The Now” have outstanding chops in composing a colorful mishmash of riffages and bleeps, furthermore the guitar work emulates lounge-y theatrics and the laser-like synth presets hop in and out of the track whenever it likes. But to emphasize chops in a constructive manner, the singing barely carries any of the bright production that’s established in the EP; “Over (Now)” drags tremendously as Lory continues to become a grand champion at the annual snorefest, specifically in the vocal department. Its vocals have become a factor at diluting the soundscapes to mere copypasting of previous musical trends, such as the peak of Spadesmania or She’s Only Sixteen’s millennial Poblacion bar songwriting. Lory instantaneously drags the listener to its doom by providing an underwhelming closer to the EP. The production choices and its outlines are spick and span but its direction leads to a sonic dead end. To what looks like a fantastic from front cover to back listening experience, the debut project holds itself back in tweaking its gear to full throttle. Lory’s self-titled EP is a trial and error piece on city-pop sound design and a clear example of how its vocal performance could potentially end up in becoming a deal breaker for many. Support the art & the artist:
EP REVIEW: Chimera Mix – My Pet Rat
Written by Louis Pelingen Sometimes, musicians can get very productive, which can result in them putting out multiple records or EPs that contain distinct or experimental ideas, both in the production and composition side. This gets frequent in the modern underground scene, where their work ethic, lack of label presence, or even just having an ear for creating melodic structures out of the gate allows them to put out music in a ballistic state of mind. In these cases, it is interesting to see how their musical output remains consistent across the board and how their growth keeps sustaining with every record they put out, especially with that kind of musical force they belt out. Introducing Chimera Mix, the musical side project of 17-year old Patorikku who hails from Paranaque, who also goes under the YouTube channel moniker under the Patorikku name that focuses on eerie creepypasta-esque videos dipped with a VHS aesthetic that’s pretty much the trend these days. His musical output under Chimera Mix is downright impressive, to say the least. While it does encounter the issue of being bloated, the fact that he has 9 records under his belt blitzing through indie rock, psychedelic pop, hypnagogic pop, and even hard rock with creative melodic and instrumental tendencies he can pull out in thin air is just remarkable. And on this EP that was released last month, Chimera Mix wastes no time concocting 4 tracks that dabble in his usual hypnagogic and psychedelic pop weirdness which ends up being a fascinating peak in his career so far. ‘Prelude’ introduces the listener to soothing atmospherics that breaks down with these hypnotizing synth, drum, and guitar melodies just before it slows down and eventually concludes into these relaxing vocal harmonies. ‘My Pet Rat’ is a jaunty cut that contrasts the downbeat lyrics of the protagonist’s guilt of his dead rat as the instrumentation shuffles and progresses into a pure frenzy, especially the piano work and the brass instrument thrown into the chaos. ‘Tommy’ provides similar melodic and vocal zaniness as the last track paired with existential, dark lyrics and some Beatles worship in the mix coming from the guitar solo and the piano work. It ends off with ‘215 – 300 Version’, a song that was in his 2019 record, Pliocene. It retains the original dream-like aesthetic from that record with the fleeting synthesizers that develop even further, paired with a surreal and bleak lyricism that ends the EP on a mysterious note thematically, but on a satisfying note musically. While Chimera Mix has afforded to create fascinating melodic and instrumental twists and turns in his past records, ‘My Pet Rat’ EP has shown his musicianship at a state of refinement that continues to impress me, even with the creative strides that he has showcased on his past albums. He’s a trickster with dozens of tricks up his sleeves. And with this EP, he’s someone you might want to pay attention to in the future, for you’ll never know what kinds of exciting magic he’ll put out next. Support the art & the artist:
EP REVIEW: neytan – Normal Pop Radio
Written by Elijah P. There’s an unspoken gap in synthetic pop grounded from the bedroom and r&b recorded in lapel mics, and the one way to address the void in between those genres are the acts that bridged it: Men I Trust, Clairo, and just to name a few. Those artists paved the way for DIY musicians to come up with ideas wherein they mix in several musical influences and ultimately come up with a singular, signature sound or movement. It was an itch longing to be scratched for many and yet it’s still missing the oomph everyone was looking to consider. For bedroom pop/r&b neophyte Nathan Ron Del Mundo aka Neytan, it comes across as if that itch has been scratched by his versatility and taste in his first ever EP titled “Normal Pop Radio”. Judging from the EP title alone, it looks and sounds like the 17-year old performer-producer wasn’t trying to duplicate an era that was lost, but rather he finds comfort in the strumming, the vocal twisting, and the mic cupping with additional themes of love, infatuation, and other what have yous that are sonic hallmarks in those respective genres. Tracks like “ALMANDINE” and “Malaysia” – the latter track being a loosie that isn’t on this EP but it exemplifies his knack for choosing appropriate melodies – are examples of hard-hitting and hazy production choices that best suit his vocal range. There are showcases of variety in genre choices but it’s enough to disjoint the EP even further. The filler tracks “SHE’S PRETTY (OUT OF MY LEAGUE)” and “CHICKEN WINGS” are products of soft soul and r&b that are easy on the ears but run on the mill if seated among the sea of songs that are identical structurally. It only makes it more superficially restrained rather than melodically consistent that would brand their identity later on. If anything “Normal Pop Radio” is memorable for, it’s the sheer potential the young up-and-coming musician can pull off sonically. However, his vocal chops could get a little bit of training before he can go full on Rex Orange County while surfing on those dreamy symphonies cascading to the drum machines. Neytan has a lot of work to do in the future, especially when searching for a natural sound to cling on and not rest on the laurels of his Discord contemporaries. Moving beyond one’s influences is one step closer to being a performer of a lifetime. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
EP REVIEW: Shanti Dope – Basic
Written by Elijah P. “Basic” is Shanti Dope’s statement to rap’s mega complex. Right off the bat, he finds it easy to course through 5-tracks showing that he’s the best. The young Caviteño has barely even reached his creative peak. Shanti’s career as a rapper so far has been a mix of triumph and controversy: PDEA tags “Amatz” as a negative influence towards his audiences; Gloc-9 passes the torch shortly after signing a deal with Universal Records; Disney+ adds the aforementioned track in their hit series Falcon and the Winter Soldier; and clearing his name from being affiliated with the notorious Miguelito Malakas. The de facto leader of Young God Recordz first started out from playing at small rooftop bars in Bacoor. Now he has the whole world on his hands. For this EP however, he’s going back to his roots. “Basic” was an assemblage of his cohorts; he givesthe spotlight to his closest family in his own label — minus Pricetagg Official and Hero who have their own respective cliques to handle in the competition. He maximized his resources for this EP, it’s evident comparing this from his previous full-length outing as a rookie back in his self-titled debut release – a project where we witnessed his first stumble as a rapper. It had tracks that expressed his juvenility and impulses, but neither of those subject matter proved a checkmate in the game. In “Basic”, there’s maturity, solid schemes, and a mission. All the tracks were mapped out, Shanti being the master at his element: tracklist feels more compact but packed with punchlines, guest features feel at home, and most importantly, Shanti Dope proves time and time again that he isn’t just a rapper with a double-time flow, he’s more than that. Shanti has a skillset almost no one can match at his age and current status. In the title track “Basic”, he and fellow Cavite partner Mhot go back and forth at a boom bap beat, all the while playing around with different voice pitches by the latter half, which calls for an experimental phase in Shanti’s music. The different voices of Shanti possess a different tone in his arsenal, wherein his untouchable hook writing can go very well together with his affinity for pitching his vocals differently in each track; The best example of this stylistic choice are either tracks like “Tabi” or “Loaded” – the former takes a form of a tamed conscience while the latter describes the life and times of a desperado at the dead of night. “Basic” collects one of Shanti’s best tracks in recent memory. The instrumentals put a good spin to the solo rapper’s career as he continues to push himself further as an individual with a generation behind him and raise the standard of rap altogether. Support the art & the artist:
EP REVIEW: Ozzga | Polar Lows SPLIT
Written by Janlor Encarnacion As we enter into the third year of this never-ending pandemic, bands have kept their hands busy. Enter two up-and-coming local shoegaze bands with their own version of relentless noise: Ozzga and Polar Lows have broken the deafening silence and released a surprise split EP. Spanning only four songs, it whets the listeners appetite for the potential of what the bands can unleash. The EP starts out with the banger track “Feel You” by Ozzga. Upbeat and hard-hitting, Ozzga dictate the pace with a high tempo track that is not usually heard of in the genre. It also debuts their newest member – Poti – on vocals. Her sweet melodies add a delicate contrast to the distortion of the band. ”Should” is next and is a personal favorite of mine ever since they played it at an Alternatrip show and it finally has a proper recording to do it justice. The back end of the track also features a droning transition – as the band mentioned – to introduce their co-stars in the EP. Polar Lows’ “Paper Street” is a surprise, mainly because of the male vocals and song structure but also shows the versatility of the band members. According to Pablo, the song is his take on a dissociative experience similar to the narrator’s experience in the movie Fight Club. The EP ends with “Ellipsis”, another stellar track from the band. It features the signature vocals of Megumie and the bombastic percussion of Josh, coupled with Pablo’s expertise with fuzz and reverb. Though really short in scale, the EP shows potential from the scarce tracks – leaving fans excited or more robust releases from both bands in the future. This EP is a definite must-listen from two bands that pave the way for shoegaze in the modern era. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST: https://ozzgaph.bandcamp.com/album/ozzga-polar-lows-split