The year had no shortage of spectacular tracks, may it be coming from a sprawling piece of ambient or a quick rage session with a posse. The releases keep coming as if bands or artists in general are to take back the two years of lockdown. Compared to what it was pre-pandemic, these tracks come out stronger and more effective than ever. Coming from a culture where lone recordings made the most imprints than an actual full length release, listeners would rather leave no track left behind. Covering the depths of internet post-punk from Bulacan to the trenches of drill in Pasay, here are the 25 best Filipino tracks of 2022. 25.) tidal – calcium The standout single from their debut album, the quartet paint a story of kindred spirits finding solace in the cracks of each other’s brokenness as the blasting drums of Tan Flojo and the bright guitar work of Keith and AJ lend the stage for Clarence’s ruminating vocals to deliver a heartfelt performance. -Janlor Encarnacion 24.) neytan & areli – FAR Out of all that Neytan has put out this year, he struck gold with this track. Bringing along Areli to put a shuffling beat and spiraling vocal touches to eventually create their Brockhampton-inspired cut is a sweet treat from start to finish. It has an anxious sentiment that these two exudes perfectly, a reserved attitude towards whether it is best to stay with her or keep some distance away from her. The track is quite the whirlwind, where even if that anxiety stays in your head, you’ll keep on pushing forward somehow. -Louis Pelingen 23.) Cowboy Country Club – Squirrel on the Line Amidst the journey of reflecting through connections and relationships, ‘Squirrel On The Line’ reveals a layer of that reflection in a prickly fashion. Within the cycling acoustic strums, waves of violins, and subtle synth layering comes this stressful set of emotional struggles that persists in one’s entire life. It’s a catharsis delivered in a simple yet moving passage, in the poignant way that Cowboy Country Club does well. -Louis Pelingen 22.) Turncoats – Future Fossil Baguio’s very own indie/dreampop trio shine in their latest offering of 2022 that is “Future Fossil”. With the mix of garage rock-inspired instrumentals and dreampop-tinged vocals, Turncoats yearn about self-doubt and self-worth thrown in the midst of the whirlwind of sound. The upbeat pace and reverb-drenched vocals mask the song’s relatable theme of acceptance and discovery in a world where trying to fit in and living up to expectations dictate an individual’s value to society. And in today’s society, devoted listeners need bands like Turncoats -Janlor Encarnacion 21.) Spacedog Spacecat – Jay Muscis Spacedog Spacecat, the indie crossover the entire Manila scene was not ready for, pushes their fuzz pedals to their limits on ‘Jay Muscis’. With a bright intro riffage, a dense rhythm section, polarizing dream pop vocals, and playful yet subtle counter melodies, ‘Jay Muscis’ is proof of the many utilities of the fuzz sound (get it?). And who wouldn’t say no to hearing Megumi Acorda in 2022? -Nikolai Dineros 20.) kindred – Switch On U! “Can’t stay at mad at you” says the boyband as they sing in the chorus.“Show me something new” says the boyband sing in the outro. Kindred strives for patience and virtue in their craft, and even greater – notably louder – energies in your nearest party. There’s a throng of voices clashing against the bleeps and boops of their producers and there are pointpersons to every punchline. This formula that is “the boyband” defines their camaraderie during the pandemic and “Switch On U!” is evidence of their growth and fervor in the game. -Elijah P. 19.) Armi Millare/Munro – Take Me Stepping away from a project and returning to an old one, Take Me is the next step forward for Armi Millare. It’s the first shard for what will be a different side of her artistry, taking spare amount of instrumentation to fill in and elevate her impassioned voice. It’s baroque in its spare, atmospheric, and yearning form, with love displayed to be given even when the partner is out of reach. -Louis Pelingen 18.) Identikit – Dust Collector Identikit solidifies their unique sound with Dust Collector – filled with quirky synth hooks, a groovy bass, and Esber’s unpredictable guitar sound supporting James’ haunting vocals. As the band talks more about an android collection that is kept for show and is untouched by strangers, the lounge-y vibe of the song round out the mystery in the lyrics and is a great representation of the uniqueness of the band. -Janlor Encarnacion 17.) Cheats – Morning After ft. Johnoy Danao “Morning After” is like watching a balancing act from the alternative-rock favorite Cheats. The tonal balance of the three vocalists – Sab, Candy, and Jim, accompanied with Johnoy Danao’s delicate vocals brought this track to a home run. Fuzzed-out guitars ringing in the back, commanding percussion leading the way and most importantly, the audio separation towards the end made the song a breath of fresh air. The lyrical abstraction of the “Morning After” is a chase towards self-reflection and unexpected realizations which exhibit the band’s progress towards shaping their trademark sound. Cheats honed a consistent sound across their discography. However, “Morning After” operates in its own defined space and introduces a new side of the band collaborating with other artists – which we are looking forward to in the future. “Morning After” is a clear promise of what Cheats can establish in the scene. -Sab Aguirre 16.) Noah Alejandre – di man tinadhana In this industry full of male har-har and industry falsetto giants, only one artist was able to make it out of the dreaded rabbit hole: Ormoc, Leyte’s very own Noah Alejandre. Straight from the pop duo that is Reon, Alejandre tries his hand out in the formula, slowly but steadily throwing in his rendition of the style. And the result: a smoother, catchier and captivating vocal performance.
REVIEWS
TFL PRESENTS: THE 20 BEST FILIPINO RELEASES OF 2022
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 music life, the ecosystem that is the Philippine music; we experienced a lot of crossovers and other unexpected turns that would change the trajectory of the listener and the artist. From the sudden reunions of a high-profile 4-piece to the sudden rise of 2010s indie-sleaze affiliate genres to the co-optimization of genres from larger than life platforms like Tiktok and Facebook. There was an emergence of grunge and goth culture, thriving on the image of Robert Pattinson lurking over Gotham City and makeshift house venues in The South turning into a crying session. The folks of TFL are more than honored to present to you releases that define the year that is 2022. 20.) Basalt Shrine – From Fiery Tongues Shortly after one successful and groundbreaking hardcore project, it’s almost hard to believe the Vivo Brothers could top their ABANGLUPA debut with a new venture. Enter Basalt Shrine, a doom metal quintet with a knack for the abstract that has quickly taken the metal scene aghast since its recent inception. Largely black metal inspired, their debut album From Fiery Tongues also incorporates stoner, sludge and drone elements in their dirge — and does so pretty damn well! The band has toured quite a few times this year, and you might have already seen their names pop up in underground venues. In any case, you should check them out! -Nikolai Dineros 19.) O.I Research Partners – Speed Milk “Speed Milk” is one of the more gratifying releases to be released exclusively via physical merch by way of tricky YouTube search (if you look hard enough). What caught my surprise is the mere fact that this is more than a project, it more likely transcends the need of a streaming site. Its a living breathing project that consists of cowboys from outer space, the Wild Wild North-North of Nueva Ecija and many more interstellar worldbuilding. O.I Research Partners’ penchant for borderline desert psychedelia and tin can folk comes in waves in every soundbite and plugin pedal. -Elijah P. 18.) Nullification – Kingdoms to Hovel This Laguna death metal outfit takes a lot of notes from its forefathers and applies all the right pointers into a full-length album. To say this album is formulaic OSDM would be a discredit to the effort in crafting a visceral record akin to the 1990s DM sound that manages to stay fresh by today’s standards. Tracks like ‘Negated Fields’, Sledgehammer’, and ‘Inside the Surreal’ are as gut-punching as any metal song should be yet so elegant in their presentation that you’d feel the destruction coming your way. -Nikolai Dineros 17.) Chimera Mix – My Pet Rat Patorikku’s musical project is a thaumaturge, releasing projects with songs that are folded and squeezed with enough spark of creative experimentation within vintage, lo-fi, and psychedelic pop that it’s quite a marvel that he has put this enough projects already. He only blitzes through yet again with My Pet Rat, an EP with four tracks that continues to push himself even further to something incredible. Psychedelic pop with nuggets of lyrical eccentricities now dipped further into compositions that get even more ballistic and unhinged on every turn. His albums already ooze with dizzying compositions and instrumentation, but with this EP, it just shows that even the smallest doses can create a mind-dazzling splash. -Louis Pelingen 16.) Mazerboy – Edge of the Bleak Guagua is a province that shouldn’t go unnoticed, especially for younger acts like Mazerboy who shuns every doubter of post-punk, psychedelic rock and alternative rock within imperial Manila. “Edge of the Bleak” is agitatingly catchy than it is dystopic – the project lingers in the mind of their listener – catapulting meteoric solos and textures, pummeling every indie band in the mainland today. -Elijah P. 15.) <S>andwich – No Goodbyes On the surface, ‘No Goodbyes’ presented a spotlight on the social challenges brought by the pandemic, some were in the same dilemma during the pre-pandemic from biking around the Metro to the state of working from home. Tracks such as ‘Buhol Buhol’ and ‘Negatives’ are standouts that proved to be a self-fulfilling prophecy for the veteran band. It’s stacked with excellent guitar work and rhythm that will automatically remind you of Sandwich. The juxtaposition of the whole EP was delightful and ridiculous, leaving any listener wanting to bite for more. -Sab Aguirre 14.) Polyphonic Vision – Sudden Pictures The otherwordly synth textures of Michaela Benedicto and Mario Consunji create a beautiful, blissful and groovy whirlwind of electronica. Polyphonic Vision’s first ever EP is, at parts dreamy and at other times, complex. The stems of “Sudden Pictures” are mosaic to the point where production create an unfolding image. The more these movements create itself, the more Polyphonic Vision’s music becomes a dancing image. Thus, conceiving one of the best electronica releases of the year -Elijah P. 13.) Ligaya Escueta – Laughing in Milk 15-year old indie rock prodigy Ligaya Escueta comes in many forms and eras in her debut full length album “Laughing in Milk”. In fact, the album continually rises in momentum and it finishes in a mush of feedback and fuzz, eventually manifesting her growth in this kind of songcraft in the long run. Even mentor Mikey Amistoso of Ciudad couldn’t resist in sessioning for her in live sets. That alone should be a testament as to how much everyone in her age should go out and check out adjacent acts everywhere. -Elijah P. 12.) Party Pace – Nauseous The veteran quartet of Party Pace released a stellar introductory album with Nauseous featuring a slew of instrumental tracks that are easily the most enjoyable music to pair with work or play. The
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, it took a while for the band to let the songs they’ve written for this album to sit and simmer. Let alone some songs were written when their members were facing turbulent times of their lives, even pre-pandemic. If their debut was a honeymoon period for indie rockers and their denim jackets, “Before the Babies” were the millennial anthems and wishes that could’ve been, then “Houseplants” is a culmination of the band’s chemistry, both as a musician and non-musician perspective. Although lengthier and front-loaded than their previous albums, Cheats hold no punches when it comes to writing lines about appealing to a lover, asking for someone to stay even longer or to survive in a tragic event, and so on and so forth. “Houseplants” has all members grow artistically not just individually but also as a unit, especially for the tandem of vocalists Candy Gamos and Saab Magalona-Bacarro; Their layered vocals hit the notes on top of every single textured guitar riffage, possessing every bit of melody that’s been in the playbook of pop songwriting while surfing on a Broken Social Scene-esque template. In tracks like “Cans”, “Honey Calm Down”, “Kapit” and “Hakbang”, vocals shine throughout the entirety of its runtime, gracefully singing every anthemic hook after hook. “Not To Be Alone” and “Cake” are slower and gritty drum machine-assisted tracks where rhythm guitars shine the most. “Houseplants” has it all balanced to a T. But maybe those benefits won’t be able to weigh the actual length that it goes to finish the album in one sitting. Some tracks like Snooze (Pinto) and “Cashier Club” are slightly meandering and should’ve been cut from the album overall due to its least powerful performances, mostly caused by the anthemic and compelling tracks that come before them. Surprisingly enough, frontman Jim Bacarro takes a bit of a backseat in leading the album vocal-wise. And another surprise to mention is Johnoy’s Danao “Morning After” performance, calling back to The National’s Matt Berninger due to their brooding vocal tone. Overall, Cheats’ latest offering is a product of the band’s 2-year long wait. It all had the pros of a Cheats song: fuzzed-out guitars ringing in the back, commanding percussion leading the way and most importantly the three vocalists trading every line like it was a sport. And the cons are either the band not slightly surpassing the fervor of the previous albums or the performances that didn’t show any riskier moves or soundscapes. But this was an album or rather a period where everyone took their time to live a little, surviving most of the time. Then you have “Houseplants”, an album that could’ve been released any other time, but instead, it was released at a time where we wanted it the most. Support the art & the artist:
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 just to create this sense of curiosity. And as the ears try not to deceive the listener, their debut album falls under the r&b and glitch pop canon. This album exhibits experimental production and sensual r&b that goes far beyond their usual sonic spectrum. But before anything else, Tome. doesn’t push anything further than aping already innovative production techniques from their influences or constant left turns in the mix that is already done years before. Rather, they advocate something than just mere “copying” – as some naysayers would mention. Tome. does it in ways where their emotive songwriting could expand the worldbuilding in writing in “First Edition God Complex”. After listening to the album in full, the listener can say that this is Tome’s own world and we’re just living in it. The first three tracks of the album, “gravity (intro)”, “ATLAS” and “iridescence”, give us a taste of Tome’s offerings, setting a precedent going forward to the debut album. There are copper snares, metallic-sounding percussion, and heavy synths that pale in contrast to their EPs 2 years ago. Album highlights like “AMOEBA”, “NO!!”, “BAKUNAWA” is designed to be played at an underground club filled with leather and flashing lights. Although not aimless, there are hints that Tome’s still getting there in terms of polishing their own sound. But in terms of the unrelenting “oomph” factor, the album’s production is tighter than most alternative-r&b records that claim to be the “hardest”, and Tome. does it with trial and error. The guests in tracks like “ATLAS” and “4LIFE” have significant misses in guests keeping up to Tome’s stylistic production and pacing. But that doesn’t diminish the quality of Tome’s r&b-accented music displayed in a conceptual hellscape somewhere in the middle of nowhere. This is heaven on earth more than it is a hellish experience lurking in the ears of its listener. Slightly leaning in a more promising direction, “First Edition God Complex” is an impressive feat for a debut album. And it’s not impressive without its big misses in between. You have underwhelming performances; production overshadowing the vocal lines every verse or two; the overall track arrangement isn’t as notable as their previous EPs. But looking at the bigger picture, Tome. can and will break through time and time again. This is a promising artist you folks shouldn’t miss out on and this is just the first edition. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
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 writings work nonetheless, even if there is a thought where their style may run itself thin. Gemini (Gemini) is a test for this. This song sinks its emotions somewhere else, zooming to a child and her conflicting relationship with her mother as her abandonment leaves her reflecting on whether or not her mother even loved her and how it pulls up her insecurities of herself, showcased the most with “Does my mommy really love me / Or am I just her insane child?” and “Who am I? / I’m not birthed in the month of Gemini”. It’s a different spark in Half/Figurd’s usual lyrical shard, but now it’s heavier this time around. This also means that the composition also flips things a little as well. The vibes aim lower, the pacing is slower, and the grooves are a lot less propulsive amidst Kirsten’s gentle vocals and the band’s usual instrumental bliss from all the guitars and the synths. But like their past two singles, the band still does carry their jangle pop influences on their sleeves. For the most part, their knack in songwriting got interesting in this song as it incorporates odd terms as if a wordsmith picked them right out of a dictionary page while still retaining the emotional core of the track. And what’s rather frustrating is the composition itself, slower and languid fits the theme but the grooves march out in a way that gets repetitive really quick, not providing a distinct melodic palette between the verse and the chorus. And given that it all plays out for the entirety of 4 minutes, it makes listening to the song feel more like a slog than it should be. There are still tweaks to be done in the future. Half/Figurd may have their songwriting chops lampooned into interesting lyrical backdrops, but their exploration of jangle pop and twee pop still latches on to aspects that are either mundane or missing in variety. Their instrumentation may have their bliss, their vocals may have their pretty spots, and their songwriting may get clever, but their melodies and tones still push themselves into territory that’s not as interesting. Gemini (Gemini) is a nice song, but it just loses steam as it goes on. Listen to the artist:
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 with NME a few months after announcing her separation from the band explains why. Doing too many tours over the past 17 years took a toll on her health as well as personal, sometimes existential details that intensified her worries about herself as she matured as a person and as an artist over the years. Those factors resulted in her not just departing from the band, but also the fact that her love for music has lost its luster over the years where she has to take the time to pick the sound and direction that she wants to indulge in. In that context, Armi Millare dusts off an old project of hers and takes that helm once again in this new song. For those that didn’t know, Munro was a self-produced project that she and other artists have made in 2009, a project that showcased a side of Armi that she describes as “a life imitating art, stuck in reality” where the songs she and her team of artists make are songs that don’t fit into conventionality. It was put off in 2013 but has now returned for this year, where Armi steps upon creative grounds to explore. A song filled with yearning for love and connection, Armi’s new song right here brings a spare and burning baroque cut that’s slow but also confronting. It takes some cues from Florence + The Machine with the bare atmosphere startled by Armi’s vocal harmonies whirling through the quiet mix as her voice allows the emotions to sink in. It’s a voice that’s burning with passion but also carries a delicate grace that Armi just pulls through, where the slight finger snaps and vocal harmonies in the first half put her presence in the very core of the song. Then the baroque elements come in past the two-minute mark. The rumbling drum and bass guitar, the quaint piano touches, and the calming koto instrument have enough space and texture in the mix. Despite the breadth of sound that Armi is pulling off here, there’s a negative space in the mix that could’ve been filled just a little more. Personally, there could’ve been hints of piano or koto playing subtly in the background around the second verse that would benefit the flow of the song better. Additionally, the vocal harmonies could’ve stacked up a little more in the chorus sections especially the chorus segment at the end of the song which just ends abruptly, not allowing the song’s emotive beauty to linger effectively. A veteran in the local music scene that still has a lot of ground left to explore, Armi Millare’s sonic detour on this song is a promising era for her. Donning the Munro project once more, ‘Take Me’ may be a familiar song to some that have already heard this performed back then, yet Armi refurbishes it with a sonic sheen that’s different but also exciting. Despite having a bit too much empty space in the mix, Armi Millare’s presence as a vocalist, producer, and composer has enough punch to bring the direct, romantic yearnings to echo through. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
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. However, there’s a sense of vibrance provided by their own homegrown talent, Mei Teves. By way of San Juan, Teves brands themselves as a simple school student, waiting for the campus crush to arrive before the bell rings and the human psyche brought by the pressure of their current upbringing. As makata pop takes a step back from the meantime, Teves relishes in the spectacle of storytelling flipping the script by deepening the narrative-driven singing. There’s a sense of wonder when you look closely at Teves’ songwriting, especially when you take a look at their Wishcovery performances, they’ve dug deep below the surface to explore darker themes, establishing themselves as one of the songwriters to look out for post-lockdown. Teves’ debut EP “/’hidn/” capitalizes on that spectacle of storytelling sung in intimate acoustic guitar, except they’re more optimistic, surprisingly lighter than their previous material showcased in Wish 107.5. This is a far cry from the yawps, from the theatricality that is “Sino Ang Baliw” or the cry-for-help intimacy of “Pakialam”. Instead, we got bossa nova influences of “Wala Lang” or the easygoing folk-pop of “Pangalan” and the ecstatic, grandiose “Senpai, Notice Me” – the last track that acted as a bonus track for how alienating it is for their audience to hear Teves’ channel their anime simpery. “/’hidn/” is a light exercise to Teves’ songwriting chops, whether or not they could shy away from the usual, heavier themes that are displayed in the Wish 107.5 performances, but this is the complete opposite of what the others wanted, the EP is a result of an artist playing-it-safe. A Happy Meal in the middle of an apocalypse; The wildcard seemingly giving their 100% but the sonic palette feels lacking; There’s a lightness to the bite that Teves used to bring to the table, especially when the EP drags midway, there’s little to no specialty besides Teves’ impressive voice twirling across the strings. Overall, “/’hidn/” might be Teves’ foray into different adjacent genres or soundscapes they want to travel to, but instead, we got something else entirely and the result was middle on the ground all the way. Nothing special as the EP ends. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
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 streaming platform playlists forever. Enter Blaster Silonga, the 23-year old composer of their own works that are as complex even if their solo career has spanned less than a decade. In “My Kosmik Island Disk”, the debut album of solo artist Blaster Silonga, there seems to be a hiding “clock”, ticking in the distance as every moment bursts in sonic technicolor. But whatever that imaginary metronome might be, there’s a lot to take in his debut album – that is, dissecting this album and its admirable elements. As the runtime justifies its lengthy tracks, Silonga and the company have built themselves a magical portal that will become known eventually in ‘OPM’ worldbuilding. Released in October 2022, this was a year-long pursuit for Blaster and the Celestial Klownz, studying every missing element that would shape their musicianship and their relationship as band-friends-partners. As Silonga puts it, the “lonely island” is brimming with mercenaries taking fellowship under the wing of the de facto captain. There’s a lot to take in for a solo artist releasing their debut album that’s nothing but influences worn on his sleeves, and honestly, there’s more to it than meets the eye. There are musical influences transformed into something more aesthetically consistent, and in return, the 9-track album came out of the ashes; newly inspired music based from the past, for the future. Tracks such as “NARARARAMDAMAN” and “DISKO FOREVER” are pop medleys jammed into one compact sheet note each: odd time signatures, guitar riffs on top of other riffs, sudden stops that call for an explosive instrumental outro, psychedelic hooks that are sung in either low and high timbre, and many to mention. “MAGUNAW NA ANG MUNDO” and “KOSMIK DREAM” are complimentary tracks that are meant to sit right next to each other; interludes like “ARMONYA” and “PRELUDE IN Eb MAJOR” are also standalone highlights that callback to Silonga’s knack for anything epic, both in a visual or sonic sense or in other words, “MY KOSMIK ISLAND DISK” is refined than it is flashy compared to the yore of their roots. Little tiny textures of synths are scattered like Easter eggs, flourishes of baroque-styled operatic synths and backing vocals are cued in moments that are in need to emphasize Silonga’s emotive expression (hear: “SA HULI ANG PAGSISISI” or “DISKO FOREVER”) and the results are less dizzying and more meticulously curated. “MY KOSMIK ISLAND DISK” is a treasure of cross-cultural influence assimilated in the lens of a solo artist whose ambitions are far greater than they were in the past. May it be inspired by the dusty crates of Cubao Expo vinyl or the neverending shilling of mid-2010s freak-pop, the album is a showcase of greatness, not a vulgar display of musical showboating. Blaster Silonga and the Celestial Klownz are building what remains and what holds for the music community at large. Support the art & the artist:
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 who’ve stumbled upon the single in their neighboring algorithm, the writer of this review included. But here’s the catch though: Sean Archer just feels out a lot of things about pop-punk and the music he’s inspired by and barely achieves the standard of big stadium pop music in his debut single. Unfortunately, Sean Archer’s performance and plugins sound like a bedroom project without thesis pressure or without the grit of a terror prof. It’s synthetic, everything about this is cliche as a Tiktok microtrend; the loud drums clip over the lazily written guitar riffs even if the more tamer parts switch to tender drum machines, undermixed as it is overproduced; the repetitive hook is hardly singable; it’s a fourth-rate Yellow Room recording rotting in the drafts. “Mamaya Na” is as textbook as it is frustratingly casual, nothing else adds up to its gang chant by the end of the track. LINK:
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, you get heavy stalwarts like Taken By Cars showcase their wall-breaking kicks and emotive vocals and bedtime television’s slowcore-inspired passages, Emelette is cut from the same cloth but she’s shown more heart than brawn compared to her predecessors. Released back in August of this year and a music video launched around the month of October, Emelette sings in the middle of an empty basketball court in her hometown of Biliran. Interpolating the clips are two lovers running away from their hometown and taking charge of their own trajectories in life, symbolically leaving what’s mundane, and staying brave for the taking. Emelette’s “Brave” is filled with layers of guitar chords strung into different chords woven after the other, creating a textured moment that captures the feeling of overwhelming love for a significant other. There’s casual electric, fuzz-driven guitar, and there’s Emelette’s debut single taking up a notch for the greater good. Support the art & the artist: