Written by Adrian Jade Francisco Fallen angels—once held in the heavens, now cast down, wandering in the aftermath of their descent. .foollstop’s “L” is shaped in a similar sentiment, an anthem of loss, reflection, lost in the reverie of ill-fated romances. San Pablo’s .foollstop has released their initial shoegaze track, a year elapsing since their live debut at Mow’s. The euphonious mix of the instruments, Huwakin’s and Ice’s vocals are cascading rivers of tears that transcend into sound, echoing throughout the song. A touch of rap alongside shoegaze is featured in the second verse, which is not something you hear in the genre every day; The monologue section before the breakdown of “L” is a bursting bottle loaded with emotions that erupts in the ending, drowning in tremolo-picked guitars and layers of vocals. Taking a glimpse at their “L” demo in Sining Shelter’s compilation “tunes for a true home,” the band slid the key into the right lock in the final version by incorporating more audio tracks in the mix. “L” weaves biblical metaphors into its narrative, portraying the perspective of a fallen angel caught in a fleeting situationship. Just as the fallen angel once knew the embrace of heaven, the narrator reflects on the short-lived moments of a love that couldn’t last. You may interpret various words from “L” such as “loss,” “ love,” or “limbo” but you can not associate the band’s debut with “loss.” Unlike the fallen angels, .foollstop’s wings chose to soar and may further introduce something of substance in an uncertain future. Support the art & the artist:
REVIEWS
TRACK REVIEW: Jamey – Do You Wanna Be Alone?
Written by Elijah P. Jamey’s music knows emotional storytelling, personified by drum breaks that hit like heartbeats, vocals that ache with raw vulnerability, and a relentless search for connection in the face of lost love. Their latest track, “Do You Wanna Be Alone?“, is an electronic music delight that shifts gears effortlessly—starting as a quiet, collected two-step before exploding into an operatic trance journey. Jamey’s vocals are the driving force, turning the intensity a notch and making the experience feel nothing short of epic. The track keeps you in the dark, basking in the glow of its instrumentals and vocal presence. The buildup is a seamless work of electronica. There are no instances of it sounding disjointed or forced. Jamey’s vocal work elevates the atmosphere, delivering a “one-time-big-time” effect that lingers long after the track ends. The nocturnal ambiance they create is immersive, wrapping you in its moody embrace for the entire three-and-a-half-minute runtime. “Do You Wanna Be Alone?” doesn’t just explore the dusky road to salvation—it walks, step by step, with an honesty that’s both haunting and cathartic. Jamey’s ability to blend vulnerability with grandeur was something to witness. It’s not just a song; it’s an emotional journey that solidifies Jamey as a force to be reckoned with in the pop landscape. They manage to make a love-sick tune that doesn’t succumb to a diatribe. Support the art & the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: Lara – Disambiguate
Written by Faye Allego It’s not unbeknownst that everyone has been stuck amid uncertainty and ultimately seeks comfort in the limerence shoegaze and dream pop emit. Five years of amalgamating ten tracks that challenge the umbrella terms under indie-rock, Lara’s debut album, Disambiguate, intimately transfigures their sonic ability to provide solace amidst uncertainty. A question riddled with intimidation crawls: how intimate can Lara get? As an introductory instrumental track, “Flight Patterns” defines the essential stylistic sounds of dream pop– it invites the listener to the parameters of psychedelia through its behind-the-pocket drumming, synth work, surging waves of the guitar’s overdrive and modulation, and the mixings in post-production don’t ruin its essence of fuzzy shoegaze. Following the hearty motifs of melancholia in the first track, we are introduced to Jedidiah Tabago’s vocals for the rest of the album. Tabago’s vocals in itself are not bad, perhaps a broader vocal resonance while singing longer notes could help his vocal abilities stand out more. The instrumental tracks of “Ambiguate” are loyal to the artist’s thematic vision of love and loss; “Sonoluminescence” in physics is the emission of light from imploding bubbles. Lara forms cavitations and fulminates an otherworldly auditory panorama, lighting up an entire city in their crystalline song craft and fully understanding the assignment when it comes to instrumental tracks in post-rock albums. However, the poetic dexterity found in the lyrics all throughout the album is splendid to the ears and further uplifts Lara’s song crafting. In “Countenance” the lines “Indulgence of each other is our delight / Savor every second if this” use sensory language to illuminate the listener’s auditory experience. The lyrics and its execution hit the brain’s neuron like Cupid and his bow in the way this song elicits lust. Though the album remains cohesive despite the vouch for experimentality in the spectacles of the Indie Pop/Rock genre, “Peaks” explores the ambiguity of noise haphazardly. Although it is a fairly good track, it isn’t sonically incohesive; the rather unserious approach to the ad lib/sound effects such as “bruh”, “yahoo!”, and Minecraft noises used ruins the flow of the album due to its Aphex Twin-like approach and distance from the limerence the narrator in the earlier and later tracks seems/seem to be going through. However, the atmospheric endeavors emulated bring justice to the experimental pathway they are in: “Loss” stands out softly. Both versions included in the album exhume a hopeful gesture toward the arbitrary happenings in life but in actuality, it is a story where the narrator follows a path down the “what could have been versus what actually happened” lane. Nearly twelve minutes of both versions combine to answer the question of intimacy these twenty-somethings showcase in their sonic ability, that the passion is ever present and it is engulfed with thought, and purpose, and disambiguates the oneness of life. Overall, Lara’s debut album is purposive and promising. Their ability to diverge from various sonic fields is frisky yet intimate– although their vocal work could use some improvements to justify their simple yet superb lyric ability. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: Chinese Garden – In Hiding
Written by Elijah P. There is something spellbinding about Chinese Garden’s debut single, “In Hiding.” From the first note, the track pulls you into a world that’s haunting and hypnotic. The lead vocalist’s longing, almost yodeling runs are the centerpiece, weaving through a sonic landscape that feels both intimate and expansive. Twisted electronic textures flicker in the distance, while sparse, echoing instruments create a sense of unease. Meanwhile, the loud, fuzzy guitar in the foreground anchors the track, giving it a visceral edge. The band’s mellow arrangements and poetic syntax feel tailor-made for the yearning hearts and restless souls of “In Hiding.” The production teeters on the edge of collapse, like a glitching computer on the verge of melting—yet it never loses its grip. Instead, it adds a layer of unpredictability that makes “In Hiding” all the more compelling. Bright, shimmering guitar tones cut through the haze while the delays stretch into infinity, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that’s hard to shake off. “In Hiding” speaks a language that resonates with dive bar scenesters and acoustic purists who’ve embraced the digital age. It’s a track that defies easy categorization, drawing comparisons to Phoebe Bridgers and Snail Mail but ultimately carving out a sound entirely its own. By the time the song ends, it’s clear that Chinese Garden isn’t just another band in the indie crop—they’re a unique force that’s unafraid to blur the lines either from the organic and the electronic, the nostalgic and the futuristic. The track lives in between. Support the art & the artist:
EP REVIEW: SUYEN – SUYEN IMNIDA
Written by Louis Pelingen For many people born in the early to mid-2000s, the knowledge of living in their early 20s in the year 2025 is a pressure that can’t be shaken easily. Time is running past them quickly, requirements and responsibilities are stacked high, and the world is opening below their feet so much that it is hard to keep up with its tide. It’s an overwhelming time to grasp what’s happening in front of their eyes, but sometimes, it’s important to live through it and find something to cope with amidst that exhausting part of their lives. To SUYEN, she faces that exhaustion by picking up her red guitar and unleashing her feelings through her debut EP, SUYEN IMNIDA. Assembled as a timestamp of her young adult emotions, she waddles through pieces of pop rock with bits of brit-pop shimmer and twee sensibilities as the cherry on top. She’s yearning to cope with the pressures she carries as a 21-year-old, her passions lie through her girlish delivery that showcases her exuberance. The title track plays with her name being mistaken for her identity through nimble guitars and playful vocal deliveries. “Tampo” glimmers with the additions of rondalla amidst admirably lilting tones, and “Bente” stomps with its staccato keys and flaring guitar passages that build into a riotously joyous chorus. While the small-scaled scope allows SUYEN to release all those bubbling feelings from her sleeves, her stumbling points can be quite noticeable. Her production with the assistance of Zild and Sam Marquez may provide snappy flair to the melodies, yet the inconsistent mixing doesn’t give them many favors. Vocals tend to be in a tug of war with the guitars, leading them to be pushed either in the front or the back in the mix. It’s also evident that SUYEN is still curious about gauging her vocal presence to the music at large, sometimes capturing the sense of yearning and playfulness decently, but not exactly working well when trying to be enticing on “Something ‘bout u“. This follows through with the overall sound itself, embodying 2000s pop-rock flourish very well. Yet the lack of a distinct melodic core leads to SUYEN wandering within this general sonic palette: texturally full, but sometimes becoming musically dull. For what it is, SUYEN IMNIDA opens the gates to where SUYEN’s ambitions will lie – a snapshot of where she was in the past and a reminder of the roads that will open up for her in the future. The journey into the bewildering 20s may be scary to some, but for SUYEN, with her red guitar in her arms and a cheery demeanor on her face, is enough to take on the world ahead of her. Support the art and the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: Kremesoda – For Years
Written by JK Caray Sunday morning radios. Long car rides. Drifting in and out of a dream. There is a certain common feeling that arises among the three, a feeling so fleeting that a word has yet to be made to name it. It’s a moment that occurs whenever drowsiness masks a profound sobriety. Kremesoda, a Metro Manila-based 5 member band, defies it all and effortlessly expresses these complex sensibilities in their much-awaited debut album, “For Years”. The album consists of eight tracks and is a vibrant roulette of different sounds and styles, with some alluding back to the act’s past releases. “FOMO,” for example, reminisces their City Pop roots within the framework of a mellowed-out and hazy memory, while “Fleeting” features catchy 8-bit melodies alongside tight, upbeat drums. It’s that moment when you groggily wake up early from the blaring alarm sound, desperately trying to recall the dream you were having just a few minutes ago. The third track, “Far-fetched” borrows a few twangy guitar elements from Surf Rock and infuses it seamlessly with their mellow Indie tune. Meanwhile, midway through the release involves an interconnection of themes between “City doesn’t love you” and “Terminal”. In “City doesn’t love you”, the band calls back to their first single release “City Lovin” but this time, the vibe is completely different — tender yet harsh, its indulgent riffs paired with spiteful lyrics. “Terminal” quickly picks up these embittered feelings with more of a cynical attitude, deeply affected and aching to hurt back. The title track standout, “For Years,” provides a break from all the antagonism and goes back to the melancholic side of the release found in the earlier parts of the album, capturing the feeling of driving out to the countryside while hopelessly pining, patiently waiting around for something that was never meant to be. Ultimately, the final track “The Door” presents two options: to get out or to stay in. Opting to stay, the track reinstates the themes of longing and desperation found within the entire release. “For Years” is a long time coming project. After Kremesoda’s first single back in 2017, the band has been steadily releasing singles and garnering attention from the music scene. In 2020 however, the band abruptly seemed to disappear. Now, after four years of inactivity, “For Years” serves as a triumphant comeback to remind us that Kremesoda still stands as a force to be reckoned with. After all, the quintet has been here for a long time — they have gone through multiple eras, they have seen the ever-changing landscape of the underground OPM scene and they have performed in some now-defunct venues, but even after all that, “For Years” is shaping up to be their most substantial release as of yet. “For Years” carries a tone that signifies maturity in their artistry and the sonic cohesion they’ve been chasing for a long time. Along their journey, they’ve picked up bits and pieces, creating a decoupage of all the things that they encountered. Finally, after years of exploration, they come out emerging on the other side with a distinct tune that’s hard to put into words — one that is uniquely theirs, uniquely ‘Kremesoda’. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: Zack Tabudlo – Diving
Written by Gabriel Bagahansol For a while, it seemed as though Zack Tabudlo’s stardom would go on forever. His style of charming pop and R&B tracks dominated the airwaves as the nation shifted back to normalcy from the pandemic, an imperial phase helped by the fact that he would constantly put music out, dropping a new single or album every few months. Lately, though, he couldn’t seem to land a hit song as easily as he used to. His star has been slowing down, and so has his output: he only released four singles last year. But after keeping a relatively low profile for the last few months, Zack is back, and upon brokering a deal with an American record label, it looks as though he’s taking a shot at a big comeback. And just like how it was a couple of years back, he didn’t waste any time. He’s got a new song out. Some might think that Diving sounds just like any other R&B track you can find at one of many chill playlists at your local streaming platform, but this does have enough of that Zack Tabudlo magic that they should probably pay attention to this one. Here, that magic is at its best; you got everything you’ve come to expect from his music, from his vocal melodies and the guitar lines that complement it to his soulful vocal range that goes all the way to an enchanting falsetto (which only shows up once in this song), to his lyrical mastery with the subject of love, which in this case is the tried-and-true topic of obsessive frustration over someone who’s love may not be true at all. It all comes together to form that kind of pop music realism that’ll make you believe this guy is riddled with jealousy and heartbreak and couldn’t snap out of it. As far as heart-rending songs of woefully unrequited love go, this hits all the right spots. While Diving may find itself lost in the shuffle of newer, shinier releases, it has, at least, enough defining qualities to make for a unique listening experience should it find its way to you. Play this a bunch of times and you’ll be reminded of just how good Zack Tabudlo’s music was when you had his music on a loop a few years ago, or caught it at a mall or the radio or TikTok. Will this song immediately help him set the world on fire again? Probably not. But it’s intriguing enough that once it gets pushed to a streaming service playlist in America, someone out there could hear and enjoy it to the point where they’ll soon find themselves diving into a whole world of music they’ve been missing out on. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
EP REVIEW: Ghost Stories – Immortalized By Poetry
Written by Anika Maculangan Often, screamo music is known for having a dramatic flair of ambiance, which in the case of New Misery Records’ 5th release, doesn’t disappoint. Immortalized by Poetry is charged with thematic references to morality, heavy with forlorn melancholy and grief. It utilizes allusions to Greek mythology in saturating these elements, giving a nod to iconographies like Orpheus and Eurydice who both emphasize these dark and chaotic qualities. Brooding in nature, the EP poses as a meditation on the fragility of life, conveying the tragically harsh landscape of hardcore, being influenced by bands like Saetia, Suis La Lune, In Loving Memory, Orchid, and The Spirit of Versailles. In essence almost hauntingly vulnerable, the tracks are at best, aggressive yet profound in depth. The instrumentals are multi-layered, which complements the lyricism’s poetic appeal. Dynamically weighty, the strength of this EP is its ability to be deep without being too zealous toward dismal language. New Misery’s goal is apparent, in the way that thus far in their releases, have shown attempts at redefining the tones that possess screamo as a genre. Yet still remaining intense, that classic gloominess is not removed by their proclivity toward cathartic elegance. They vocalize these measures loud and clear, by delivering each line with amplified rawness. Like a fire brewing somewhere in a wintry atmosphere, the EP develops over the course of one’s listening session. It metamorphoses into just about a dozen different faces, showing off all the entities it can overtake. The EP starts and ends with an apparent transformation, beckoning to change with welcomeness. It calls for sanctum, but also simultaneous movement within disarray, embracing that flux of energy. Similar to most bands belonging in the genre’s spectrum, their temperament toward screamo is more so reflective, packed with tension and conflict, both mirroring each other. They take the listener through a journey of mourning, in the process of loss when balanced with love and longing. It immerses the listener into these transient and fleeting moments, teaching one to navigate these ephemeral experiences. It’s apparent that this 5-part EP of a taster is well-crafted and thought out concept-wise, which the screamo scene is constantly in search of. With musicality that is seemingly perpetual in its state of dissonance, forms a connection between classier bouts of hardcore with its post-era, opening more leeway for evolution. The vibrations expressed throughout the project channel the band’s strong passion for urgency and melodic flow, never giving the listener a second of stillness in their mostly shifting fusion of anguish and malaise. The tracks within Immortalized by Poetry express what it means to contemplate on the troubles of catastrophe and affliction. It portrays and depicts that exact frenzy and introduces that babel in a more intimate light. It makes us seek the coherence in entropy, allowing it to lead the way, in understanding and comprehension. One follows through the journey of the EP, not knowing where it will take you — but just that the journey is exhaustive with spirit and life, making one feel for more unpredictability and spontaneity wherever the grating chain dangles to next. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: One Click Straight – Telepono
Written by Noelle Alarcon Proudly wearing their years in the local music scene under their belt, ONE CLICK STRAIGHT’s evolution is evident with every release they put out. Finding their niche through speaking out on matters of the heart, it’s no surprise they came up with “Telepono.” It’s as if they’re professing vulnerabilities through the coiled telephone cord, hoping you’ll make out the earnestness from the receiver. Over time, OCS has always kept their trademark: the production of their music closes in on your ears, engulfing you in the reverb of their spilled truths. This fits their style just right–with the heavy-handed strumming of their guitars, the rattling echo of the snare drum, and the breathy articulation of the Marquez brothers. In “Telepono,” they blend these elements with radio rock staples of the late ‘90s and the early 2000s. These are heard in the littlest quirks, like starting the song with a crescendo to a drum fill, or the brief moment where everything is so distorted the instruments crackle into static, making room for the vocalist’s poignance. It’s tracks like this, inspired by the desolation in cold city dweller settings, (as seen in their single covers) that people connect with most. But like long-distance confessions through the circuit lines, it’s hard to grasp the extent of affection “Ikaw lang ang gustong kausap” encompasses. For a song so honest, its intentions need more than the derivation of song structures that were once in fashion–”Telepono” yearns for the fullness of sound that OCS is known for. Criticisms aside, “Telepono” is another catchy, memorable track from OCS. The warmth it possesses keeps you company in the midst of the biting wind under evening skylines. It’s the late night dial you never expected to ring, whose words are filled with such endearment that they keep you up until the morning.
MIXTAPE REVIEW: sobe – ICED OUT
Written by Elijah P. The year of 2024 has completed its axis around the sun. Galaxies have aligned to meet the greatest talents and achieve the biggest milestones ever reached. In the case of local music, it’s reached way over its quota. We’ve spent 365 days receiving or witnessing all the accolades and essays from last year’s highlights. From a land thousand miles away mind you, and they managed to catch our attention online. Like a buzzer beater of sorts, it’s a different kind of “plus aura” when you get to be under a listener’s radar for the rest of the year while still being incredibly talented in the same regard. Enter sobe: a Fil-Am musician based in Las Vegas showcasing both unhinged electronica and alternative r&b to the forefront. Their latest mixtape titled “ICED OUT” is as balls-to-the-wall and it is ferocious as it gets. Described as a “maximalist hip-hop tape”, it has quite literally everything an experimental music fan would hope for. Sugary production bitcrushing; hyperpop influenced breakdowns; downright chaotic squeals between pastiche producer tags, sobe has the entire music world on her shiny fingertips. However, this is more than a rager than most everyone would dismiss it to be. These soundscapes give more justice than it is credited for. sobe is out here counting these bands while the rest of her arsenal cooks up more glitch-hop mayhem one track after the other, linking together the bombast of rap mixtape sensibilities with the destructive ease of the crushing mallets landing right on your speaker monitors. Alchemy is in the works in “ICED OUT”. Highlights include overwhelming left turns such as “tiradores” and its blown out production: low pass filters, rattling hi-hats, and disorienting pitches; “4uuuu”, a self-professed ‘broke girl anthem’ while keys jangle in the backdrop of a big-room club banger. She showcases more than just plain lyrical braggadocio in between hosting her own mixtape, the entire project exceeds expectations past production flexing. sobe’s versatility in “ICED OUT” shines the brightest. In “wadditiss”, sobe contemplates on taking out bad exes and taunting on guys for not getting ‘hoes’ while scratches and revving subwoofers cry at the back; “tip” keeps up with sobe’s signature falsetto vocals – a slightly unorthodox approach that would make her lightyears away from most r&b copycats. It has that tongue-in-cheek quality yet bolsters in being earth-shattering. “break in 2” dabbles in pluggnb inspired synthwork, the flourishes include xylophones that patterns like a lullaby while choppy vocals poke in and out of the track. All in all, it’s safe to say that sobe is a proud kababayan making it in the underground of Las Vegas, riding ahead of the trend waves in rap and alternative r&b. Ultimately creating a lane that’s uniquely her own. And like her hometown, Sin City, she continues to break the rules in rap, and that also includes space, time and sound in “ICED OUT”. Support the art and the artist: