Written by Elijah P. Apart from their covers with star-studded Pangilinan relatives and siblings from well-known pop-folk adjacent bands, Kai Buizon is looking forward to coming out of that musical shell of hers in her debut single titled “The Meadow”. Released under the Sony Music label in the Philippines and repping the Ateneo Musicians’ Pool, this isn’t the first time Buizon has put this single out in the open; The first version of the track still exists somewhere in YouTube at Buizon’s personal channel and it sounds far from the finished product: enabling a more subdued albeit a slightly unremarkable touchup of the more orchestra-fronted and almost-cinematic rendition that exists in streaming platforms today, venturing into almost dreamlike territory. Buizon’s biography online is as flowery as their actual presence online is minimal all around their socials; credits citing that they’ve released “musical works” in Hollywood films. The mere musical presence of Buizon is proactively acknowledged up until the point “ The Meadow” exists in the ether. With production credits by Gabba Santiago and Tim Marquez, the delicate strings, intimidating distortion, the thumping kicks, the chapel-like backup vocals reverberating in between, it melds together seamlessly. As they all say, you can’t judge a book by its cover, and Buizon is an example of an artist with a knack of instrumentation selection and an existing music studies background as far as talent is concerned. There still exists merit in “The Meadow” – partly because of its impressive song structure, emphasizing on its epic instrumentation and emotional depth in Buizon’s songwriting. Kai Buizon is slightly a mystery online and “The Meadow” is showing promise of a songwriter whose actual talent speaks more in the work than it is face value. Support the art & the artist:
Tag: Elijah P.
TRACK REVIEW: YiYi and Piel ft. Xeno – Lumang Litrato
For a track like “Lumang Litrato” to micro-trend in a niche part of Twitter, it’s impressive to see how much lore has been built prior to the release of the track. From Yiyi’s ultimate hatred of the city of Dasmarinas to sending letters of a dearly departed loved one ala the intro of Silent Hill 2, there’s so much to unpack with 00s loverap revival alongside the unexpected backstory to YiYi’s sleeper hit. With emphasis on YiYi’s high pitched hook-writing to Piel’s bellowing rapping, it’s giving what Repablikan gave us back in the day, but in the case of YiYi, it doesn’t suffer from novelty either. The track released before it titled “SINTA TELL ME”, YiYi and Piel are serious about building the lore of their relationship alongside the visual aesthetic that comes along with their pastiche of Friendster-era emoticons and YouTube karaoke cues. “Lumang Litrato” took a couple of listens to grasp the gravity of the situation even if its obscured by foggy Baguio-esque aesthetics and digicam shots of YiYi walking across a field all the while longing for their lover to come back from the grave. There’s beats to savor in both tracks and the production is laudable enough to give justice to the lore that both YiYi and Piel are building for themselves. Support the art & the artist:
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:
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:
MIXTAPE REVIEW: O $IDE MAFIA – O COAST
Written by Elijah P. The breaking news is what generates speculation and tension. We as terminally online human beings couldn’t resist the verification through live media. Normally one’s curiosity peaks at an all-time high when it’s game time. But a 3-minute “Freestyle” OMV and several provocative IG stories by a Malate-based trio were able to break the internet all over the hip-hop community; confirming that they are unfuckwithable. And that group turned out to be one of the most in-demand rap trios called O $ide Mafia. It wasn’t just game time for their members, namely Gee, Cashman, and Madman. It was game time for their entire district. After releasing bangers throughout the periods of lockdown in the country such as “Kinikilocs”, “Tokyo Drift”, “Yeah Hoe!” and their most recent hard hitter “Go Getta”, the trio have tested their haters by constantly releasing and proving themselves that they are hungry 24/7. Right around the corner are neighboring cities such as Pasay, Makati, and Quezon City. The group has reached a point where their hits have landed a collaboration with Laguna group Villa Mob, miles away than the usual 20-meter next-door kinship. Alongside the underground publicity O $ide Mafia was able to receive within the several months leading to their come up, their latest 5-track mixtape “O COAST” had a lot to say with regards to their current stature in the game, specifically for their de facto head honcho Cashman. Filled with verses that relate to their recent experience with the excess that comes with fame, gigs, and the urge to make content, Gee, Madman, and Cashman are equipped with the best resources at their disposal. “O COAST” to my surprise, is a tame project compared to their standalone singles. This doesn’t include the singles that were already out in the open in the past two years of their laborious string of releases. However, “Go Getta” is an easy contender for the best hook game of the year, wherein Cashman slides through every bar as if it were their DMs; “AMIGO” featured all three verses from the members, quietly scheme seamlessly in every syllable. “NO NET SHIT” is composed of one-liners that pinpoint the way of life as a hustler and effective code-switching. The darker edges of their sonic palette lurk around the production throughout the project. “Cold” is the operative word used by their producers Gee Exclsv and 808 Cash respectively, where their beats are led by simple nursery pianos plugins, and buzzing bass, and Gee’s unhinged flows are the highlight of each track, especially in tracks like “Go Getta” and “Cake”. But most of the pros in this mixtape aren’t really outweighing the issues in terms of consistency and overlapping themes of “O COAST”. O $ide Mafia have arguably emptied their tanks in terms of writing memorable hooks. Where we got loosies that aren’t included in the mixtape, we’re able to hear newer but minus the refreshing material. The listener got only a couple of smoky, calmer verses that rarely peak in each track. There’s rarely tension nor momentum built in any of these tracks, even though it’s embodied as a “mixtape”, you’d expect some sort of impulse of cohesion, but rather the mixtape felt slightly disjointed in terms of how slightly indifferent the other tracks sound production-wise. Overall, O $ide Mafia has showcased the new batch of tracks with an ample amount of promise and charisma. Cashman had the vocal presence, Gee had the production whiz and confidence, and Madman had precision and personality. This is enough to show that a mixtape like “O COAST” is a training ground for the relatively young group. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: CK YG – SO SICK OF SAD SONGS
Written by Elijah P. The definition of short and sweet can be applied to a certain kind of media that’s compact and delightful. CK YG – dubbed as the ‘melodic king’ of Pasay – did the unthinkable. Sampled after a Ne-Yo superhit of a single, “SO SICK OF SAD SONGS” was CK YG’s slyest and cleverest rap&b flip in recent memory. CK YG had the gall to tickle our nostalgia to his own advantage. But I’d like to think he’s had enough of sick songs even reaching to the point that the flip is only used to elevate his emotive expression at a handy pace. “SO SICK OF SAD SONGS” is a gem that surpasses its predecessors who’ve sampled classic r&b songs without any unique spin to it. It’s a ‘comp shop’ classic reborn in the 2020s. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST: