Written by Aly Maaño How does one hold on to a moment that’s almost palpable but fleeting? How does one express awe in the face of something ethereal? Sometimes, words hold no meaning when the otherworldly presents itself in forms that make you hold your breath. Hailing from Davao, cosmic suns attempt to express these intangible feelings in their debut single, “Ethereal.” In the world of shoegaze, pedals are tools for creating sensations that go beyond hearing. Cosmic suns know just how manipulate fuzz to achieve textured riffs that explode into microcosms of desire, longing, and turmoil. Their distorted guitars swirl and bend with other instruments while dreamy and distant vocals orbit around them like an invisible knot — connecting each conjured world into a single hazy soundscape. With these elements, “Ethereal” remains loyal to the genre. However, it finds itself treading into skramz territory as the chorus breaks into agonizing screams. But hearing a vocalist desperately screaming in a shoegaze track doesn’t break through the expansive wall of noise but merely complements its obscurity. Drenched in lush reverb and delay, the screams add a haunting effect that only intensifies the heavy emotions the song is channeling. When layered with clean vocals, the result is as visceral as a memory from years ago that leaves a lump in one’s throat. At this point, there’s no need to interpret; we must surrender willfully to the auditory frenzy. Cosmic suns may still be protostars in the vast shoegaze universe, but they already formed the core of their sound in “Ethereal.” In their evolutionary stage, will they continue redefining the genre’s blueprint? For now, we can only watch as they traverse celestial distances one heavenly song at a time. SUPPORT THE ART AND THE ARTIST:
Category: TRACKS
TRACK REVIEW: inanotherworld – airfrying chicken nuggets for 10 minutes at 200°C
Written by Aly Maaño The beginning of the year is programmed for a personal reset. People eagerly work on their resolutions or, at least, plan the next step. But it’s not always how it’s set out to be. Some are still reflecting on the past year, revisiting old wounds to process what needs to be left behind. inanotherworld’s latest single, “airfrying chicken nuggets for 10 minutes at 200°C,” lets us linger in this period of reflection before release. This five-minute track blends the heavier sound of shoegaze with the slacker tempo and somber composition of slowcore to capture the dissonance of existing in a world that rewards constant movement over stillness. It starts with a chaotic frenzy of drums, pedal distortions, and glitchy frequencies that seem to echo an initial frustration. But it’s nothing that a long walk can’t subdue. This is what the first half of the song feels like. A long walk around the city after coming back from school or work after the holidays. The gloomy tone of the guitars pulls the listener out of their reality to observe what lies beyond the concrete jungle and urban sprawl. Even with melodies meant to evoke a melancholic mood, the track ironically inspires the listener to romanticize life and find serenity amidst the chaos. With beautiful, ghostly vocals accompanying sparse instrumentation, the experience is stretched out into a hundred blissful moments. As seen in the track’s cover art, snippets of the cityscape feel like a much-needed pause to take everything in. By the second half, “airfrying chicken nuggets for 10 minutes at 200°C” unfurls into a euphoric outburst, bringing banging snares and heavier riffs forward. During this prolonged sequence, a sense of comfort is instilled through sound rather than emotional lyricism. The repetition of downbeat melodies is meditative, healing almost. In this track, inanotherworld morphs common themes of slowcore — defeatism and somber slow burns — into a calm renewal. It turns a normal evening walk into an introspection while everything else moves in linear time. SUPPORT THE ART AND THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: Asian Panganay – Disconnection Notice
Written by JK Caray Asian Panganay’s debut single, ‘Disconnection Notice, ‘ talks about Filipino family dynamics in an intimate, sobering way, centering on the panganay’s perspectives. As their band name suggests, Asian Panganay is an all-asian, all-Panganay, all-girls quintet. This common attribute allows them to have the personal edge that pops out of their debut single. Right off the bat, ‘Disconnection Notice’ starts strong and hollow, even vacant, though not in a bad way. A drum beat dragging itself on and simple riffs being fed through delay pedals give a sense of motion without the drive that actually brings it to life. This gives the song more dimensions in how it tackles the subject matter. The line “I don’t have anything to say/You never hear me anyway” distills all those years of neglect, accompanied by vocals that draw the line between ache and exhaustion. In a way, it acts as a parallel to the times when eldest daughters are expected to keep carrying on, even as fatigue eats them inside. For such a bold entry, the song has already generated a brand that audiences can look forward to. This can either be a pro or a con, depending on whether the band leans into it or decides to switch it up for their upcoming releases. For now, releasing ‘Disconnection Notice’ as their debut single was a necessary move to solidify the band’s striking presence in the current scene. Now that they’ve given a voice to the unheard heroes of a Filipino family, where will Asian Panganay steer the ship next? SUPPORT THE ART AND THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: A Piloto – Asphyxia
Written by Louis Pelingen A Piloto’s comeback song since the past two years immediately wrestles with a shocking surprise splattered through his writing: an old friend just died near his neighborhood. The chills that he encounters through that information fill his entire nerves, wracking him with a desperate plea for connection that turns into solemn avoidance at the end. It’s emotionally haphazard that A Piloto expresses well, with his raw vocals just storming through all that tense situation. The frigid indie rock spirit allows “Asphyxia” to rhythmically heave, as the grooves just charge through with shaky guitar maneuvers that explode onto the chorus. It never loses its raucous flair from the start, up till its very ending. Foggy ambience and gentle guitar atmospherics now give enough space for A Piloto. He now gets to simmer what has come to pass, calmly taking his time to breathe before moving onwards, even with the ache still weighing on his shoulders. Support the art and the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: mrt – all roads lead to cubao (or wherever my grave may be instead)
Written by Louis Pelingen What would inevitably become an interesting talking point later down the line is how the next generation – in this case, the Gen Alphas – will eventually carve their paths through a lot of the music spaces thriving right now. While it is early to say how they will respond and evolve past the local indie and mainstream music zeitgeists, observing how they’d touch upon the sounds and tones to assess their craft is enough to look into. At least for the time being. Case in point, the past few releases that 15 year old mrt has released last year immediately pull a lot of the alternative rock and screamo influences – think acts like Sintasan, North Sentinel, and Walktrip – that swerved into lo-fi, raw fidelities. Those two EPs – ‘hermosa’ and ‘bokeh’ – certainly tiptoed towards those tones, from mrt’s attempts to sing and scream across shambling production, to post-breakup wallowing that is peppered across his lyrics. Now, what “all roads lead to cubao (or wherever my grave may be instead)” does is sharpen his melodic instincts amidst an exercise in dynamics. It starts off with a lilting guitar passage contrasted with his composed screams, then the song breaks out into fuzzed-out shoegaze while mrt leans more on moodier singing. It effectively reinforces the emo-tinged emptiness that is buried in this track. All in all, mrt still has ways to go before he eventually hammers down the strengths in his songcrafting, yet the intrigue to do a bit more in this song does show some promise. The projects that he has currently pulled off might not blow things away, especially with how the alt-rock and hardcore scenes have only developed into fascinating nooks and crannies; there’s nothing wrong with testing things out. At the very least, he’s familiarizing himself by trying, and that’s good enough for now. Support the art and the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Addy Pantig – Sandstorm
Written by Rory Marshall Addy Pantig heeds the listener with one thing: a warning. “Sandstorm” is an admonition explored through metaphor, showcasing the pitfalls of lost time, delivered through soulful blues rock, and with this being her debut single, it’s as gutsy as it is dramatic. Sandstorm paints a picture of gravitas and intensity, each line like a brush stroke to the canvas. The song is set in a room that’s slowly filling up with sand, and a girl, frozen in fear, realizes it’s too late. Addy has a knack for narrative, and her lyrics are a testament to that. Her “show, don’t tell” method of songwriting set the scene so well, and because of that, the experience lof istening to the track is nothing short of cinematic. The anxiety that comes with time running out rings through in her words and is further highlighted with the dramatic instrumental. Starting slowly with a steady acoustic guitar and vocals, with added elements joining in the setup as each bar progresses: an eerie violin, the muted drums, and the bass to carry the whole track, as if each new instrument is another grain of sand filling up the room. Then the build-up comes to fruition in the chorus, crashing down like a sudden moment of realization. The blues rock style complements the storytelling style of the lyrics well, which is prominent in blues. “Sandstorm” is an exemplary showcase of the magic she weaves into the music she has a hand in: Addy’s lyrics that bring with them storytelling and narrative, paired with the quiet yet intense passion that gilds her vocal performance. We’ve seen elements like this in her past work in different projects, and it’s refreshing to hear them still standing strong in her solo work. This track is the first of hopefully many, and will no doubt lay a great foundation for any tracks she releases in the future. SUPPORT THE ART AND THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: Kumare Harvey – VILLAIN
Written by Louis Pelingen After years of hosting in queer circles as well as frequently featuring on certain songs across other artists’ projects, Kumare Harvey’s debut single, ‘VILLAIN,’ is nothing short of astute. Across the neptunes-esque beat with burly guitars adding edge to his bars, Kumare Harvey lets everyone know first and foremost that he’s not one to be played around. He takes down those who try to talk shit and villainize him, but can only go so far as saying it online. He never softens down throughout; his attitude remains confident all across. Of course, it’s through Kumare Harvey’s performance that sells such a bombastic song, with a clear-cut delivery, an efficient flow, and a swaggering energy that struts with ease. His overall magnetic presence gives the song its glorious punches, especially to those who might try to pull him downwards and fail in miserable fashion. Haters gonna hate, as they all say. Support the art and the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Past Forward – Hell
Written by Nikolai Dineros Identifying Laguna-based hardcore punk from its heavily populated pack of contemporaries is like sensing a food’s quality from afar with just the olfactory. Following up on the band’s electrifying, long-awaited ‘Streetwise’ EP, ‘Hell’ checks every box of the Laguna hardcore handbook. Drawing from the deep roots of the region’s hardcore punk scene, the thundering bellows of distortion, two-step-primed rhythms and breakdowns, and the protesting wails into the microphone—all qualities that are unmistakably Laguna hardcore, bred by the subculture’s founding fathers in time not-so-immemorial as well as those that remain active at present—have become par for the course in this field. On one hand, Past Forward’s latest “Hell” carries Laguna hardcore in its DNA, and on the other, it is bound to it. While these shared attributes in the genre have been staples used by and elevated many astute punk acts of similar acclaim, ‘Hell’ packages them with not as much concern for cohesion, unlike past Past Forward releases. ‘Full Disclosure’ comes to mind, the 2017 EP that put the band into the spotlight. A counterpoint to which, however, can also be seen in ‘Full Disclosure’. The EP’s closing track, aptly titled ‘Closure’, leaves the record to an abrupt—almost trip-hop levels of mellow—beat switch; and interestingly placed track in an otherwise straightforward hardcore project. But it is more of a complementary footnote than anything, and it does not demand one’s full attention the same way ‘Hell’ does, or attempts to do. Put simply, ‘Hell’ relies more on safe conventions than a focused direction. Such a deterministic approach is not the most appropriate for “Hell”, though, as its faults more harken to culture bleeding into an artist’s songwriting that a guidelines-based, objective critique just would not cover. Laguna hardcore is one subculture with a history and influence that stretches beyond its territory’s borders into the larger Filipino hardcore punk mythos, with evolutions that led to what are now scene staples shared among artists. But it is also one mired with tumultuous principle-based infightings (more internal and collective-oriented) that, unfortunately, led to its creative stasis. San Pablo’s Past Forward—formed as recently as the mid-2010s—is one of the descendants of this respected but equally tainted movement whose creative deadlock has carried over to bands as esteemed as Past Forward. And while these ties are not indicative of the band’s dispositions and quality of work, the cultural or historical factors are more suggestions that may explain certain trends rather than cast judgment. Fortunately for them, theirs is not an isolated case. But for all the missed points in ‘Hell’, more output from Laguna’s finest only benefits Filipino hardcore in the long run, despite its dire history and current state of affairs. Its background does not discredit the wave of new and exciting Laguna-based hardcore-adjacent artists steadily rippling through our spaces. Among them, Past Forward maintains their steadily growing momentum, driven by the release of ‘Streetwise’ and whatever is to come after “Hell”. If anything, Laguna hardcore needs more Past Forwards—the resolve to move forward, carrying and learning from its past. SUPPORT THE ART AND THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: orteus – Deersong
Written by Louis Pelingen After their mixtape last year, orteus isn’t yet done crafting more music. “Deersong” lands on the very first day of January 2026, serving as the lead single for their upcoming debut album, which is charged with delightful experimentation. The drums gallop rhythmically over sweet vocals, soothing soundscapes, and rumbling bass notes that create a whirring experience, yet keep the overall melodies clear enough to be heard, gratifyingly landing the explosive bombast that comes up at the end of the song. The overwhelming nature still persists within its structure, taking more time to simmer before it finally clicks. But through the refinement in mixing balance and expanded curiosity in sound textures, ‘Deersong’ lays down a path that is worth following down the line. Potentially having more surprises that end up with us becoming like deer in the headlights. Support the art and the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: maki! – popout
Written by Elijah P. “Lahat sabog/ fuck it, we get lit,” maki! declares on “popout,” a year-opener single that wastes zero time pretending it’s anything deeper than adrenaline and appetite. But that’s the trick: what sounds like disposable turn-up rap is also a tight little mission statement. maki! opens the track greeting the listener like he’s clocking into a shift, then asks for love with the kind of hunger that most rappers like him wouldn’t barely achieve. maki! does it effortlessly. “popout” runs under two minutes, and it moves at the speed of an online reel. The beat leans into bitcrushed, 8-bit textures, turning trap into something glitchy and pixelated. maki! slides across it with melodic autotune warps and chopped-up vocal flickers, tossing newly heated ad-libs. The parking-lot setting in the song’s music video feels right: fluorescent, chaotic, nocturnal, and ready for trouble. What separates him from the usual mumble haze is that he actually commits to a slightly tilted rise of momentum. He gets from point A to point B cleanly, no dead air, no lazy hook crutch, no filler bars pretending to be vibes. With the internet pushing this slayr/CHE-adjacent strain of pixel-trap forward, maki! sounds tapped into the mutation early, proving local rap gets to catch up, sharpening their skillset into something truly their own. Support the art and the artist: