Tag: EP Review

  • EP REVIEW: Slinky Fever – Feverish

    EP REVIEW: Slinky Fever – Feverish

    Written by JK Caray

    Slinky Fever, Megumi Acorda’s recently announced solo side-project, goes online with its synthpop debut EP ‘Feverish’ as the musician’s fresh venture into electronic music. Best known as the frontwoman of one of the local underground’s most successful dreampop acts, a move like this that seems to have completely come out of nowhere. Thus, it puts into view a few questions, with the most obvious one being: does the magic in her main band still carry into a project like ‘Feverish’?

    Opening with “Factory Girl, E.S.”, the world of ‘Feverish’ is introduced as a tasteful homage to the 80s New Wave that once dominated the airwaves. It’s got all these trademarks of glittery pads and dance drum loops with the added flair of feeling like you’re alone inside a dark room, solely lit by neon disco lights. In a way, ‘Feverish’ manages to make synthpop sound intimate with the tiniest bit of claustrophobia, in part due to the confessional lyrics and the electronic atmosphere, a decision that makes the EP more compelling.

    Initially created as a dump for Acorda’s music homework back in college, it has since been an outlet for the artist’s production practice. For the most part, the release being a “practice” makes sense. A few issues make it clear that she’s still finding her footing within the style of ‘Feverish’, most notably with the latter part of “There You Go Again”. Alongside the obsessive lyrical narrative, the juxtaposition between the unfeeling drum loops and the airy synths does not evoke the effect it’s attempting to give. 

    Performance-wise, Acorda’s signature soft, dreamlike vocals remain a welcome constant during the bulk of the EP. On tracks like “Heaven” and “Away”, these create a liminal environment that amplifies the longing and the neediness found within the tracks. However, it leaves more to be desired for the other tracks “There You Go Again” and “Factory Girl, E.S.”, both of which needed a more dynamic vocal presence to elevate their mood.

    Nevertheless, the handful of lows do not discredit the Slinky Fever’s promising experimentation into electronic pop. In the current sea of industry plants and trendhoppers, seeing a renowned musician risk their credibility to explore a different take on their artistry means a lot for budding artists scared to put their work out for the general public to scrutinize. 

    After all, Megumi Acorda and Slinky Fever are just two sides of the same coin; it’s still the same gentle voice, the same affective yearning. So, as long as the artist continues to authentically express their conceptual world, whether in different genres or mediums, that same magic will still be found in whatever kind of art they produce.

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  • EP REVIEW: Panjia – Astroboy

    Written by Paolo Elwick

    Shaun Alina’s Metro Manila-based alt rock outfit Panjia returns with their second EP ‘Astroboy,’ a sharper, more focused follow-up to their 2023 EP ‘all the colors that make you!!!’ Across the four-track project, the band paddles deeper into the waters of shoegaze and noise rock with a dense, feedback-heavy sound that feels both abrasive and vulnerable. The result is an EP that perfectly captures the kind of exhaustion that comes from living in a crowded city where everything feels too loud, too fast, and emotionally distant all at once.

    From the explosive, almost-cinematic intro that is “Rat Attack on Metro Manila!!!” to the relentless onslaught of drums on “Nauubusan Nanaman Ng Pagmamahal Si Belinda,” Astroboy is clearly built on a foundation of tension. And this is most evident when guitars crash through layers of distortion to create textured riffs that feel like the sonic equivalent of running your hands across concrete—which is exactly what makes the EP work. The distortion isn’t just there for aesthetic or shock value, it’s actually embedded into the storytelling itself. 

    The use of repetition, feedback, and grating instrumentals all come together to stage a sonic atmosphere that feels suffocating in a way that mirrors the emotional and physical fatigue of the urban day-to-day experience. But even at its most chaotic, the EP never feels directionless because the three-man group understands how to control momentum, allowing tracks to swell, collapse, and breathe without losing any weight. At times, the songs even feel like they’re on the verge of imploding or falling apart, but that instability is exactly what makes Astroboy exciting.

    It’s also no surprise that underneath all the noise and texture is a generous amount of vulnerability. Whether through melodies or personal lines buried underneath rough riffs and distorted strings like “Can’t you see / That I am not / Whoever you / Must think I am” from the closing track “Astroboy,” Panjia consistently finds a way to make chaos feel human by injecting softness and vulnerability into the harsh walls of sound they create.

    For a project with a run time of just over 13 minutes, ‘Astroboy’ is remarkably cohesive. Panjia captures the overwhelming nature of modern life without overexplaining it, trusting texture and atmosphere to communicate what words often can’t, creating an EP that’s loud, restless, and emotionally worn down—but also deeply alive.

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  • EP REVIEW: Tarsius – Vikslotov

    EP REVIEW: Tarsius – Vikslotov

    Written by JK Caray

    Six years after their last album ‘Culture Cow’ in 2020, a few sets at international festivals, and appearances on a lot of compilation albums, Tarsius makes a long-awaited comeback with the release of their new EP ‘Vikslotov.’ In letting the tracks evolve and marinate, the Manila-based duo has surprisingly come out with a release reminding us that one of the electronic scene’s most acclaimed acts is still here to innovate.

    As the opening track, “Autophagy” doesn’t waste time introducing the plane of existence it belongs to. Arguably the EP’s standout track, “Autophagy” exists in different phases of a cerebral journey, guided by Jay Gapasin’s precise percussion work. In general, drum loops are used extensively throughout the EP, with the track “Oui” ditching traditional acoustic drums for more compact drum machine beats that sync with the song’s alienating leads and occasional vocal chops. Speaking of, “IKR”s more engaging use of chopped vocals does the heavy lifting in giving the track its own identity, leaning more on its playful, almost sassy sonic profile. Lastly, “Vagabond” rounds off the EP with a satisfying aural shift towards Melodic House beats after the tense, rhythmic push-and-pull present in “Spectrum”.

    At a distance, ‘Vikslotov’ looks like a release that came from the mix of different styles Tarsius has dabbled in after a long period of inactivity. With the risk of seeming like an “All must go” kind of EP, ‘Vikslotov’ may not be the duo’s most cohesive collection, but it’s the breathing, ever-present rhythm living inside these tracks that holds the release together. Building on that groove, ‘Vikslotov’ shows us the different forms Tarsius is capable of taking shape in. Though it may cause whiplash from the differences between the tracks’ personalities, it is a welcome change since Tarsius knows how to make each song interesting. Besides, when stripped down to its most basic form, isn’t electronic music simply about making insane drum beats and doing tons of experimentation?

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  • EP REVIEW: WILHELMINA — Book of Spells

    EP REVIEW: WILHELMINA — Book of Spells

    Written by Noelle Alarcon

    The Philippines has an incredibly rich, complex history—despite the multiple attempts to put down the Filipino identity, it is the spirit of resistance that has pushed us to continue fighting, time and time again. 

    For Filipinos outside of the homeland, that sense of pride, of kinship, can look a little different, although the thought remains intact: we have always had our own world and will stick by it no matter what, unnecessary foreign interventions aside. In New Jersey-based producer WILHELMINA’s latest EP, “Book of Spells,” he summons these roots and blends them into webs of jersey club and hard drum.

    Akin to being possessed by the spell of a babaylan, “Book of Spells” is over 20 minutes of thumping transcendental beats. Shrouded in mysticism and the promise of a good time, booming 808s are showered in hard kicks and the sound of indigenous Filipino instruments. WILHELMINA trades the more clean, polished sounds of percussion for drums that have more of a roaring echo, contrasting with calming prayers and various sounds of brass that accent each beat.

    The EP stands out from the rest, and not just because of its Southeast Asian roots. It is not merely confined to the genres that describe it; it doesn’t have to force or impose its identity upon the listener, and it executes its brashness magnificently. Its trance-inducing basslines are reminiscent of the hypnotic nature of budots, and so are the different ways he uses the sounds found in rituals to exaggerate and build up to certain points in each track. There are standout tracks, like opener “Divine Hand,” which samples Kelis’ “Milkshake” and weave it with indigenous drum beats that become more complex as its runtime moves forward. “Booty Hypnosis” is true to its title; the bass-boosted murmurs become louder and louder until the track finally shifts its gears and mesmerizes with its array of sounds.

    There are plenty of ways to play with jersey club, its template being a flexible canvas that will take on anything painted upon it well. However, there are points in the EP where the repetitiveness becomes an element that drags the track on for longer instead of expanding on its sonic possibilities. It’s a tricky endeavor to figure out how to piece these sounds together, and WILHELMINA’s attempt to incite spells of dance works well, for the most part.

    The EP’s cover is an array of golden tikbalangs, and the mysteries of Philippine occult—in superstition, they are mythical creatures that lead travelers astray. That’s what this collection of breaks and beats does to the listener; “Book of Spells” unlocks an experience that can only be felt beyond the physical realm, hauling you across a bewitching journey of wonder that has been inside you all along. What joy it is to make the most out of being spellbound.

    Artwork by kosmos.khaos

  • EP REVIEW: Sift – What Lies Within

    EP REVIEW: Sift – What Lies Within

    Written by Lex Celera

    After three years, five-piece metallic hardcore Cebu band Sift have put their debut EP. Sift is composed of members from various other hardcore bands, mostly under their shared imprint Hostile Youth Records. The six-track project entitled ‘What Lies Within’ includes two tracks from their 2023 demo listed at the end. 

    ‘What Lies Within’ teeters between a semblance of structure and utter chaos from the jump, featuring riff-heavy tracks with blast beats that can tear apart bone from sinew.

    “Sifted Soul,” said to be part of their 2023 demo, demonstrates this sort of energy well.

    But for Sift’s newer releases, the speed of their exhilaration outpaces the emotional weight of its themes. The lyrics form the narrative backbone, creating images of decay and loss (“Boundless Strife,” “Disdain”), personal anguish (“I Against I”). Yet in each of those tracks share lines of redemption, such as in “Boundless Strife”: “Yet in the depths / hope shall not dim / We’ll rise again / to reclaim our life.” 

    As what would most likely happen during their live sets, momentum is not lost in the brief refrains between each track. When played from end to end, ‘What Lies Within’ maintains a certain level of excitement as the sound shifts surely but gradually between different gradations and textures, never leaving space to breathe, and lingering for just the right amount of time. The result is a true, solid effort reflective of the Cebu hardcore scene’s intensity.

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  • EP REVIEW: Fleeca Atmos – Keepin’ Up

    EP REVIEW: Fleeca Atmos – Keepin’ Up

    Written by Adrian Jade Francisco

    Reuben Gonzales’ debut project ‘Keepin’ Up’ arrives somewhere between vintage pop nostalgia and the blow-burn sprawl of post-rock. A long-held memory, suspended in a grain of film—pale, worn, and hazy, where Fleeca Atmos invites you to step out of the noise of the present.

    Throughout the EP, analog textures, guitars, and synths conjure the ghost of a sun-faded era of pop. Rather than settling for mere retro-worship, Fleeca Atmos pulls at the edge of the sound—widening the frame to let the production breathe. The opening track, “Delorean Drives by the Old Compound,” is a poignant exploration of grief that manifests as a literal desire to outrun the clock, a fantasy of driving back to “Fairview” to bargain for what was lost.

    ‘Keepin’ Up’ finds its resolution in “Hermeto Hum,” after isolation through the descriptions of ‘life in space’ in “Moon’s Dust.” By going through the past, the void, and the present, the EP goes full circle, where Fleeca Atmos once begged to ‘change time’ to avoid pain, he realizes the only path he has is to change himself (“If I can change then I am free”). Gonzales writes in fragments and images, using repeated lines to act as emotional landmarks rather than a straightforward narrative.

    Ultimately, ‘Keepin Up’ functions as a sonic exhaling of the soul. Fleeca Atmos has crafted a debut that is both an ending and arrival. The EP proves that while we cannot drive back to the memories we’ve lost, we can find a profound, sun-drenched freedom in finally choosing to move forward.

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  • EP REVIEW: Cream Flower – Orbital Wound

    EP REVIEW: Cream Flower – Orbital Wound

    Written by Faye Allego

    There’s a certain adrenaline rush that emanates from the psyche whenever one is en route; it’s a rush that can capture anxiety, urgency, or even the sense of ‘gigil.’ Cream Flower’s ‘Orbital Wound’ EP is exactly what should be queued during moments of movement, whether it’s commuting, traveling, or simply walking down a footbridge. On their third EP release, Celina Viray and Jam Lasin step into a wider sonic terrain, loosening their grip on shoegaze familiarity to explore something louder, stranger, and more expansive. They blend riot grrrl rage with explosive urban paranoia, crafting songs that feel perpetually in motion and perfectly suited for city wandering. Even amid the chaos and noise, the duo injects an unexpected motif: if a stray cat crosses your path, this EP insists you bring it to the vet. 

    The first three tracks form ‘Orbital Wound’’s most immediate stretch, buoyed by an upbeat momentum and Viray’s vocal effects that sound like it’s being broadcast through an airport PA system. “Cat Distribution System” and “Fever Dream” have a distant, metallic, and half-instructional tinge to them. The choice of turning the voice into the form of a public announcement rather than a private confession shows a sense of urgency that isn’t found in the typical dreampop soliloquy. 

    The sense of radio transmission becomes even sharper on the second track, “Dahas,” where radio static and intergalactic textures are lured in, giving the impression that the band is trying to communicate across impossible distances. The song is displayed like a broadcast meant for extraterrestrials, only to reveal itself as a message addressed directly to us as the listener. The lyrics cut through the noise to confront the realities, inconsistencies, and outright outlandish absurdities of the Philippine zeitgeist under the government’s rule. It initially sounds alien, but the repetitions gradually sound something more familiar: uncomfortable truths hidden within signal distortion. 

    Chillingly, the EP turns subtle and dreamy with its fourth track, “Orbs.” There, Viray and Lasin introduce acoustics that were absent from the beginning tracks, and lyrically, they tap into more introspective lyrics. In “Orbs”, Viray warps time and perspective as she describes being “engulfed in a fever dream.” The lyrics suggest a fractured sense of self, as if the speaker is watching their own thoughts from a distance and turning into never-before-seen shapes and geometric patterns. 

    What’s interesting is that the last track of the album, “A Violent Cry”, beheads all forms of stillness from the previous track, and the listener is put right back in that state of adrenaline that was introduced in “Cat Distribution System”. It’s loud in every sense of the word, but not flashy or indulgent, where it becomes an earache.  By the time the EP moves beyond its opening run, it’s clear that ‘Orbital Wound’ is both an experiment in sounds and a tool in communication through noise, humor, and paranoia. The urge of wanting to hear more after the last track is ever-present, but in the meantime, aggressively slamming the repeat button will suffice. 

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  • EP REVIEW: Unflirt – Fleeting

    EP REVIEW: Unflirt – Fleeting

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    The story of how Unflirt, the stage name of Christine Senorin, started is pinpointed within the universal isolation of the lockdown. With her guitar in hand, she eventually proceeded to write and sing down her thoughts. Moments of flickering romance are contained within her 2023 EPs, ‘Bitter Sweet’ and ‘April’s Nectar’, which reflect Unlfirt’s sonic identity: cozy folk acoustics and shimmering indie pop that nestle around her girlish coos, with enough melodic sharpness to lend her presence some weight and tact. Despite solidifying that she is still warming up, there is potency to be located in those EPs. 

    ‘Fleeting’ is yet another step to Unflirt’s growing aptitude as a musician. Written during her time spent in parts of London, LA, and Brazil, there is a maturity that she has undergone through her writing. Her reflection not only comes through in dealing with a long-distance relationship, but also in processing time and distance itself. Something that she now values even further in her life, grasping its ever-changing flow and factoring that in how she writes. The yearning she carries from past EPs is still retained, but she now considers the sifting presence of time passing by on her mind.

    In terms of overall compositions, there is also some progress in finding polish and expansion, adding more atmospheric and instrumental detail that, for the most part, flatter Unflirt’s soft vocals well. “Sea Song” carries some of that bedroom pop sheen, with textured programmed drums complementing some sharper guitars. “Sweet Sweet Time” and “Something Familiar” are lilting as it is tasteful, with the former’s pulpy grooves amid gentle strums and the latter’s string accents weaving around folksy effervescence. “Next To You” is a welcome addition to Unflirt, this blistering pop-rock tune that could have been made back in the late ’90s, all brimming with glimmering melodies backed by riffs that flare and echo throughout the song.

    However, just like with those past EPs, Unflirt is still in a position where she is continuing to find her own space amidst the frankly prevalent array of pop acts that are following adjacent soft, hushed vocal styles and glossy pop-rock tones. There may be forward motion in her writing and refinement in production this time around, but she is still finding her own groove amidst the overall sound. Trying to grip the wheel and see where she can steer with full confidence.

    ‘Fleeting’ is an apt title for the current state that Unflirt is configuring. An acknowledgement of time and distance that affects parts of her life, where she is now trying to move forward and consciously consider how they will change her wholeheartedly. Yet it is also a reflection of the songs that, at best, Unflirt have shown more promise and end up sticking, and, at worst, become too familiar and pass by. 

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  • EP REVIEW: More To Me – Lost Teeth

    EP REVIEW: More To Me – Lost Teeth

    Written by Aly Maaño

    Melodic hardcore never died; it just evolved. In the 2020s, bands are putting their own spin on the genre by fusing it with new influences. In the local music scene, More To Me is stepping in to push the genre forward. Composed of vocalist Dale Diongzon, lead guitarist Paolo Owyong, rhythm guitarist Mickoy Mariano, bassist Lee Mendoza, and drummer Francis Yuri De Jesus, the band recently launched their debut EP, Lost Teeth, with six tracks that blend emo and hardcore elements. 

    The EP begins with a short introduction track that segues into “Cleansed,” an aggressive four-minute track with an explosion of crunchy bass lines and dynamic drum beats colliding with layered screams and clean vocals. The heavy guitar riffs echo rage and disappointment as evocative as Circa Survive and Balance and Composure’s older sound. “Cleansed” and “Lost Teeth” also seem to be twin tracks in this EP, sharing similar melodic traits and structure. The title track, however, is much more subdued in its angst. Instead of pointing fingers, the narrator seems to be facing the mirror after avoiding it for so long. Much like how losing teeth symbolizes change, this track signals a turning point in the record from a thematic point of view.

    Most projects that lean towards emo and hardcore are often emotionally charged, but Lost Teeth channels this rawness through its introspection meets intellectualism lyricism. In “Echoes,” Diongzon transforms pain into a shared catharsis. “In this world apart, where love was strong, we’ll keep holding on…” emphasizes community and its ability to soothe amidst suffering. While “Echoes” pushes listeners to a point of reflection, “By Design” is the kinetic force that propels us to achieve this sense of togetherness. The chorus “Inside our hearts, where love and pain collide… In silence, we sacrifice for better lives…” prompts us to look out for people in our community and choose love above all else. It’s an invitation to come together, to mosh, dance, and scream with new and familiar faces in the scene.

    As far as hardcore goes, Lost Teeth doesn’t disappoint. Diongzon’s vocals are inundated with tasteful guitar work; textured riffs that synthesize and serrate to make way for clean vocals that haptically switch to abrasive screams. Meanwhile, the mix of pounding drums and punchy bass riffs grounds the chaos before it lands in grittier hardcore territory. With this softer approach, the record sounds more melodic than traditional, pulling more from emo influences. As the EP finishes with “Whole Again,” the overlap of both genres is set in stone. The spur of melody and metaphors propped with heavy technicality underscore this harmonious intersection. However downcast it may sound, it leaves us in a tranquil state. “And if I’m a ghost, I hear you calling through the walls. Let’s set fire to these empty halls and make you whole again…” reminds us that we’re never truly alone in our silent battles.

    Lost Teeth doesn’t build up to a grand climax but shines in standout moments. Every intro sets the listening experience and each line reveals a personal truth. It won’t send us to a thought spiral nor let us sulk on familiar anxieties, but every melodic breakdown captures a cathartic feeling enough to resurrect millennial hearts from the grave of the mundane. After going through a phase of animosity, the EP matures into a self-realized record that hinges on the very thing that keeps melodic hardcore alive: vulnerability.

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  • EP REVIEW: Yaelokre – Origins

    EP REVIEW: Yaelokre – Origins

    Written by Francine Sundiang

    Yaelokre understands that sounds alone can evoke fantasy worlds. Arguably the most exciting artist to come out of the Philippines as of late, Keath Osk’s musical storytelling project has rejected the overtly autobiographical tendencies of many songwriters, while still managing to be deeply personal through and through.

    If their first EP, ‘Hayfields,’ was an introduction to the world of Meadowlark, ‘Origins’ acts as an expansion of their worldbuilding. The first track “My farewells to the fields” starts with isolated strums of their guitalele, you are instantly taken somewhere else, to a scene in a land of fantasy, to a storyteller gathering listeners around in a circle, sharing a tale in hushed whispers that eventually turn into cries of triumph, a tale of leaving an old home and finding sanctuary in a found family. The track’s thematic richness manages to cut through to even the most casual listener.

    “Bird cage blue and yellow” is a track that exudes character, both that of the in-universe storyteller and that of Osk’s. “I can be different, I can’t be puppeted!” they both proclaim in a dramatic declaration of independence and self-determination in the face of the overwhelming pressure to conform. The artist’s heritage is on full display here as Osk softly sings in Icelandic and repeats lines in Filipino, a combination that wonderfully contrasts with each other while still being in harmony.

    While “To douse a scalded tongue” seems to promise to be a more mellow track compared to the previous two, that assumption is quickly proven wrong with an abrupt lofi vocal more akin to a condemnation than a song. It’s a call to action, inviting the listener to get up and refuse to stay silent. From here, it’s clear that Osk intends to keep the intensity up throughout the EP, never giving the listener a break from their theatrics and dramatic flair. 

    The EP closes with “Kamahalan,” unique in all of the Yaelokre discography by being fully in Filipino. It is every bit as intense as all the other songs in the tracklist, but it achieves this through pounding percussion and a bassline that adds a subtle yet significant groove. While there is no lull in energy, it still manages to be a satisfying ending, and before you know it, the scene of masked storytellers in your head fades away as you’re taken back to reality.

    ‘Origins’ is a reinforcement of what the Yaelokre project stands for, which is fitting for an EP that explains the backstories of the four main characters. It is a desperate plea to you, the listener, to listen to your inner child, to unapologetically be your authentic self, no matter how much you are pressured not to. It’s just up to you if you have the courage to heed that call, a call made clearer in one of Yaelokre’s most compelling set of stories yet.

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