This year was full of surprises: whether you look at it from the perspective of an audience member lurking in the underground or a casual music fan who happens to stumble upon alternative music in the mainstream. The year 2022 was the year where we met all different kinds of folks from all walks of […]
REVIEWS
ALBUM REVIEW: Cheats – Houseplants
Written by Elijah P. After almost 5 years since their last album “Before The Babies”, alternative-rock 7-piece Cheats talk about everything that’s past after their sophomore album; everything that’s past the lockdown, and everything that’s past the grieving process in their latest album titled “Houseplants”. Housing over 12 tracks and running over at 49 minutes, […]
ALBUM REVIEW: Whereistome. – First Edition God Complex
Written by Elijah P. Some music journalists claimed “First Edition God Complex” to be a first glance at a “hyperpop” or deconstructed version of pop in the context of the Philippine music scene. Meanwhile, producer and singer-songwriter Tome. describe themselves vaguely to be “pop”. Maybe as a form of guessing for music writers or listeners […]
TRACK REVIEW: Half/Figurd – Gemini (Gemini)
Written by Louis Pelingen A year after their debut single, Half/Figurd locks in their brand of indie pop, nestling into their jangle and twee side ever since. It may sound familiar to those who are in the know of this style, but the cleaner bliss in their charming instrumentation, pleasant vocal delivery, and twee relationship […]
TRACK REVIEW: Armi Millare/Munro – Take Me
Written by Louis Pelingen Traces of what may happen to UDD and Armi Millare in the future are set in stone. Stepping away from the band felt like a timely decision to make for Armi – one that has lingered over her as reflections poured her during the still times of the pandemic. Her interview […]
EP REVIEW: Mei Teves – /’hidn/
Written by Elijah P. Catanduanes is a scenic town, full of vibrant shorelines, tranquil surroundings, and peaceful towns. You have natural talents coming from the small towns and cities, like in Virac – a 76,000+ population where they’ve had a history with several datus and colonized areas, giving the island character besides its idyllic beaches. […]
ALBUM REVIEW: Blaster Silonga – My Kosmik Island Disk
Written by Elijah P. There are albums that collect singles, and compile every banger made by a band for the rest of their career. And there are albums that are built by the brains of musicians that are far better than their past material, way beyond that they are just artists inevitably shelved in online […]
TRACK REVIEW: Sean Archer – Mamaya Na
Written by Elijah P. Deep within this giant cauldron of trends that is the For You Page, a Paranaque-based 1-man project called Sean Archer trends all over the cyberspace of APPPPC music book newsfeeds and Tiktok. His debut single “Mamaya Na” sounds anthemic, it looks rebellious, and it most likely caught the ears of those […]
TRACK REVIEW: Emelette – Brave
Written by Elijah P. You don’t get tight alternative rock anywhere, not much in Biliran, East Visayas, no. In fact, Naval-based singer-songwriter Emelette De Leon Saclolo exists to prove all Manila-centric critics wrong. “Brave” is an indicator that unsophisticated, semi-gritty, lightly sung indie rock can work when the performances are tightly performed. Everywhere you go, […]
MIXTAPE REVIEW: O $IDE MAFIA – O COAST
Written by Elijah P. The breaking news is what generates speculation and tension. We as terminally online human beings couldn’t resist the verification through live media. Normally one’s curiosity peaks at an all-time high when it’s game time. But a 3-minute “Freestyle” OMV and several provocative IG stories by a Malate-based trio were able to […]