Written by Elijah P. Looking for an alternative sound is like choosing a specific category at a bookstore; the possibilities are endless. For solo artist Cloud aka Chall, he has familiarized himself with several sounds and chose to give it a spin in his YouTube channel; From the noisy walls of sound of My Bloody Valentine to the drunkard hypnagogic musings of Mac DeMarco — both artists nowadays are a dime a dozen due to their unashamed imitators regurgitating their ideas. And it is safe to say that Chall tries his hardest not to end up like one of his idols in his latest EP. Chall waltzes in the streets of Quezon City at the break of dawn. With a cigarette in hand, he treats himself to a dinner-for-one blowout in lieu of the release of his debut EP titled “Quezon Citypop”. His feelings regarding a lost love are as consistent as choosing a soft pink and red color palette, but musically, his actual output pales in comparison to his long-haired shredder persona online. In Chall’s first ever extended play effort, we hear passionate ballads track in and track out, breathing in the nicotine of everyday hustle and bustle while simultaneously breathing out the scent of sea salt by the shore. “Quezon Citypop” sounds exactly like you imagine: a hybrid of jangle pop hanging by the sea of city pop cliches. From track 1 to track 5, you get the idea that Chall wanted to replicate what was great about Citypop, but one thing he hasn’t made clear is what does it have to do with Quezon City? Our imagination with a genre that was prominent in the past feels hard to pin down in the EP. “Quezon Citypop” hardly imagines a better tribute with barely any heady songwriting — something Chall should brush up on in the future. At the opener “Midnight Moonlight”, the track bum-rushes the second the record starts. It was a sudden whiplash of bass slaps and uneven mixing choices that don’t gel well with the urban romanticism themes. As well as the consecutive tracks that followed such as “Easy Morning” and “Tanging Halik”, both tracks felt longer as usual due to its elongated song structures that bore more than they could amuse its listener. Additionally, the sheen on those guitar solos hardly echo right through the awkward hook writing. Neither can the occasional technical wankery can save the EP from being madly in love at its genericness. The last tracks like “Pretty Japanese” and “After Hours” are on the nose attempts at duplicating the aesthetics of City Pop whilst implementing a ‘sad boy’ twist in its lyrical themes. The only problem here is these themes barely work in that kind of unorthodox setup. The closing tracks yields an underwhelming afterthought that hardly values any relevance to its title and the production’s attempt at polishing a clean, jazzy, funky City Pop-inspired record. Chall’s “Quezon Citypop” represents stale ideas of a movement that’s gone way past its due. The lonerist upbringing hardly convinces and sways and it all the more sells cheap nostalgia, abandoning all original angles of what makes Quezon City a center for pop in general. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
Tag: Elijah P.
TRACK REVIEW: Haute Couture, KURI MAW, All Rights – Salarin
Written by Elijah P. As ‘genre-bending’ pop music continues to pervade the comfort zones of many listeners in the 2020s, a new crop of producers are on a mission to challenge the conventions of those pop genres they have been sitting on for the longest time. Take new blood producer Alice Lunafel’s Haute Couture project for instance. For the past 2 years or so, Haute Couture has stitched musical ideas founded by the internet’s endless desire for audiovisual aesthetics. Ranging from dreadful drone side projects to a drafted love letter-structured UK garage, Alice’s undying love to tap into those territories instantly becomes a midas touch for most of them. For her latest collaboration “Salarin”, Alice invited Montalban-based rapper Kurimaw (PLAYA HATAZ) and Batasan’s very own All Rights (Hardknockz) for a collaboration that was spontaneous from the very beginning. But just like all unplanned events that’s involved with the creative process, it yielded fantastic results. For 3 minutes and 56 seconds, “Salarin” is loaded with ideas that are traded left to right: Alice’s first ever verse written in Tagalog, Kurimaw’s first foray into the world of experimental pop music, and All Right’s non-aggro and more laid-back take on themes of alienation and self-doubt; All of these performances have resulted in a mishmash of catchy choruses, a rewarding yet melodramatic synth-flute combo, and an explosive arena rock outro. “Salarin” is a blender full of glitch-y pop music, contemporary alternative rock-influenced rap, and all things that pushes those genres forward. For Northern Metro Manila’s newest rap pop stars Kurimaw and All Rights, they aren’t strangers to left-field production and peerless musical choices in their respective genres. Haute Couture just so happens to provide these previously mentioned rappers a boost for their creativity and sincerity in one track, elevating their talent to many different possible directions as a result. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST: N/A
EP REVIEW: LORY – s/t
Written by Elijah P. Parañaque’s very own desktop pop musician Mikee Mendoza aka Lory released their debut self-titled EP with the help of Terno Recordings. Like a tidal wave on a sunny afternoon, the 16-year old sophisti/city pop wunderkind virtually came out of nowhere. With their label distributor promoting their upcoming EP in the middle of a Facebook doomscroll, the chance of seeing a polo-wearing starry-eyed musician with a knack for guitar licks and synth-y embellishments are unmissable, unless you’re the type to follow Terno’s highly curated city pop picks in the past 3 or 4 years. Apart from this project, it appears that Lory could gel with the Terno crowd, only for a short while that is. Partly this is due to the uncharismatic vocal presence throughout the self-titled project. “Pleaser” and “See The Now” have outstanding chops in composing a colorful mishmash of riffages and bleeps, furthermore the guitar work emulates lounge-y theatrics and the laser-like synth presets hop in and out of the track whenever it likes. But to emphasize chops in a constructive manner, the singing barely carries any of the bright production that’s established in the EP; “Over (Now)” drags tremendously as Lory continues to become a grand champion at the annual snorefest, specifically in the vocal department. Its vocals have become a factor at diluting the soundscapes to mere copypasting of previous musical trends, such as the peak of Spadesmania or She’s Only Sixteen’s millennial Poblacion bar songwriting. Lory instantaneously drags the listener to its doom by providing an underwhelming closer to the EP. The production choices and its outlines are spick and span but its direction leads to a sonic dead end. To what looks like a fantastic from front cover to back listening experience, the debut project holds itself back in tweaking its gear to full throttle. Lory’s self-titled EP is a trial and error piece on city-pop sound design and a clear example of how its vocal performance could potentially end up in becoming a deal breaker for many. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Jikamarie – “Kailangan ko ng….”
Written by Elijah P. Angelica Ponce aka Jikamarie took the Tiktok world by storm when she released her debut single “Lutang” — a synth-y r&b track that encapsulates our feelings that are in an absent-minded state — where it drew in colossal streaming numbers, a bunch of niche micro celebrities lip syncing to the song, and eventually made her land in a label deal with Warner Music during the last quarter of 2021. The track itself was a smash-hit for its infectious hooks, borderline-fantastical production, and leading synths that make a callback to electropop phases of K-Pop production styles in the mid 2010s. “Lutang” persisted throughout the rest of 2021 and marks a promising career for both Jika and her sibling-slash-executive producer Kenneth, establishing an early Billie-Finneas chemistry later on as she prepares herself in a post-pandemic world in 2022. Several months after the viral rollout of “Lutang” and countless other features across the industry board, it seemed like Jikamarie was about to reach the peak of her career as a singer-songwriter already. Mostly relying on Tiktok snippets and excessive remixes of “Lutang”, the debut single was about to reach its quota and it was high time for Jikamarie to churn out a new single before time runs out. “Kailangan ko ng” is a brand new single released days after the Valentine’s rush. It featured odd Korg-y bass lines, a cinematic chorus, and a weird, out-of-place bridge injected right smack dab in the middle of the single. To prove one’s artistic longevity is a challenge artists struggle shortly after they’ve hit their Smells Like Teen Spirit moment. But to Jikamarie’s benefit, “Kailangan ko ng” still stays true to her earnestness and drive, however, the end result has embodied the literal definition of a half-baked product. Being a one hit wonder surely is a curse, it’s a slump that’s taken for granted by many, and Jikamarie has experienced her first stumble in her latest single; The choruses have overstayed its welcome, a promising subject matter that’s interrupted by an odd choice in tone by the bridge, and a song structure that’s slightly identical from her past two singles — which are “bawi ako sa next life” and “Lutang” respectively. There are a lot more cons that outweigh its pros, to which it doesn’t completely apply to Jikamarie’s detriment entirely and surely “Kailangan ko ng” and its themes was able to conjure up a relatable feeling. But as far as repeated listens are concerned, Jikamarie’s “Kailangan ko ng” fails to be on par with the quality of her previous singles. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
EP REVIEW: neytan – Normal Pop Radio
Written by Elijah P. There’s an unspoken gap in synthetic pop grounded from the bedroom and r&b recorded in lapel mics, and the one way to address the void in between those genres are the acts that bridged it: Men I Trust, Clairo, and just to name a few. Those artists paved the way for DIY musicians to come up with ideas wherein they mix in several musical influences and ultimately come up with a singular, signature sound or movement. It was an itch longing to be scratched for many and yet it’s still missing the oomph everyone was looking to consider. For bedroom pop/r&b neophyte Nathan Ron Del Mundo aka Neytan, it comes across as if that itch has been scratched by his versatility and taste in his first ever EP titled “Normal Pop Radio”. Judging from the EP title alone, it looks and sounds like the 17-year old performer-producer wasn’t trying to duplicate an era that was lost, but rather he finds comfort in the strumming, the vocal twisting, and the mic cupping with additional themes of love, infatuation, and other what have yous that are sonic hallmarks in those respective genres. Tracks like “ALMANDINE” and “Malaysia” – the latter track being a loosie that isn’t on this EP but it exemplifies his knack for choosing appropriate melodies – are examples of hard-hitting and hazy production choices that best suit his vocal range. There are showcases of variety in genre choices but it’s enough to disjoint the EP even further. The filler tracks “SHE’S PRETTY (OUT OF MY LEAGUE)” and “CHICKEN WINGS” are products of soft soul and r&b that are easy on the ears but run on the mill if seated among the sea of songs that are identical structurally. It only makes it more superficially restrained rather than melodically consistent that would brand their identity later on. If anything “Normal Pop Radio” is memorable for, it’s the sheer potential the young up-and-coming musician can pull off sonically. However, his vocal chops could get a little bit of training before he can go full on Rex Orange County while surfing on those dreamy symphonies cascading to the drum machines. Neytan has a lot of work to do in the future, especially when searching for a natural sound to cling on and not rest on the laurels of his Discord contemporaries. Moving beyond one’s influences is one step closer to being a performer of a lifetime. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
EP REVIEW: Shanti Dope – Basic
Written by Elijah P. “Basic” is Shanti Dope’s statement to rap’s mega complex. Right off the bat, he finds it easy to course through 5-tracks showing that he’s the best. The young Caviteño has barely even reached his creative peak. Shanti’s career as a rapper so far has been a mix of triumph and controversy: PDEA tags “Amatz” as a negative influence towards his audiences; Gloc-9 passes the torch shortly after signing a deal with Universal Records; Disney+ adds the aforementioned track in their hit series Falcon and the Winter Soldier; and clearing his name from being affiliated with the notorious Miguelito Malakas. The de facto leader of Young God Recordz first started out from playing at small rooftop bars in Bacoor. Now he has the whole world on his hands. For this EP however, he’s going back to his roots. “Basic” was an assemblage of his cohorts; he givesthe spotlight to his closest family in his own label — minus Pricetagg Official and Hero who have their own respective cliques to handle in the competition. He maximized his resources for this EP, it’s evident comparing this from his previous full-length outing as a rookie back in his self-titled debut release – a project where we witnessed his first stumble as a rapper. It had tracks that expressed his juvenility and impulses, but neither of those subject matter proved a checkmate in the game. In “Basic”, there’s maturity, solid schemes, and a mission. All the tracks were mapped out, Shanti being the master at his element: tracklist feels more compact but packed with punchlines, guest features feel at home, and most importantly, Shanti Dope proves time and time again that he isn’t just a rapper with a double-time flow, he’s more than that. Shanti has a skillset almost no one can match at his age and current status. In the title track “Basic”, he and fellow Cavite partner Mhot go back and forth at a boom bap beat, all the while playing around with different voice pitches by the latter half, which calls for an experimental phase in Shanti’s music. The different voices of Shanti possess a different tone in his arsenal, wherein his untouchable hook writing can go very well together with his affinity for pitching his vocals differently in each track; The best example of this stylistic choice are either tracks like “Tabi” or “Loaded” – the former takes a form of a tamed conscience while the latter describes the life and times of a desperado at the dead of night. “Basic” collects one of Shanti’s best tracks in recent memory. The instrumentals put a good spin to the solo rapper’s career as he continues to push himself further as an individual with a generation behind him and raise the standard of rap altogether. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Lyn Lapid – I Guess That Was Goodbye
Written by Elijah P. When it comes to dramatic pieces of a piano ballad, there’s a mix of melodrama, regret, and even remorse from the songwriter. There are times of reminiscing and nostalgia found in the subtle parts of its verses and a cathartic release by the chorus. And more often than not, the songwriter asks for closure once the final piano line fades in the distance. For Baltimore-based singer Lyn Lapid, her constant aping on Lorde’s Melodrama proves that the singer-songwriter genre is at a stagnant state. “I Guess That Was Goodbye” is a follow-up to her massive slow jam soul of a single “In My Mind” – one of her many viral tracks that helped skyrocketed her career on platforms like Tiktok – and it’s becoming frustratingly obvious that her unceasing desire of genre-hopping has made her artistry all the more across-the-board. Sometimes going back and forth from her debut to the latest single, it should at least occur to the listener that Lyn acts like an algorithm changing to better suit everyone’s tastes every now and then, with nothing of substance and emotional value to it whatsoever. “I Guess That Was Goodbye” combines dry diaristic writing, anticlimactic structures, unnecessary symphonic leads, and a singer whose skills scream mid-tier all the way back at the recording studio. Link:
EP REVIEW: reon – Sentiments
Written by Elijah P. reon is a duo consisting of songwriters Reanne and Noah hailing from Leyte, Eastern Visayas. They are the type of duo who are waiting to shine out from the dark. Though they’re not there yet, at least for now. But they’ve at least shown materially that they’re ready to slide out of that darkness, shimmering across the chamber folk spectrum at lightspeed. In “Sentiments”, their 6-track EP, peaks variously in emotional levels of relief, catharsis, and infatuation. The tracks speak softly, in volumes so tender that it speaks more character than other har-har acts that are coming out today. Their choices for production are muted and intimate, mostly a balance of both: pianos streaming across the male and female harmonies, drum machines lingering as a unique backbone to their palette. There’s a showcase of experimentalism and polarity between the tracks, presenting a Side A and Side B of their skills as songwriters and producers. In “Is It Too Much Ask”, reon challenge themselves in narrative-writing via a lengthy 5-minute-and-a-half length. As it sways in midtempo, the duo slowly but surely enlivens the atmosphere adjacent to their singing. Shortly after the track, they never compromised their delightful sound. “Back To The Times” – arguably the best track in the entire project – aspires to become a tranquil version of the templated semi-abrasive contemporary dream pop sound. The beat compliments the hidden synths while the reverb acts as a blanket for the entirety of the track. Other than that, the string section in “Sentiments” and the acoustic guitar in “A Place I Could Call Home” are examples of avoiding a sterile sound. It feels and looks cinematic; better than watching mural-sized paint dry. Although, the project could’ve been more dynamic: instrumentations that evoke a certain feeling or conflict feels missing or better yet underdeveloped. Both reon have large amounts of potential to be thrown on the wall, they haven’t checked to see what sticks because of the concealed production style that easily hides their weaknesses as a duo. Their imagination for longing is restrained through the lyric-writing, which is underwhelming in some parts, or rather second-rate in repeated listens. Its warm sonics at some point could feel one-note throughout “Sentiments”, but at the very least both Noah and Reanne’s performances glisten in the vocal booth. Overall, reon is a duo that’s packed with potential. They got their cards right and as long as they play it right in the long run, they’ll yield great results. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Al James – PSG
Written by Elijah P. The mythology of Al James as an annual hitmaker begins to loom over many hiphop heads ever since the start of the pandemic. Memes, jpegs, and fan comments explain the deprivation of new releases from one of their favorite rappers. As the Baryo Berde mainstay’s absence began to stretch for the entire duration of lockdown, the demand for something new, or even some presence to an extent, began to swarm all over social media. Like most artists of his size, Al James went to take a step back, rerouting back to family priorities. It was, no pun intended, a time for him to rest. That’s until he went on social media to move the symbolic ‘glass’, posting studio time with Nexxfriday for his long-awaited debut album and a rumored collaboration with arguably the biggest r&b artist of the moment, Arthur Nery. And then shortly after the tease, the six-foot tall, snapback-wearing figure unveiled a new glass he raised. This emblematic glass for him to raise was for his comeback single aptly titled “PSG” — a single where he’s got a stockfull of those ‘goods’ in the Delorean trunk as he runs 88 miles per hour in the freeway. It’s a celebration deemed as a ‘comeback of the century’ from hip-hop social media as a whole, media partners continuously rejoicing as Al James plans to roll out for more singles in the coming months or maybe in the coming years. But what else does he have besides the goodies? Well, nothing new really — and it comes off as no surprise if we’re expecting any detour after an almost 2-year absence. “PSG”, like many of his singles throughout his 5-year career as an entertainer, follows-up to none of his past potential. From “Pahinga” to “Ngayong Gabi”, Al James barely left 2016 in his latest offering. Trap may have evolved for the better, but to Al James’ detriment, barely anything came out as something career-defining or let alone a paradigm shift in 2022. It’s only appropriate that he was packaged as a time-traveling party goer from the past only to change the present, but this present of his barely has any progress musically for the future; The signature yet unvaried vocal register submerged in the shiny synths, the deep sub-bass rattling off the mild wag-’kang-nega verses, and the unimpressive progression from the verses to even the hooks, are all middle-of-the-road. “PSG” narrowly carves Al James for better and for worse. It’s a single that’s reserved as a time-capsule, a disappointing half-hearted effort that doesn’t exceed time nor his Delorean’s flux. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Woochito – Validation
Written by Elijah P. Batangas-based solo artist Woochito’s vision in ‘Validation’ is nothing short of cliche. A beaten-up individual walks across several blocks way past midnight; bathroom breakdowns; and a couple shots that evoke a feeling of a daydream – it ticks all the boxes of an action-movie built for a bedroom pop audience. But there’s an underlying merit that needs to be acknowledged to Woochito – formerly known as ‘manila boy’ – and his knack for hypnotizing his audience in his bootleg internet Wonderland of sorts. There are examples of how his influence pierced the consciousness of his small internet following; his contemporaries Paul Parce and unikko ijo aren’t strangers from this trance-like, VHS-filtered state existing in their music. But as far as sonic-attraction is concerned, he is by far one of the most hypnotically captivating artists in his circle. The vocal mixing in “Validation” is unflattering, coming out as a sloppy performance, but it invites you into his world somehow. It’s a nervous, messy, and complicated situation to be in lyrically, as he describes his love as something to be ‘drooling’ for – a word that doesn’t need to be necessary as the music does most of its job in luring you into its beauty. The less attractive aspects of the song however doesn’t overshadow the overwhelming qualities of the track onwards. The instrumental flirtations of layered synth pads and chorus-pedal-guitar that happen between the verses and outro are love letters to one of his influences, but he isn’t far off as he wears these influences under his bruised-up blazer. However, Woochito packs a lot of uncontained infatuation in “Validation”, and as much as the amateurish may put off the listener at first, an earworm will be reserved in the following consecutive listens. Support the art & the artist: