Written by Louis Pelingen SHNTI’s growth as an artist is one that felt nice to see. With her debut EP last year, she showcases an unsurmountable amount of potential realized as her skillset and charisma as a lyricist and a femcee shine through. 11 months later, Tabi Ka Sakin continues her glow. Her first track written in Tagalog continues to embody her strengths as she effortlessly goes through Tatz Maven’s gloriously produced beat that’s full of crisp textures and meditative chimes. There’s so much about SHNTI’s delivery and vocal chops that make the song about the reflection of the challenges of life that are ahead of us and the message to be with friends that will comfort us along the way to resonate in a surprisingly warm way, whether that be the playful intonation that she implements in the first few couple of bars, the calming ease that she gradually keeps up throughout the entire song, and her melodic singing that has improved in spades and helped out by how it’s multitracked and how she leans into it with grace. It is a song that might be simple to grasp, but it’s one that never fails to make me smile with each listen. It succeeds in what it’s trying to go for and more, where SHNTI’s lilting presence in her inviting writing and potent melodic structure alongside Tatz Maven’s soothing beat allows the entire package to not only be easy to get back into but also create the kind of balm that we all need in 2023. Life doesn’t have to be lived with just ourselves, because in truth, we need the bonds and connections to make it everlasting. Support the art & the artist:
REVIEWS
TRACK REVIEW: rhodessa – Kisame
Written by Elijah P. There’s no other label that has a strong personality and notoriety the same way Viva Records has today. They are at the top of their game in the music industry, almost like a giant standing among mortal artists climbing their way to the summit. But in their vast catalog of entertainment and music, there are valuable singer-songwriters or artists hiding – a “diamond in the rough” as they call it. Rhodessa, their newest solo artist in the roster, has hit it big with “Kisame” – an ambient folk-pop track that balances K-pop shipper aesthetics and confessional love letters for the ideal ‘someone’. As much as the landscapes seethe ‘har-har’ vocals at all fronts, this track surprisingly has so much charm and personality amidst the quieter production and intimate setting. Rhodessa’s “Kisame” may be another acoustic pop track in this large market for similar tracks, but what makes this a cut above the rest is the sheer catchiness you hear in the hooks, the not-so-high vocal register complimenting the rhythm sections, and as well as the very subtle doubletime as the drum rolls faster, the vocals sung lighter and the mood changes. At the cost of sounding so much like your contemporaries, Rhodessa makes two steps forward for herself and sometimes it’s okay to stare at the ceiling, yearning at the endless plain space against comfort and deafening silence. Support the art & the artist:
TRCK REVIEW: girlcharmm – infatuation
Written by Louis Pelingen The ongoing output of this dream pop sapphic band girlcharmm aims to deliver letters for the heartbroken group of sapphic lovers in the Philippines. Their second single, ‘infatuation’, is a letter for those who yearn for that desired love, only to unveil the heartbreak within as the process of recovering soon comes after. It’s a message that’s delivered with a direct and conflicting scope, where Darl Alba’s sweet vocals are surrounded by Anna Gella’s layers of fuzzy drum machines and layers of synths both blaring and floating as well as Kaya Katigbak’s chunky guitar riffs flooding in. There is intent in that hemmed-in production as the melodies keep rambling around the instrumentation in a free-flowing way – clearly purposeful in order to encapsulate that exhausting thought process of that sad realization that is way too sudden for a lot of sapphic individuals to eventually figure out on their own. As much as a lot of the elements from the melodies and the production clearly hit home what the track is going for, it also makes it tough to get back into due to the rambling motion of the melodies and the feverish fog of the production. It doesn’t take away from the track’s quality, however, as it never shies away from revealing how tiring the process of going through that bitter phase of infatuation is. Clearly, what’s important to take note of here is that girlcharmm delivers what needs to be delivered, embracing sapphic relationships in the local music scene that will resonate a lot with a sapphic audience that has their broken hearts still in healing. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Chelly Lim – Paulit-Ulit (Sorry Na)
Written by Elijah P. The realm of anti-pop is starting to show its influence among many young up-and-coming artists locally, and Chelly Lim is one of the many artists evident of such style. Representing 314 Studios, he’s one of the pandemic artists that have released hip-hop back in the lockdown, releasing his debut EP in the past, now a brand new version of himself that has come back, and ‘growth’ has become evident in the artist’s music. Featuring a strumming distorted guitar leaning over the overblown, crunchy percussion, Chelly Lim bounces over melancholic lyricism aside from the whiny vocal melodicism. It’s as deadpan as you can get while the anti-pop elements subside halfway through the track. There’s a valiant effort put in “Paulit-Ulit (Sorry Na)” – you get the guitars wailing along to the choruses and Chelly’s ability to keep the track cold and buoyant. Yet the tracks hardly stick amidst the gritty dynamics. The producer-rapper might have renovated themselves in a brand new image but there are some tweaks needing songwriting-wise. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: SUYEN – Sonic Tonic
Written by Elijah P. Suyen Pintor and the gang have performed unreleased tracks all around the Metro. After so long and so many online demos here and there, the time has come for her to release a recording of what has been the most lauded track in her arsenal. Being the most anticipated “it girl” in the underground, she means serious business. Mixed and mastered by ONE CLICK STRAIGHT’s Sam Marquez, the production quality is on an even playing field that compliments the right amount of angst Suyen wants to display in the track; From the chugging pre-chorus to the signature vocal delivery, you’d wonder how SUYEN perfectly represents absolute femme rage, all the while being the antithesis of pop rock locally. Her music is an undeniable imprint of grunge in the landscape of happy-kumbaya culture. Her debut single is long overdue, but not to the point that the track itself has overstayed its welcome. “Sonic Tonic” sounds just like the title: gratifying, ripping and full of adrenaline. While “Sonic Tonic” is a blistering heat wave of 90’s riotgrrl energy and grunge worship, everything in between just evens out. As the track pierces every single wall of noise and shatters all frequency, what you have left in the writing is humanity wanting to shout in angst. This is the rock music everyone wants to hear. Suyen has arrived. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
ALBUM REVIEW: bird. – oshin
Written by Elijah P. 11 years after the release of dream pop and post-punk band from Brooklyn, New York’s DIIV, another band from the other side of the planet decides to name their debut album after the onomatopoeia of “ocean”. Enter Locked Down Entertainment’s bird. from Metro Manila, a 5-piece established by members from Chicosci, Save Me Hollywood, Musical O and Lindenwood. They’ve got experience and veteran status on their sleeve but as bird., they got a clean slate in the 10-track album “oshin”. The album sounds equal parts aquatic and desert-like; the former equipping drowned-out guitars and the latter chest-bumping percussion that has a high potential in clipping through the speakers. You might think that it’s balanced with all elements of the earth, but in reality it’s just 5 members showing off their surf tricks at the coast. That, in particular, is what made this band essential: surf music. But there’s more to it than just riding the waves and sitting by the beach side. Ever since their inception around early 2019, they’ve had “#vibecore” written all over their bios, but the album neither justifies the tag. They’re a step above what their descriptors are. There’s something that sounds incredibly wider production-wise – a lot more robust than any other tender-sounding band that gives off the weekend at the beach during peak season with the family. bird. doesn’t hold back its punchy rhythm sections, drummer Hannah’s tight performance, and vocalist Eco Del Rio’s ghostly presence. It’s all 100 percent from here. Significant highlights like “maria”, “Weekend”, “hardwood jack” and “the stranger” possess this kind of spiritual alternative rock taking over the musician’s astral plane while “Ride”, “san juan” and “sl” share the commonalities of being in a vacation. As mentioned before, there’s a balance to the self-confessional side of Eco Del Rio and the side of the band’s frolicking nature all the while kitting out the heavier guns at the studio. bird. is a culmination of everything that alternative rock has the potential to be locally: atmospheric, unserious, rugged, honest, and raw. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: BAHAW BOYZ – CHOY
Boasted as “Budots Drill” for locals, Davao City’s BAHAW BOYZ samples the classic Budots ‘tiw-tiw’ in Sample Drill’s most outrageous entry to date. Aptly titled “CHOY”, the three-verse gunfire bounces along the “sayaw mga choy” sample in between its fire hazard New York-influenced drill production. The quintet has released a handful of loosies and underwhelming trap production before “CHOY” but we’d like to see it as a warming-up session before the trailblazing subgenre that is “Budots Drill”. Looking and listening to it in hindsight, it could’ve been a form perfected pre-pandemic but time does have no boundaries or ends and it’s much better to have it now rather than never. What’s next for BAHAW BOYZ may depend on their next move, maybe it’s good to maintain that momentum or better to push the envelope by incorporating different forms or samples of Budots by working with actual Budots producers in the long run. But for now, “CHOY” is at the present defining the future. It’s about time for a mutation of Davao’s dance music to shape in its most aggressive form. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: kyleaux & k1ko – Gusto Kita
Written by Elijah P. Philippine 2-step might be a pipe dream for neophytes who are born past the 2000s. But for others who’ve seen r&b delve in the corners of UK-influenced electronic music, “Gusto Kita” by 25 Hearts’ very own kyleaux & k1ko is a blessing for everyone born and adopted in the garridge and jersey hype. After inevitably yet unexpectedly earning the virality in the former’s TikTok account, the richly-textured, glitchy and suave paves the way for possible pop music writing in today’s standards. Rapper kyleaux was able to let go of typical rap structures, instantly hopping on the melodic side of writing. And with the assistance of pitch-shifting, beat switching and atmospheric production of k1ko, the duo is untouchable with this single on lock in one hundred percent accuracy. “Gusto Kita” isn’t too late in the hype with the charming vocal delivery, chameleonic production, and the visual appeal of a bubblegum pop superstar duo. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
TRCK REVIEW: Edacity – comethru4u
Written by Louis Pelingen Edacity’s gradual shift towards hyperpop this year has lent him more potential for something to work with in the future. While the past cuts he pushed out in recent times still find him wading through the bubbly soundscape of hyperpop, ‘comethru4u’ puts his lovesick vibe splash through a flashy hook, glimmering synth notes swirling around buzzy beats, and Edacity’s vocal carrying a heartfelt delivery that works nicely within this short song. It ends on an upward slope, where the added blasting percussion and pitchy multitracking allow the overall tune to pop at the right moment. It’s a track that at least found a neat, but not incredible landing for Edacity going further into this sound as he works on his upcoming project. Where even Edacity delivers what he needs to do in order to make this brief song go off, thanks to the balanced mixing and the sweet atmosphere composed well; the hollow percussion textures and the sticky albeit dull melodies hold back the track from creating a bigger impact. The overall tune may create a nice splash, but with the curiosity to experiment and tweak his style, Edacity could make something that can stand out even more. Support the art & the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: Alyson – DEFINITELY LOVE
Written by Kara Angan Metro Manila-based band Alyson shed their indie rock sound for Japanese city pop in their debut album ‘DEFINITELY LOVE!’. After sparse releases and landmark self-titled debut EP over the past years, the 5-piece band and their continuous championing of Ateneo’s music scene basically rebranded themselves; evoking the nostalgia of 80s Japanese fashion and music. The inspiration is clearly seen in the aesthetic surrounding the album—from the Japanese letters on the album cover to the fashion choices for their music videos for “Kiliti” and “Feel So Good” featuring beabu. At its core, this record is a faithful love letter to the genre and aesthetic. ‘DEFINITELY LOVE!’ opens with “Kiliti,” the band’s first single off the record. It starts off strong with a brass riff that introduces the overall feel of the album. Lead singer Pio Ligot’s voice is accented with backing vocals that continue the strong city pop influences of the LP. The upbeat, horn-led sound is consistent throughout the first half of the album. “My Love” and “Ginhawa” feels reminiscent of the sound off their 2018 EP, but with a stronger synth presence. The second half of the album opens with the second single, and arguably best track of the album, “Feels So Good” featuring beabu. The track evokes the spirit of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder-style 70s-80s pop ballads, and has the catchiest melody that becomes instant earworm-material. beabu’s lower register vocals is a great complement to Ligot’s falsettos. The bridge of the song is a solid climax as the two voices sing over each other, ending with beabu’s strong belt and Ligot’s riffs. The latter half of the album is the stronger of the two halves, featuring a more diverse-sounding set of songs. Aside from “Feels So Good,” “Summer Nights” open with a Japanese city pop-style spoken intro, “Fool” leans into 80s motown, “Babalik” opens with an a capella intro before segueing into the album’s prominent city pop sound, and “Underpass” is a strong record closer despite being a slower track compared to the rest of the album. It also includes Japanese dialogue during the interlude, which parallels their 2018 EP track “Telescope.” ‘DEFINITELY LOVE!’ is a cohesive-sounding album. However, this can be a double-edged sword—with the cohesion comes the pitfall of tracks sounding a tad too similar and borderline indistinguishable, such as the first three songs of the record. The latter half offers a better selection of diverse sounds, especially with strong tracks like “Feels So Good,” “Fool,” and “Underpass.” The city pop elements distinguish the band from their contemporaries, and is the proof of their more mature sound compared to their 2018 release. If the band continues to explore more of the 70s and 80s era music, it could offer more diverse and standout releases that still sound cohesive without being too similar in arrangement. Overall, this is a good debut album and a great reintroduction of Alyson to the local scene. Support the art & the artist: