Written by Elijah P. The year is 2024, and we’re currently at a stasis in how culture perceives sampling as a taboo subject and interpolations as a dubious activity in songwriting overall. Regarding the aforementioned topics, Shaira’s “Selos” made an impact by sparking a discourse on interpolations, while massive critics of the song bombard comments about its original source. But by the end of the day, who cares? It’s a catchy track. No one can ever take away our enjoyment. The same can be said for “Babaero,” which interpolates the Randy Santiago classic of the same name. After all the discourse and disputes, all of this fluff of copyright and ‘gotcha moments’ is all thrown out of the window because gins&melodies and Hev Abi already have a classic on their hands right away. Gently singing along to the lyrics on a Mac webcam with hearts flying out of their heads, “Babaero” is cheesy as it is evidence of interpolation, bringing the hook to a whole entirely different meaning in its contemporary setting; It’s less of a variety show singalong and more of an intimate, much more effective terminally online earworm. Surely, this is a testament to the consistent hook game and charm to both Downtown Entertainment and pop songwriting at large. Support the art & the artist:
Tag: Elijah P.
EP REVIEW: Yung Masa – MY KARMA RAN OUT
Written by Elijah P. Being a jack of all trades can take you somewhere, especially when you can balance out the dynamics of being a producer and a songwriter. These particular skills are something to masterfully juggle throughout your entire career span. Moreover, up-and-coming rapper and songwriter Yung Masa takes on the challenge of balancing different subgenres of rap in his debut EP titled “MY KARMA RAN OUT,” teetering with synthpop, drum n bass, digicore, and 2020s anti-pop sensibilities, mixing them into this cauldron of a project. The end result? A hot mess scattered by a relentless number of influences that don’t consistently gel well. “PRELUDE (could’ve been)” is an opener that overstays its welcome, while “GOODBYE” expresses my excitement for this EP to be over—not to mention the weak hook and singing. “DOWN” has harmonies that yearn for a Christmas Time remix from Alvin and the Chipmunks, while “RUN!” wishes to write like contemporary local rappers that sound like RB Slatt. However, “LOSE MYSELF” and its overall production could have defined the EP as a whole, with emotionally resonant vocal delivery and drum patterns that pay homage to 2020’s electronica. However, one takeaway the listener can get from this album is to not mistake all the futuristic, cyborg, Blade Runner-like visuals for actual material substance. “MY KARMA RAN OUT” was a frustrating listen from front to back. Sometimes the possible influences can get in the way and act as a detriment to its content. It’s like Mokujin except the impersonations don’t fully resonate to render the journey victorious. Its punches are weak, the lyrics are out of it, and the bar is extremely low for the remainder of this debut EP. Yung Masa’s “MY KARMA RAN OUT” should be renamed to a different title; maybe “My Originality Ran Out” is more fitting. Link:
TRACK REVIEW: stab. – watch you die
Written by Elijah P. As the hardcore community continues to expand in numbers, it has successfully passed on to the younger generations who are willing to help out in promoting a progressive mindset to all. Bands like Crepuscule, Gapas, Exit Wound, Shockpoint, and many more are emerging, performing in shows and venues everywhere. Bands like them continue to become more adventurous in terms of themes and technicality, yet Vismin bands like stab. are among the prime examples of experimentation and aggression to their fullest potential. “watch you die” features gritty reality and marks a massive turning point in the genre. The track opens with a sample dialogue: “If you’re gonna stop me, you’re going to have to fucking k*ll me,” followed by an amen break accompanied by a plethora of riffages that invade the listener. This is what happens when you mess with the people you love the most, showing that bands like stab. are examples of rage justified by means of autonomy. It’s a track worth lacing up your sneakers for. You get to appreciate its feral energy and experimentation in the first half and throw it down in the pit by the second. “Get fucking st*bbed, bitch” is a statement that sends shivers down your spine. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Polkadot – Unstuck
If you look up “Unstuck” by Polkadot, you might be thinking that the thumbnail looks vaguely familiar. Is it because of the digicam aesthetic? Is it the vocalist looking sideways? Or is it the entire screencap lingering across your algorithm, nudging you until it convinces you at the very last minute to check it out? Truth be told, I was one of the chronically online viewers to fall for it, and my goodness it was worth my time. Carrying loads of distortion, booming snares and noisy fuzz, a couple of wits on-hand and a bunch of harbored influences from the 90s Matador and 2010s indiemo phase, the Bay Area’s Polkadot is a band that says a lot through its dirty amplifiers and honest-to-god songwriting. It’s infectious more than it is a drag to listen to. After releasing Feeling Okay in 2020, vocalist Daney Espiritu doesn’t run out of emotional whims while guitarist Matthew Estolano runs amok in melodic touches of fuzz rock from start to finish in their latest string of singles. And like all Bay Area DIY darlings, Polkadot’s “Unstuck” is an amalgamation of the band’s sound and attitude: good times, hard feelings, and amazing singles. That’s all there is to it, plus the algorithm is giving you good music this time around. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: koi. – Balingkinitan
Written by Elijah P. Dancehall’s time in the 2020s may be at its last legs with the rise of jersey club and drill still taking over the race of hip-hop’s production trends, koi takes it a step further by implementing a twist to it: sung wholly in Tagalog. Well, for the entirety of afrobeat and dancehall’s 5-minutes-of-fame in the prime of late 2010s music trends, its revitalization is strongly credited with the strong presence of Tyla’s western R&B sensibilities. However, koi’s mentioned twist to the genre is effective in its catchiest form to date, ultimately elevating its form on the track’s sung language. Produced by underground’s up-and-coming heavyweights Pxyche, NJ, and esseca. The first two mentioned producers deal with actual heavyweights like Hev Abi and Sica, koi is in good hands from the very beginning, but his actual contribution of smooth vocals and delivery just feels like they’ve successfully passed the vibe check for the entirety of its track run. I am looking forward to hearing more stuff like this soon in the future. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Shaira – Selos
Some call it “B-BOP” (Short for Bangsamoro Pop) and some call it “music you would hear at the public market” or straight up a “2000s Banger”, we call it a masterpiece. Moro Singer-Songwriter Shaira Abdullah Alimudin, better known by her stage name Shaira, has unexpectedly swept the charts with her single aptly titled “Selos.” If you think about the track carefully, there’s actual staying power with tracks that are as immensely effective as Shaira’s booming career alongside her Moro cohorts. The public perception of Disco Moro as being inferior shouldn’t stay any longer as the music thrives all over the country’s music scenes. Characterized by a rhythmic blend of colorful synths – whereas the melodies replicate the bamboo flute – and groovy electronic drums synonymous with Indonesia’s Dangdut and other varied selections of Western Disco and Malay Dance Music influences over the decades, Disco Moro has been a community staple for parties, weddings and other religious celebrations alike. But other than writing the celebratory anthems in Disco Moro, the most common themes are love, everyday dilemmas, etc. Shaira is one of those artists who proves that interest in Disco has never waned over the years among their communities. “Selos” is rich with hooks, humor and energy on a normal day. It is purely a pop anthem for many to listen. While there are existing discriminatory efforts to bring the music down, there’s actual community support from her Moro Singers, ranging from Koronadal City, Lanao Del Sur, Marawi, and many more cities from Mindanao who have a heavy roster of talented keyboardists and singers who are fully booked for months. This is a call for celebration for not just Shaira as an individual artist living in Mindanao but for Moro Music at large. Support the art & the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: Brickcity – We The Forgettables
One thing I learned about Brickcity as of late: they still pack a punch, both literally and figuratively. As a 5-piece resting on their laurels as a cult band for the heavy music genre since the late aughts, they’re still going at it decades after being seen as the seminal post-hardcore band doing spoken word pieces amidst a chaotic mixture of acrobatic riffages and odd time signatures. Resulting in the creation of their latest album titled “We The Forgetabbles”, released under the Desperate Infant Records label not too long ago. If bands like Arcadia, Lindenwood, and TNG can surpass time and still ultimately become cool and palatable bands in the year 2024, then what more for a band like Brickcity which has honed their style since the dawn of blogosphere pop punk and forum-driven post-hardcore. Centered around the theme of mortality, time treated as a social construct, and intentional memory loss, there’s a lot to unpack with the complexities of each page being turned as the album progresses. Jacques Concepcion – the lead of this ever-evolving unit – doubles down on the preachy approach. Spattering every syllable from non-sequiturs to daring takes about human nature. There’s a certain charm to Concepcion’s delivery compared to most whiny, almost cracking vocal stylings of the post-hardcore scene’s vocalists that he was able to possess. Maybe it’s a god given gift or a curse, depending on who’s playing the instruments and holding it down. The album made sure that it balances the technical wonder and Concepcion’s in-your-face vocals. “We The Forgettables” has spread out consistently without compromise nor hesitation. Despite all the technicalities and chords sprinkled on the album, one dangling curiosity the casual listener would ask: Is there any more gas left in Brickcity? In “We The Forgettables”, Concepcion answers this question more often than not throughout the entire album. Is their rust showing? Will there ever be another Brickcity release for another half decade? Concepcion and the rest of the band beg to disagree that they are “forgettable” but rather an acceptance that a scene is changing. The young vanguard is approaching. Certain practices and philosophies have sharpened and Brickcity has never defanged their approach ever since, introducing this almost hostile style to the underground up until the mainstream stages. Tracks like “Bermuda Noise”, “Pretenders” and “Maginhawa St” have exemplified different methods and styles of post-hardcore, leaving the listener with a varied selection of tracks that’s almost signature to the genre itself. But the outlier is Concepcion’s unorthodox, professor-like demeanor, teaching you that forgetting is a form of coping and that the concept of “time” could actually teach something valuable. But seeing its themes blossom on the forefront, there seems to be less profound hooks and significant rhythm sections compared to their previous release “The Bones We Used To Share”, treating some songs as almost filler-like by theory. Regardless of its shorter length and lesser catchy chants and riffs, Brickcity still has what it takes to break out from their own art form in practice. “We The Forgettables” is a statement not just for the scene but a love letter for the fans who have stayed with them. The album is a footnote, a reminder, that they’re about to move on to the next chapter. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Zeke Abella – Poems
Written by Elijah P. The Philippines has a heavily documented history when it comes to comedic viral stars turned musicians, the pipeline dates back to Yoyoy Villame in the 80s in his most sadistic form of humor of turning classic soft rock hits into parodies. Throughout the 90s to the aughts, you’ve got comedians taking a serious turn of their slapstick into the top of the pops with Michael V’s persistent chart topping singles that’s taken notes of earlier Weird Al Yankovic and Bayani Agbayani’s eternal childhood pop hit “Ocho Ocho”. But as the decades pass, the 2010s was a turning point for some who’ve grown up using the internet post-battle rap, late night TV and internet hugot culture. Take Vice Ganda as a worthy example of these comedians taking it to the bigger musical stage despite the influential catchphrases and next level sarcastic humor they’re known for. Entering the 2020s, the shelflife of a comedian-musician will last a longer internet lifespan of a shining star across the cosmos, especially for Cebuano native Zeke Abella’s shot to stardom in his latest single “Poems”. If you’re not convinced enough, Abella has reported about the VisMin hip hop scene months before being a Tiktok sensation on YouTube Channels. But the effect of being a casual comedian has further skyrocketed his exposure, putting his musical talent and his scene cohorts to the limelight. Absorbing the sensibilities and vocal runs of a SZA listener, Abella’s latest singles “Poems” deviates from his earlier material and the entire cliches of machismo in male-fronted r&b. Instead, Abella puts his vulnerability front and center, tapping into the struggling, emotional yearning on top of tasteful vocal harmonies and piano rolls, with no artificial additives and comedy involved. Zeke Abella may have given everyone a good laugh or two but his music has imminently put the VisMin scene to the spotlight for the coming years.
TRACK REVIEW: Mazerboy – Midfielder
Written by Louis Pelingen The smoggy bleak streak that Mazerboy started with continues forth with ‘Midfielder’, the newest cut that he has put out two years after he released his 2nd EP. This continues his brand of post-punk tapestry, all with a driving groove section and Mazerboy’s solemn vocal cadence, but the overall sound is treated a bit differently this time around. There is an implementation of dense layers of reverb on Mazerboy’s vocals as well as the jangling guitar feedback that sinks the atmosphere deeper into something closer akin to dream pop, an implementation that could have worked well if not for the sudden swerve towards the back half of the song, where despite the surf rock riffings, the overall result felt like piling up another tune fragment that does not effectively coalesce with the first half’s potent melodic foundation. For what it is though, it is still a solid piece of post-punk dipping deeper into dream pop atmosphere and surf rock melodies underscoring Mazerboy’s usual tempered delivery and lyrical flavor. A refreshing expansion that still focuses on what made Mazerboy’s material work in the past from both compositions and textures alone. The gust of atmosphere might be a bit cloudy and heavy, yet never fazing Mazerboy’s stance at the center of it all. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: A. Piloto – In Light
Written by Elijah P. 2024 is buckling up for a new generation of alternative rock: bedroom pop turned into grungier, noisier tangents that are partly inspired by the likes of Duster, blue smiley and Alex G. There’s sleaze and pomposity to the charming and ridiculously new fashioned crowd of indie scenesters and A. Piloto is the new kid on the block. Partly hailing from the internet and the underground of a Chinese restaurant, indie rock neophyte A. Piloto released “In Light” as a debut single for an “upcoming something…” on his official Soundcloud account at a random New Year’s afternoon. “In Light” exhibits a build up wherein volume densely rises into multitudes of frantic, screaming chords as the track progresses. A. Piloto’s vocals ramble in non-sequiters, almost yearning for an apocalyptic ending while a number of bright and loud wiry riffages distort the track even further, making the single all the more enticing and transcendental as it goes on. It saves itself from being one-noted and remains to be a work of its own in the noisier tangents of the local rock meta. Surprisingly there’s a lot of promise shown in “In Light” and in A. Piloto’s music as well. It really is a high time to put in the work for a lot of artists who embody the peculiar and the increasingly loud sides of the scene. Support the art & the artist: