Written by Louis Pelingen When it comes to emo music, you will hear the elements evolve in today’s music. Where the angst and emotional turmoil grasped more bombast and grit, especially towards the hooks blasting off at farther distances and the instrumentation bringing all its firepower and elevating the writing that stretches the pissed-off characteristics to greater heights. Whether those elements slip through genres of indie and mainstream pop, rock, and genre-infusion spaces, it makes the songs themselves feel more punchy and easy to get into with those emo stylisms especially when sites like TikTok can get into these kinds of songs pretty quickly. And when it comes to Daine, a Filipino-Australian musician who has worked with certain artists like Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs and Oli Skyes, she meshes her influence of rock and metal with hyperpop and hip hop. It was only a matter of time before she would showcase how she would take this genre-fused take to emo, given that most of the songs were written around 2016. And after putting out singles for the past two years, she has finally put out her debut mixtape, ‘Quantum Jumping’. Genre-fused emo music mostly stands out if the melodies, instrumentation, and vocals stand out to make the emo-tinged tones work even more. Unfortunately, dozens of listens to this mixtape left me wishing that some of the elements are improved upon. Because for the most part, the lyrics of Daine’s past personal stories of growing up, either dealing with her very first personal breakup, social isolation, or mental illness do make up for some solid writing, especially when it’s framed as nostalgic and how it showcases Daine finally celebrating her triumphs which makes sense because most of these songs are written around 2016 and the mixtape is literally entitled ‘Quantum Jumping’. It clearly shows that this is an ode to her younger self who was still struggling with a lot of things back then and finally breaking through it as her embrace of emo music allows her to push past it and be the person that she is now, and I personally liked that sentiment. But when it comes to the music itself, there are just a lot of tough decisions that do not elevate the writing, specifically the melodies, the production, and Daine as a performer. As a performer, Daine still has room to grow as her delivery doesn’t bring more tension when she tries to express her angst or convincing charisma when she tries to be a bit more mellow. It doesn’t help that the production feels overstuffed with texture and not enough melodic tone as the trap percussion does not add to anything, the blurry textures and inconsistent drum and vocal mixes only make the tracks feel oversaturated and overshadow the guitars, and the vocal filter on Daine’s vocals only makes her sound so brittle on a lot of these tracks. But the bigger issue is the melodies, where the hooks end up sounding mild and stiff, and the lack of tempo variation and distinction between chorus and verse melodies on a lot of these just makes the mixtape feel a lot longer as a result. It’s the reason why the mixtape starts off on a weak note, with ‘cemetery dreams’ being the worst song to start the mixtape with the limp melodies and trap percussion that may have been imported from an amateur made pop song in the 2010s and this sadly continues with songs like ‘weekends’, ‘black and blue’, and ‘IDC’ even if Daine’s contrast between her deeper vocals and shouts are appreciated. But going past that, the mixtape does end up with a decent back half, with ‘glitter’ just having that guitar strums amidst minimal trap loops, ‘comes and goes’ being the best song as the production finally ebbs back with the oversaturation and allowing the mix to breathe with the drum machine textures fitting so much better amidst Daine’s heartfelt performance, and ‘new ground’ ending the mixtape on a nice note with the quicker tempo, punchy instrumentation especially with that guitar, and Daine’s assured vocals. To end this off, this oddly reminds me of Charli Adam’s debut record last year also has some genre-fused emo touches and personal reflection of their past and celebration of the present. While Charli Adam could’ve amped up her vocal chops on some of the songs in the record, it’s compensated with melodies that have some oomph to them as well as production that allow the mixes to breathe and let loose when needed. And I personally think that that’s what is holding me back with Daine’s mixtape, where the overblown production, stiff melodies, and lack of vocal charisma and tension just do not elevate with the writing that feels reflective and relatable to those who have struggled with their personal demons in the past. While Daine has grown from her past, and this mixtape does showcase her growth, it does not represent her best output at this very moment. For the time being, this might resonate with those who have been scrolling into the punk side of TikTok and Twitter. And for Daine, this jump is a good effort, but she can definitely leap into better strides in the future. Support the art & the artist:
REVIEWS
TRACK REVIEW: Svvell. – Woozy
Written by Elijah P. Cagayan De Oro City’s Svvell are fresh off their comeback performances after a two-year-long pandemic-induced hum. For their latest single “Woozy”, it’s nothing too short of the mid-2010’s leather jacket-produced riffages and borderline accent aping. But that isn’t Svvell’s goal yet. “What’s in it for you and me” the lead singer and guitarist Yoo Han sings as he proceeds to entice the listener with their Brit-pop savvy inflections. There’s more to it than the band’s vocal stylings and “chill” look than meets the eye. “Woozy” tends to be more swaying and serenading than the usual sonic void of their usual shoegaze influences. The step in this direction is more linear than their past releases, much more robust and sentimental, more consistently arranged than thrown and stuck to the wall and see what sticks. In true classic Brit-pop fashion, the Lilystars Records signees have managed to stick to their roots pre-Clem Clastro rite of passage. “Woozy” is not “oddly” charming, it’s charming to the fullest without ever forcing it to be. Svvell might as well be one of the label’s true up-and-comers, a journey that will carry on not only for Metro Manila listeners but for their cohorts who’ve made amazing noise in CDO as well. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: dwta – SANTIGWAR
Words by Elijah P. Born and raised in Bicol, dwta aka Jhasmine Villanueva have captured the essence of folk-pop. The MINT musician’s got her start with the support of her label with tracks like “Kalangitan” and “Mapagbirong Tagpuan” – both of which possessing chamber pop and Born AgainTM post-rock stylings. From the get-go, she may have been written off as another label promoted har-har singer in the past 2 years. With her Tagalog-spoken tracks released in streaming platforms, it seems like she’s struggling in narrating the story or having to make sense of every sentimental “hugot” cue card as far as her performances are concerned. Enter “SANTIGWAR”, a complete 180 degree turn in her artistic career as a singer-songwriter. It looked like folk-pop was back in its mystical form. Her Bicolano lyric-writing turned the whole notion of the genre from a stale genre into a sound that’s best remembered for turning stories into reality. Dwta believes in the notion that every writer has their reality to tell, but with the limitations of a language and its accompanying form, she’s exerted her 100 percent effort in ways folk-pop singer-songwriters haven’t gone through yet. The latest track has successfully put Bicol on the map as a place where songwriters excel in their tradition, let alone use their DNA into an artistic statement. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
EP REVIEW: As Silent As The Forest – Tranquility
Words by Elijah P. Founded in 2015, progressive rock-slash-math rock trio As Silent As The Forest have personalized their arsenal into something more vigorous compared to holding-hands-in-the-air, tree-hugging milquetoast math rock bands out there. For a band that’s premised behind tree stumps, inserting atmospheric passages about the wilderness and the likes, ASATH have more what others bargained for in their latest EP titled “Tranquility”. As the title suggests, there’s more to peaceful riffages and swells than most advocates assume. In tracks like “Young Blood”, the band embodies indiemo sentimentality all the while armoring themselves with heavier lead tunings, deeper bass lines and masterful drumwork. The kick-off track “Unsaid” and its opening lines imply a fearless attitude, far from standing beyond the precipice of math rock’s cliches. There’s an even balance of calls for mercy and emotive vocal deliveries, making it border between a post-hardcore and math rock project. Rarely a divisive choice of thematic sound can come across as consistent but ASATH have done it in a way where they’ve told a story while simultaneously packing a catchy chorus or two. However, in the grand scheme of things, “Tranquility” can become lopsided by its contrasting tracks and almost identical song structures. As much as there are odd timing and tunings made in the record, the record can quite become tedious in continuous listening sessions, that’s if the listener doesn’t pay too attention to its devilish and sonically inherited details. The title track attempted to deviate from the tracklisting before it by adding an intense double kick drum – which in retrospect barely acts as a motif that helps elevate the track’s themes. By the last track titled “Dark Days”, the EP has turned itself into a full on post-hardcore record with guitars tuned lower compared to other tracks. That is where the project starts to fall flat on its head. As Silent As The Forest’s first ever EP stands on its own, but it barely stands out as a one-of-a-kind record that defines the movement. “Tranquility” has some highs when they’re paid close attention. The project has its lows when listened to as a wholly math rock record. Support the art & the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: Paper Satellites – Manila Meltdown
Words by Janlor Encarnacion It took a pandemic for indie-rock trio Paper Satellites to finally put their musical vision out into the world. Spanning years of writing, Manila Meltdown depicts the maturation process of a band figuring out their sound and rolling with it. Evident in the album is their penchant for making memorable riffs and melodies while also experimenting with their sound. Their Oh, Flamingo!-like instrumentation is top-notch and while the Alex Turner-esque vocals were taken straight from the mid-2000’s indie scene, they sound more refreshing for today’s listening. The album takes the listener on a musical journey of growth with improvements heard from the remastered tracks to the newly made ones. The older songs show earnestness in their boundless energy often falling short on the delivery during the chorus but show bursts of creativity in the melodies and lyrical punch in the verses. In the newer, non-remastered, songs, the boys further refine their technique most notably with how the chorus is handled – a weakness in the older songs. The band makes use of a complicated-verse-simple-chorus to show contrast that have led to weak remastered songs but has been refined in their newer tracks. Though singer-guitarist Jyle Macalintal shows a set vocal range, his strength in lyricism is harnessed to great effect in the album’s best song: “Spinning”. He flips his conventional writing style found on other songs around and makes a compelling and engaging song by making a frantic chorus that matches the riffs and the song title. The simple-chorus form of writing is exemplified, though, in the second best song of the album: “Scene”. The difference in lyrical complexity adds contrast between the songs’ parts but the simplicity in the chorus was enhanced by taming the instruments – further elevating the lines. I wish they went further with the experimentation, though. Ness Urian – of The Gentle Isolation – had a short feature that felt lost as she only delivered a few lines at the end of YGSFM. More inclusion of her sweet voice into the song would have made for a more contrast-y and interesting listen. All in all, Manila Meltdown is an excellent indie-rock trip full of great melodies and sing-along songs that show what the band is capable of. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: SLIZ – Droga ang Pag-ibig
Written by Lex Celera I think it was around this time last year when I first listened to SLIZ’s breakout hit, “Sige.” The breakout hit established SLIZ as some sort of a late 2010’s bedroom artist meets late 2000’s love rap chorus crooner, packed with simple but catchy lyrics on smooth beats that’s easy on the ears (dance crews have had her songs as part of their choreography). But what sets SLIZ apart is what is arguably her most becoming trait: an unmistakable, high-pitched singing voice that has not entered our ears in a long time. I’ve come to understand that her speaking voice is pretty much the same as her singing voice, based on an interview with her and catching her live performance. It’s a singing voice that serendipitously stands out from whatever musical elements it’s paired with. In my mind, it’s SLIZ’s most dominant trait that would either make you love or dismiss her. But I’d like to believe that majority of SLIZ’s first-time listeners who would openly balk at her shrill singing, whether it was “Sige” or her latest release “Droga ang Pag-ibig”, would slowly lurch back to YouTube and listen to it again. And again. “Droga ang Pag-ibig” shares a common thread with Aikee’s “Kahit Bata Pa Ako”, Mike Luis’s “Iba Ka Na Pala Ngayon”, and Hambog ng Sagpro’s “Alaala Nalang” in that they all carry infatuation and fidelity as themes, but also handles these themes in an outwardly immature way. The fact that all these tracks feature high-pitched, childish voices makes me feel that there’s some correlation between all of them. Like her breakdancing cohorts in the music video, “Droga ang Pag-ibig” is a free and easy listen that doesn’t attempt to go beyond its confines. It is a step towards the same direction SLIZ has been going for since the beginning, and while it doesn’t offer much merit beyond what’s already been said, it also establishes SLIZ beyond the novelty her previous work has unwittingly offered. The cutesiness of it all is here to stay, at least for a while more. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
EP REVIEW: Tsuyunoshi – 2004
Written by Elijah P. Tsuyunoshi, a young up-and-coming contemporary pop and r&b act hailing somewhere in Southern Metro Manila made some noise on the Soundcloudsphere for releasing catchy-as-hell bops and frequently collaborating with producers and performers who specialize in playing around genres that involve heavy percussion and lighthearted Ne-Yo-esque production (may it be drum and bass, dubstep, or 00s r&b). ‘joshwa’ — a producer based in Seattle, by way of Honolulu, whose frequent collaborations with Tsuyunoshi earned both performer and producer their own respective spotlight in the international r&b and rap spotlight in the United States — assists their compadre carry the entirety of their debut full-length 2004 to the Discord music scene and the entire world. For the clueless reader still begging who in the world is Tsuyonoshi: Where does “2004” start? At what point in time does the album begin? The album’s main star kicks off the album with weepy lyrics and a whiny hook, both possessing catchy and chant-worthy moments wherein Tsu’s voice doesn’t reach to a point of overbearing; “astray” starts and finishes with joshwa’s guitar chords serenading the listener. Tsu continues to bob and weave joshwa’s playful production choices, injecting anthemic melodies per syllable, consistently driving the track forward even if the guests try to surpass each other. “sidetracked” — one of the album’s main highlights — Tsu battles with balancing the valuable love language of spending time, alongside the dense production that adopts a clunky style, a sound that’s matched with Tsu’s running thoughts as he sings the words out loud in panic mode. “twofaced” adds lush guitar picking, funky synths, and the occasional high notes; the climactic vocal registers is honestly a skill Tsu needs to be recognized more besides the celebratory whiny vocal style. Overall, the entire album runs in 17 mins and 7-tracks. From the get-go you would ask yourself whether or not the relatively short length constitutes an “album”; But by the end of the day, the quality of the music speaks for itself. Tsuyunoshi’s “2004” proves that their ideas aren’t restrained by the limited length. The ideas in question: back-to-back banger r&b vocal stylings amplified by genre-defying production, the soft-loud dynamic highlighted by its tireless performance, and Gen Z’s massive influence in combining vibrant sound choices in the fold. Support the art & the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: The Juans – Liwanag
Written by Elijah P. Drum pads, Christian Rock leanings, K-pop cosmetics, and musings of the neverending main character syndrome; Yep, it sounds like The Juans album alright. The then-boy band turned full-fledged conventional band has hit their momentum a year before pandemic, releasing the acclaimed Umaga EP last 2019, gaining fans and recognition besides their commissioned movie soundtrack credits here and there – dropping songs for blockbuster romantic movies like Sid and Aya, Squad Goals, and 100 Tula Para Kay Stella. The leather jacket-wearing, Gatsby hair-scented demeanor took a 180 degrees with the band now donning colorful suites, dead synth pop trends, and oppa-leaning touch ups for their latest album “Liwanag”. The album starts off with the band introducing themselves with 39-second long harmonies then transitioning to the insurance company, Manulife-type instrumental: tribal pop drums, motivationally charged vocal melodies, ocean-sized chorus pedals that’s blander than their music video color grading. Besides the pop trap left turns in several songs, “Anghel” is the only tolerable track in the entire album. The Juans’ “Liwanag” have hi-fived themselves to their doom. Executing the worst parts of homogenous sonic variation, or a lack thereof, nearly all of the songs in the album are barely worth mentioning due to the identical song structures, sonic aesthetics, subject matter that’s already achieved even before the band has existed. The album ends off in the sourest note: The sonic alettes noted down are already mentioned, and it’s almost pointless to even elaborate the stagnant compositions. The Juans are already out of touch from the get-go. Link:
EP REVIEW: CREPUSCULAR DAWN – IN FILMIC STASIS
Written by Nikolai Dineros Hardcore turned post-punk: At least, that is where the appeal for the newly formed post-punk outfit, Crepuscular Dawn, who recently unveiled their debut release, In Filmic Stasis, comes from. And while some may argue that hardcore and post-punk/no wave come from the same umbrella, one cannot deny that switching styles can be an arduous task, especially for the more creatively established musician. Upon rummaging through the vast archives of old, forgotten performance clips from the peripheries of the local hardcore scene, all in search of any material from the members of Crepuscular Dawn’s other projects, I was only able to find a handful of music to go by – one from Bandcamp and the other from YouTube. The parent hardcore bands in question are Eyes of Fire – Manila and Off The Chain, the former of which had a studio album – branded as stoner blues rock –, a live album, and a demo release published on Bandcamp, all for the taking. As for the latter, all I gathered was a live performance of their song “Mainland Pride” on YouTube. Fast forward to ‘In Filmic Stasis’, the once brutal and in-your-face mosh preachers are now sporting synths, dismal and eloquent songwriting, a melancholic “Insiang” (1976) cover art, and a copious amount of reverb and high pass filter across the guitars and vocals, respectively. Sad vibes all over, but you can still bang your head to it. ‘Whirlwind’ is a brilliant tone-setter, kicking off with a rich rhythm section backed by an infectious guitar riff, and the singer’s expressive and emotional crooning that remains at the forefront throughout the five-track project. True to the band’s hardcore roots, “Geworfenheit” then takes all these elements and elevates them even further. The vocals are much more potent, the wall of guitar and synth passages that are simultaneously at play are explosive, and the glittery counter-melody provides more glam. “Pilgrim” is memorable for its intense and powerful guitar-bass line that complements the thumping batterie, and that “Death is the only constant” line that goes on repeat at the final leg of the track. Much like ‘Geworfenheit’, it borrows a lot from the band members’ former hardcore sensibilities. The first three-track run is a strong and uncontested one, but even “Empire of Speed”, which follows after “Pilgrim”, has its fair share of amazing feats. It is easily Crepuscular Dawn’s most upbeat and straightforward song in the record, thus making it stand out on its own, at least before “Leper God” plunges at the opposite direction to finish ‘In Filmic Stasis’ at a depressive note – typical gothic fashion. Support the art & the artist: N/A
ALBUM REVIEW: Massiah – Lahi
Written by Louis Pelingen Ever since its creation, Careless Music Manila has been in a state of constant growth as it became independent in 2019, allowing the signed artists creative freedom when it comes to their visual and musical aesthetics. While the last two years have restricted these artists to tour around the world, it did allow them to focus on their musical projects that will push their careers through the door even more. This year, one of the artists in that label has put out their debut record and that is ‘Lahi’ by Massiah. To put it simply, it is a breezy and tropical record that centers on Massiah’s half-Filipino, half-Ghanaian heritage as well as his success in recent years. While it showcases Massiah’s talent and skill on the door, it doesn’t exactly showcase what makes him stand out. But before I discuss my personal nitpicks on this record, I would love to point out the positive aspects of this record. For one, the production is consistent for the entire runtime as afrobeat and trap beats are weaved throughout, supported only by chilly synth tones, chiming piano textures, and enough low-end presence that acts as a solid groove foundation for a lot of the tracks. And for how tropical this album is, it does make sense that Massiah tries to be loose and chill with his vocals to convey different tensions on most of the songs. And when the production and melodies are at their polished results, we get songs like ‘Frequency’ with its magnetic melodies and charming performance from Massiah and ‘Stay With Me’ thanks to the woozy synths and synth horns, low-key vocals that are elevated with multitracking and backing vocals that are nested at the best timing. However, there are multiple pushbacks in the production that don’t work well. While I loved ‘Paid for It’ due to the Spanish guitar chords playing amidst the trap rattles, the vocal mixing gets haphazard as it shifts to the back of the mix quite often and is not helped by the bass that swamps Messiah out of the picture. ‘Island City’ is also a mixed bag as well as it provides an interesting drill-esque beat that is coming from the sputtering trap drums and low-end presence, but it gets odd as the track suddenly transitions in slowed and pitched down effects which only makes the back half of the song to end in a jarring way. The production on the other tracks are mostly fine, ‘Higher’ with its hypnotic synth presence amidst solid trap and low-end grooves, the stable tropical afrobeat presence on ‘High off Life’, ‘First Time’, and ‘Tourist Chick’ with the latter having some horn accompaniments, and the sparse synths and bass presence on ‘Silhouette’. While some tracks could’ve used more of the guitar and brass instruments utilized in the album, I think my biggest issue here is the writing, the melodies and flows, and some missed opportunities that Massiah could’ve done in the record. While Massiah is a solid enough performer that showcases different sides in his vocal range, there are tendencies where he wears some influences on his sleeves when he raps and sings, especially from the likes of Amine, Drake, and Ty Dolla $ign. It’s also a missed opportunity for Massiah to have more interplay with his guest features especially when he is trying to different things in the record. He could at least try to play off with Because on ‘Island City’ and provide vocal harmonies with Fern. Official and Cavill on ‘Silhouette’. And while there is some vocal interplay in ‘High off Life’, there could’ve more opportunities for interesting vocal dynamics in the song. When it comes to the writing, I do get and understand the thematics of success and fleeting love that is in the record, but Massiah could’ve done more here. While the flexing is not really in the record, the constant mentions of the hustle and hard work just got stale and Massiah could’ve branched out in this topic, possibly towards introspection and how that success really means for him and those that he truly cares about. And then there are the love songs, which felt a bit flirty on the first track only to derail into unappealing tangents in the next couple of tracks. Massiah tried to sell that loose tropical vibe in the writing and production with his vocals, but it still doesn’t compensate for the bland and uninteresting songwriting and the melodies that can be stiff and derivative. Massiah’s brand of tropical afrobeat is fine and dandy, but treating this as a victory lap on his debut album may demand some folks more attention on what else he can do next after that hustle. Personally, it is a flawed record, especially with the influences wearing on Massiah’s sleeves, the production that stumbles on certain songs, and the writing that just doesn’t showcase his unique flair and ends up being one-dimensional as a result of it. While I applaud him for reaching that success and celebrating it on this record, I’m going to pay close attention to what else he can do in his future releases. Because now that he has showcased his victory lap, he will need to do more than just hustle bragging to sustain that audience. Support the art & the artist: