Written by Elijah P. Metro Manila hitmakers Lola Amour have changed musically, literally. From shifting band members to constant codeswitching in songwriting here and there, the funky pop outfit are trained to release one single at a time. One hit after the other, the Al James collab “Madali” was almost getting there, which is by the way their most technically robust, while “Fallin” was still riding on the cheese, but “Raining in Manila” is a whole different offering. You have senti-tracks that act as fodder for the label while you have refined genre tracks with pop sensibilities that have successful appeal. This band chose the latter. This is the band that isn’t just compartmentalized with their vocalist Pio Dumayas. There’s no separation anxiety happening nor any solo spotlight, instead, we get to see Lola Amour work like an actual band in their latest single. “Raining in Manila” nearly does not drag as their previous singles years ago. Assuming that their lineup change has anything to do with the sound they’re persistently tweaking, Lola Amour’s hit the jackpot at the seasonal turn that’s lowkey a love letter written for their previous band members who are on the other side of the planet. The band plays with the theme of a cheese-driven weather parochial along with their tasteful selection of keyboard licks, sharp bass lines, and saxophone parts, all hitting the spot. Minus the Dilaws and the Sunkissed Lolas, scene virtuoso Lola Amour and “Raining in Manila” is a step in the direction for the band who are moving to become the biggest pop band heading to the mainstream. Support the art & the artist:
REVIEWS
ALBUM REVIEW: Kenaniah – s/t
Lipa, Batangas’s very own Kenaniah has been hitting it big since the past year with viral Spotify hits such as “Bahala Na”, “Hindi Ikaw” and “Better Now”. O/C Records has consistently kept his schedule busy by playing a bunch of large-scale shows in the past year or so, building networks in the circuit of festivals all around the country. The 18-year old artist ticks all the boxes for sharing the same swagger with the big dogs of mainstream pop rock acts that have a suit, a tie, and a guitar. He is what other “Pogi Rock” zoomers aspire to be: a talent that’s planted by the industry. After years of brewing singles, sharing one video teaser after teaser and one record milestone after the other, Kenny looks and feels like he’s ready for the music world, and so he did it by releasing his debut self-titled album under the label; The result of which was turned upside down. The 9-track album is all duds. No variation, no complimentary sonic palette whatsoever. It’s a slog to listen to, not even your favorite performative rock band that got banned from a festival couldn’t reach the level of disappointment this album has. The self-titled album starts off with “Study First”, gated reverb from the drums greets the listener in ear-grating fashion. “Bahala Na” is followed up right away but the smash single doesn’t go hard enough to justify the outdated sound Kenaniah equipped by the time of the songs being written and recorded. Heck, even mentioning all the songs in this album feels like a waste of a single burning phrase if it was commissioned per word. The album and its songs just scream “not ready”. But we all know that Kenaniah took this sound choice a step further, bringing back the sound of 2016 in zombifying effects and beating the production and writing techniques like a dead horse. This demo quality of an album is an insult to a major label that could afford solid mixing and mastering, wherein the album already feels and sounds like it’s a highschool project: it’s raw and unfinished, nothing left to chew or bite on remarkably. This self-titled debut album would rather put a caveat of “fatigue” because of how drawn out the structures are, making the album almost impossible to distinguish if it was dissected in a “music review” format. If this is what the future of Cueshe or Adie dreamed of seeing, then the word “OPM” might be already doomed by the time they first stepped into the scene. Support the art & the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: The Purest Blue – All is True
Written by Louis Pelingen The past we have left behind manifests through still memories that have comforted us through the paths of growing up. The small bike that was used to roam around the neighborhood, the color blue that reminds us of comfort puffing in the skies, the dollhouse that embraces the imagination of a child, and the gentle warmth that gathers when we see our parents and loved ones in front of us. And even when those moments pass through us, it doesn’t mean that there is no opportunity to find comfort in them when we do get older. For Pauline Rana and her musical project The Purest Blue, that sentiment is a truth that we need to remind ourselves all the time. In the aptly titled debut project, ‘All is True’, the smallest and tightest of packages bring a lot to the table. There is a lot of tenderness and sweetness on this very record, where the production from both Pauline Rana and Sobs & Subsonic Eye member Jared Lim allows a lot of the instrumental textures to be crisp and splashy, allowing the melodies to glisten and soar, and make that return of past memories with a deeper appreciation from our present selves to really hit home. The glinting waves of synths that opens up ‘Stationary Bike’ as it sweeps through the bustling acoustics and Pauline’s cooing vocals is quite the breezy ride to start the record, which then proceeds to simmering shoegaze on ‘Blackie’ with the crystalline hiss from the guitars, the percussive breakbeats of ‘The Truth is Blue’ and ‘Carnation Pink’ that gives a lot of energy from the buzzy synth, organ keys, and lo-fi acoustic run of the former track and the sunny pop tune of the latter track, the undulating atmospherics of ‘Small House’ with the layers of melodies brushing up to the end, and the rather straightforward dream-pop soundscape of ‘Tenderness and Purity’ with the driving bass lines, soothing vocal melodies, and shuffling drums just before the soundscape breathes and moves close to the front of the mix. The only hiccup this record has is the synthetic warble of ‘That’s Us’, where even if it does fit with what the song is going for due to the swaying details of time, the synthetic vocal production doesn’t really mesh that well with the dreamy melodies and instrumentation. While this record takes that saccharine quality burst for the bright moments to shine, it doesn’t shy away from going through the grief that Pauline feels as she returns back to those memories, especially the ones that involve her past self and her father. She rolls through that grief on ‘Blackie’ and ‘The Truth is Blue’, where despite trying to find a sense of comfort on the opening track, she finds herself feeling a sting thinking through the loss she felt from past memories, overall making her feel blue, a color signified for sadness and loneliness. But that color also stands for comfort as well. In ‘Small House’ and onwards, those memories of the people and pets that she really missed from her childhood are still there with her, teaching her how to love herself and find the comfort she needs in her present self. To realize that what we feel like is missing is there somewhere in past memories, acting as truths that validate a positivity that we have to keep on providing not just to ourselves, but to everyone that we always meet and interact with. Overall, ‘All is True’ is a reflective record where the splashy quality not only resides with the colorful production and melodies from Pauline Rana and Jared Lim on the array of prismatic dream pop, alternative pop, and shoegaze, but also with the sense of finding one’s own joy from returning to the transitory space of memories even if having to find that joy also means simmering through the sadness that shakes us before. If you ever find yourself feeling like something is amiss within yourself, don’t be afraid to open the door of a past space, you might find the truth you’ll need to move forward. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: RB Slatt – Pahna
Written by Elijah P. RB Slatt is part of the vanguard of young r&b/electronic/rap producers blowing things out of the water with their string of singles and remix that are influenced by several internet genres from the 2020s. Lambasted by the mainstream hip hop community for their looks and execution, RB Slatt could care less about the comments who can’t contribute to the discussion that is their constant envelope-pushing production and approach to rap. Akin to the likes of brakence, underscores an glaive, RB is making a lane of their own effortlessly with Northgang cohorts like LIL JVibe and Eros Rhodes; both of which who are in equal levels of rap skill but not as close to the production circuit bending charm that RB has under his belt. Being a remix of autumn!’s “one way”, the excuse of this lacking of originality only scratches the surface of the “discourse”. The real question that listeners should ask is “Is it any better than the original?” The answer: leaps better than the original, fortunately. Bootlegs can only be bootlegs if it doesn’t surpass the real thing, but this is a special case – “Pahna” easily topples the quality of “one way” for the better. The melodic ambition of RB is tons way more presentable compared to the former’s slacker, mumble rap melodies that could pass off as background music. “Pahna” is the viral hit not one hip-hop listener asked for but it is the bonafide post-lockdown internet hit that everyone needs to hear.
TRCK REVIEW: ASIDE BOONDOCK ft. JustRaw – SOUFSIDE*
Written by Louis Pelingen This up-and-coming hip-hop collective hailing from Argao, Cebu is one to keep a close look on. Turning everybody’s heads this year with “Smoke Naka?” and its boom-bap production, loopy choruses, and slick flows, it’s easy to find yourself vibing to their hazy brand of hip-hop. These attributes lend true once again on “SOUFSIDE*”, JustRaw lending another eclectic boom-bap beat and loopy chorus lines to allow the smoky flows of each member to settle in, delivering their bars like passing a blunt to one another and giving a quick puff out of it. Nyjah’s flow exudes a bouncy swagger; Tunshion’s vocal flips are filled with a hysterical tone; Jeff Tussy’s brings off sober energy to his verse; JM Ence’s flows are brief, delivered with a lax attitude; Massa Michi pulls off dithering syllabic flows in his bars; and JustRaw’s inflections in his verse and chorus are sharp and snappy. “SOUFSIDE*” is an addition to the addicting and hazy vibe that ASIDE BOONDOCK is building up with tight melodies and hypnotic boom-bap production. A smoky trip that the collective is inviting you to join and bounce along to the vibe, with the Odd Future influence used to capture your attention through a loose atmosphere, straightforward lyrical flair, and slippery flows alongside it. While the collective is clearly in the initial stages in terms of sculpting their lyrical and sonic style, their ability to invite the listener to their breezy, smoked-out vibe in the southside is a vibe worth relaxing into. Support the art & the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: Kelady – BABAE
Written by Louis Pelingen In the first track, “Diaspora,” Kelady’s grandmother emphasizes the connections within the family. The track “We could separate but for me no separation I don’t like… If we separate we are dead already no more.” further imparts that message passed down from grandmother to grandchild. It’s a message that comes applicable to dozens of people and the diasporas that they belong to, embracing the heritages and identities of different cultures. For some, it may take a while to immerse themselves in the heritage of their homeland, but that heritage will always be there with them as they grow older. Never separated, always rooted in their daily lives. For Kelady, she pulls together her debut record BABAE as an ode to the diasporic community that she grew up in, tying it down with varied soundscapes and deliveries. Whether that be an interlocking acoustic cover of Bato Sa Buhangin by Cinderella and Lovers Rock by Sade on ‘Bato Sa Buhangin / Lovers Rock’ floating through Kelady’s graceful singing, embracing her natural brown complexion on ‘Papaya (Remix)’ through a bass-heavy dance beat, embedding kulintang gongs on ‘Funnie’ and ‘Clutch’ within fractured beats and fervent rap flows, and even singing and rapping in Tagalog on multiple songs of the album, it is Kelady’s way to further immerse herself with her Filipino roots. More importantly, the record embraces the close familial bonds with her mother and grandmother, allowing their feminine presence to guide her own feminine spirit in its vulnerable and confident stride. That bond and spirit are always found in the record, encapsulated clearly through the interludes with Kelady’s grandmother vocalizing her brief thoughts and the acoustic songs like ‘Anak (Child of my Heart)’, “Baby Blue,” and ‘Sunrise’ that showcases her mother’s care on her presented through Kelady’s lilting vocals. It extends even further as Kelady embraces that feminine spirit through the processes of love and loss. On one hand, she vocalizes her confidence in “Keh Lah Di” and “Like Me” that’s filled with effortless intonations and bouncy, tropical grooves. But on the other hand, she also vocalizes the focus on healing past the relationship turmoils that open up on songs like “Funnie” and “Kulog” through the soothing acoustics tracks that back end the album, specifically “Babae” and “Sunrise”. In concept, Kelady weaves together these narratives embracing her diasporic identity as a Filipina-American artist and the close bonds she has with her mother and grandmother with a sonic presentation that’s varied and open, allowing Kelady to paint that picture where both themes are heard with care and detail as she leaps towards soul, r&b, and hip-hop. However, in execution, the album ends up cracking on the seams. Filled with ideas that may connect together, but a lot of elements that unfortunately distract from the record’s overall vision. Within the 21 tracks that total the 42-minute runtime of the record, there are a lot of rigid textures, underwhelming melodies, and clumsy performances that hamper a lot of the songs that already run short, to begin with. Songs like “Barkada” and “Kulog” for all of their bombast show those weaknesses upfront, from the thin-sounding synths and drums, dull melodic lines and choruses, and Kelady’s flows and monotone delivery that doesn’t consistently sound as sharp. While the songs that lean on breezy tones are a comfy fit for Kelady’s potent singing given the more developed melodies to boot despite the aforementioned rigid textures, leaning on her upper register tends to be pitchy and lacks the tightness that she’s yet to refine upon as a singer. Overall, BABAE is a project that does involve a lot of care towards the narratives that Kelady wants to pull through, given that this debut LP took 4 years to be made. From some angles, you can see how the message works when she embraces her diasporic identity and familiar feminine presence pulsing through developed melodies and warmer textures that allow Kelady’s voice to calmly wave through. But as much as she expands beyond that, the record unearths its limits and its weaknesses. Flimsy and stiff beats, limp melodies through short song lengths, and Kelady’s low points as a singer and rapper overall flood the peaceful garden of heartwarming odes of her diasporic identity and femininity with vines that could’ve been trimmed away. Despite the low points that hold this record down, Kelady has put her heart and soul into this record, and hopefully, she proceeds with a future project that allows her spirit to truly bloom. Support the art & the artist:
DEMO REVIEW: cheeky things – demo
In the local DIY community today, Metro Manila outfit cheeky things arrived in the first quarter of 2023. Their URL story started with a Soundcloud page – a lone Duster parody – and a couple of noise pop covers. The five-piece follows suit to the IRL, championing a tweemo backdrop with the help of their indie guitar heroes in live shows. And for a band that has been teasing their WIPs ever since the release of their little “demo” two months ago — by the way, a Bicol tour is already set in stone at this point — one would expect at this stage that a full-on record should be ripe for the picking. But hey, we now have a three-track demo, and it is packed to the brim with loud, grungy guitars, high-tempo drums, and the dreamy sensibilities that are commonplace in any track. But while this project certainly has all the makings of an EP, it is still a personal dilemma to me whether or not to make heads or tails of it as it is — a demo — and base my judgment of it on what it is, what it could be, or what it could have been. For the uninitiated, this demo is a gateway. The seemingly compact demo is a sonically massive 3-track project to look out for. It is raw, absolutely balls-to-the-walls, and unapologetically alternative. I would even be remiss not to mention how the oversaturation of the shoegaze-twee-alt-rock fusion bands writ large has made it all the more difficult for cheeky Things to come through as their own, but the result of which made the success of this release all the more commendable, and eventually carved a niche that is proudly one of their own. For the listeners who have listened to their plethora of influences and sensibilities, fans of the garage sound are in for a treat: tracks like “korean blackout curtains 7ft (1 pc, not set)”, a noise-rock anthem that has cemented its place as a favorite amongst the Manila alternative crowd, is Mellon Collie down to a T, and has a phenomenal intro that will transport you back to a time when you first listened to Psycho Candy. The song’s outing also meant the first for the band to incorporate Tagalog in their lyrics, making it an easy sell for many. While “smashing” on the other hand, while not as talked about, features some of the best dynamics between each member. Whatever your thoughts on this release, this cheeky Things demo serves as a litmus test for both the artist and the listener. In its current state, whether finished or unfinished, you either get it or you don’t. And even if you do, there’s still a lot to unpack in its heavily loaded arsenal; it does not hinder itself from pushing the noise level past its threshold. And who knows, maybe we have not seen the last of these songs and if we’ll still be as (un)accepting of them as they are now once we’ve witnessed them in their final form. But enough speculation. As far as I’m concerned, I passed the litmus test. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Toneejay – Parang Magic
Written by Elijah P. Since 2021, solo singer-songwriter Toneejay has gone through different phases: beginning in the trip-hop lockdown apocalypse of a debut concept album Odyssey and a woeful slowcore-folk of Kasama Kita. Now the Pasig-based artist has switched gears in “Parang Magic” – a loosie based on leather jackets, fun green screen shenanigans, and meaty instrumentals that mix either the Phoebe’s “Kyoto” or The Strokes’ “Reptilia.” But neither tracks mentioned are a reboot. Instead, this is Toneejay’s very own world of having fun, and we’re just living in it. In this day and age of making a love song, you need to have faith by your side. That’s already a given, but what lacks most love songs today is a tight instrumental to solidify your sonic strength whilst summoning old habits of lovestruck lyricism. This goes hand in hand with some bands, but Toneejay seemed to make things work with subtly code-switching and driving bass lines along trademark falsettos throughout “Parang Magic”. Coming from solemn pieces of music in past material to upping the tempo in moshpit mode, Toneejay’s temporary departure in sound is a sign of growth; the quieter guitar parts from yesteryear have found its way through the distortion pedal, a slider, and heavy snare drums, sticking the landing evenly with the jolly tone Toneejay embarks after making the sonic leap. Overall, “Parang Magic” works wonders even in its most skeletal parts, the track still works even without the potent instrumental. I guess it works like actual magic. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Showtime Official Club – 🎀 𝒮𝐻🍩𝒲𝒯𝐼𝑀𝐸 💮𝐹𝐹𝐼𝒞𝐼𝒜𝐿 𝒞𝐿𝒰𝐵 𝑀𝐼𝒳 ᑭᗩᒪIGOY-ᒪIGOY ᖇEᗰI᙭ TIK TOK VIRAL 2023 !! 💕😊
Written by Louis Pelingen In the Philippines, noontime variety shows capture the attention of the general public. For the past few decades, every household looks forward to shows like Eat Bulaga and It’s Showtime for a few hours of joy. These shows have become mainstays in our entertainment consumption, observing different segments featuring games, contests, and acts of kindness that are all too familiar but at the same somehow different from the last. It’s like pulling something out of a box filled with chocolates, not knowing what we will get. With It’s Showtime still going strong for 13 years, no wonder that the fond memories of its past stand strong up to this day. Showtime Official Club, a collective comprised of 6 DJs (DJ MharkTzyOnTheBeatTV, DJ vicegandako143, DJ NASH_AGUAS, DJ fHunny_One1, DJ PusongBato04, and DJ XanderCoins) embraces those memories through their various club dance mixes that have surfaced since last year. It’s a way to not just bond over the moments but also appreciate how much they mean to them, the local communities that they’re a part of, and the dance music that brings life to each worthwhile occasion. This “Paligoy-ligoy” remix is not just a mini-mix between 4 of the DJs or a nice entryway for anyone who’s new to this collective, but it’s also a love letter where each DJ write their musical paragraph on Nadine Lustre’s “Paligoy-ligoy” that serves as the paper for their clingy, impassioned sides. DJ PusongBato04 opens this mini-mix with a shy demeanor, inputting frantic guitar samples that swivel around the pulsing club beat. He musters his courage after that drum break with the pounding beats all the way through, presenting that courage fully exposed for everyone to hear. DJ vicegandako143 follows suit with a subtler grasp of the tones, adding glacial synth pads sparkling around the beat. He prioritizes those subtle details as a build-up for the beat to spark bright like fireworks. DJ NASH_AGUAS keeps his part short yet concise, effectively going all out with explosive drum n bass rhythms. It never slows down as he embraces that confident passion under the 40-second duration of his composition. Then DJ MharkTzyOnTheBeatTV ground things down as he concludes the mini-mix, harking it back to the budots sound with the squawking rhythm and the maximalist synth touches. It emphasizes the love of the things we adored from the past that will be given to someone else, a continuous exchange that will become timeless. This Paligoy-Ligoy remix from Showtime Official Club continues their path of appreciating golden memories that these DJs find clear and enamored in stasis. Accompanying it with a cohesive mini-mix that nevertheless reveals how the 4 DJs involved in the remix compose their paragraphs with their own colorful approach while still allowing that bouncy budots rhythm to thump its heart out. After all, to appreciate something means clinging to that love that you have, never letting go no matter what. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Japanese Surplus – unceremoniously
Written by Elijah P. Soundcloud in 2023 is rich in material to the point that solo artists are still celebrated to this day, whether it would be a bedroom musician making random notes on a toy piano to the nearest black metal project found in your local barangay. And one of them that shares the local spotlight is up-and-coming singer-songwriter, Japanese Surplus. In their latest track titled “unceremoniously”, there’s a lingering feeling from the fuzzy reception of “lovespring” to the recurrence of themes in the latest track. The artist’s warm voice shines brighter than the lackadaisical guitar chords and beatbox, acting as a hybrid of Aly Cabral’s vocal runs and Jasmine Rodger’s (bôa) melody-making. Albeit the uncommon comparisons, there’s fair treatment of potential waiting to come out at any given time. And Japanese Surplus is one of the writers to watch out for today in the current province-wide crop of singer-songwriters. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST: