Every year, something monumental happens in the music scene, whether it would be an army of alt-kids taking over a mall show, a rapper taking over the country by storm on Tiktok or a DIY venue at the verge of crumbling after two shoegaze bands. Genres have multiplied into bubbles, ecosystems emerge as newer venues from the highways of Cavite to the driveway of a basement at a Chinese restaurant. There’s a steady scene rising, amplifying louder one year after the other: 2023 is a year where those highlights have made made an impact beyond NCR. From Luzon, Visayas to Mindanao, we present to you a yearly tradition that the editorial team would always prepare themselves for; Not just because it’s the task that’s daunting, but it’s the journey and the result of 11 months of scouring the internet and gigs for the best of Filipino music. Here it is, The 23 Filipino Tracks of 2023. 23. P4BL0 – baka magalit mf mo In the “18 Commandments of the Boybestfriend”, there’s unnecessary fluff written along those ridiculous rules. However, P4bl0’s “baka magalit boyfriend mo” has this lasting effect delivered by its cloud-9 like production, ultimately writing one of the best pop hooks in the game now. It hasn’t been written on the scribes nor the tablets that South Metro Manila regular P4Bl0 made a banger track tailor made for the rebounds. Whether it’s the wacky gimmick of BBF/GBFs or the semi-ironic execution, P4bl0 has proven and tested that the undying concept of love and yearning can be done in a dreamy cloud-rap fashion. -Elijah P. 22. O Side Mafia – My Thang It’s been an endless streak of hit singles for O $ide Mafia despite the lackluster collaborations and disputes between territorial beef and fan leaks; “My Thang” is a victorious reaction to all of the success outweighing all of the group’s cons in the game. The simple old-school 2000s G-Funk influenced synths, the satisfying braggadacio three-verse combo and the killer hook is an all-time career highlight for the group and they just stay winning while all the haters watch. -Elijah P. KRNA expand on their infectious sound by expanding their soundscapes to include reverse guitar samples while pairing back on KCs vocal strength. The single shows the band’s mastery of making heartwarming music and a story of yearning that feels like a warm embrace being whispered while in a slumber. -Janlor Encarnacion Armi Millare announced her return to the music scene with a dissonant pop single – taking the time to show her own prowess in music creation with a tune leaning towards more pop and r&b. Roots signals the metamorphosis and re-emergence of OPMs signature voices and we can’t wait for more. -Janlor Encarnacion ‘Sonic Tonic’ is the long-anticipated debut that charges Suyen’s magnetic presence amidst the fray of fringed pop rock, a bottle of riot grrl and grunge blends where Suyen just sounds high-spirited in her craving for that adrenaline rush. Sam Marquez’s production is impeccable in bringing the heatwave atmosphere to ‘Sonic Tonic’, where the already remarkable chugging riffs and splashy drum work are vibrant and immense. Enough to keep everyone cheering along the soaring hook, ‘Sonic Tonic’ is a striking first cut from Suyen who is never afraid to jump first into action, letting her do anything to reach a gratifying emotion that will keep her feel alive. -Louis Pelingen ‘SOUFSIDE’ is a meteoric statement from the Cebu Hip-Hop collective ASIDE BOONDOCKS as they erupted through the scene with their tastes for boom bap and hardcore hip-hop. Flagrant in their hyperbolic expressiveness, that ecstatic flair allows each of their distinct flows to tumble through the stirring hypnotic beat that has a quirk of its own due to its swaggering bass lines and buzzy synth waves. ‘SOUFSIDE’ stamps a mark that will break further ground for the Odd Future-inspired Hardcore Hip-Hop ASIDE BOONDOCKS are leaning towards, where they’ll spark an explosion that you can’t help but feel its heat. -Louis Pelingen With Waiian’s recent return for his sophomore album, ‘SMILE’ is a track that has a familiar thematic trudge from this rapper who has a lot more to observe past his 2020 debut. In this pensive reflection on the mortality and bullshit of life, Waiian invites Yorko and U-Pistol to pen down their emotions on the table amidst a relaxed boom-bap beat and calming piano lines. As a result of that writing session, ‘SMILE’ ended up being Waiian’s best song to date where the melodies are tight and catchy on all quarters from Waiian and Co. No wonder that ‘SMILE’ is one of the lead singles for Waiian’s recent project for a reason, as it’s a respite that brings a gentle smile on constant repeat. -Louis Pelingen 16. PETTE SHABU – Bulbulin Ka Na As PETTE SHABU goes deeper into her experimental rap tapestry with every track she puts out, her transgressive lyricism and ferocious flows become more sharper. That in itself eventually led her to release dozens of challenging sonic bangers in 2023, with ‘Bulbulin Ka Na’ bringing the most sting out of her thus far. Through every whirling wordplay PETTE SHABU spits out, her flow turns impenetrable as PETTE SHABU confidently carries herself within horseboyy’s dense glitchy beat. ‘Bulbulin ka na’ is a bulldozer that keeps PETTE SHABU in control of her agency, lashing down everyone who comes for her without shame. -Louis Pelingen The dizzying hyper-pop artist known as AHJU$$I may have retired from that moniker, but his rebirth as Pikunin has those old bits and pieces intact, now ribboned with UK Garage rhythms and ticklish vocal flair. These characteristics manifest through Pikunin’s debut track, ‘Tadhana’, using Armi Mallare’s cooing vocals as the Jersey club beat tiptoes around it which also serves to be a bouncy springboard for Pikunin’s chirpy vocals and twee lyricism. Starry-eyed in nostalgia with a modern touch, Pikunin spins a refreshing take on the classic song that updates his eccentric brand of pop with gleeful yearning. -Louis Pelingen
Tag: Hip-hop
TRACK REVIEW: RB Slatt – Pahna
Written by Elijah P. RB Slatt is part of the vanguard of young r&b/electronic/rap producers blowing things out of the water with their string of singles and remix that are influenced by several internet genres from the 2020s. Lambasted by the mainstream hip hop community for their looks and execution, RB Slatt could care less about the comments who can’t contribute to the discussion that is their constant envelope-pushing production and approach to rap. Akin to the likes of brakence, underscores an glaive, RB is making a lane of their own effortlessly with Northgang cohorts like LIL JVibe and Eros Rhodes; both of which who are in equal levels of rap skill but not as close to the production circuit bending charm that RB has under his belt. Being a remix of autumn!’s “one way”, the excuse of this lacking of originality only scratches the surface of the “discourse”. The real question that listeners should ask is “Is it any better than the original?” The answer: leaps better than the original, fortunately. Bootlegs can only be bootlegs if it doesn’t surpass the real thing, but this is a special case – “Pahna” easily topples the quality of “one way” for the better. The melodic ambition of RB is tons way more presentable compared to the former’s slacker, mumble rap melodies that could pass off as background music. “Pahna” is the viral hit not one hip-hop listener asked for but it is the bonafide post-lockdown internet hit that everyone needs to hear.
TRCK REVIEW: ASIDE BOONDOCK ft. JustRaw – SOUFSIDE*
Written by Louis Pelingen This up-and-coming hip-hop collective hailing from Argao, Cebu is one to keep a close look on. Turning everybody’s heads this year with “Smoke Naka?” and its boom-bap production, loopy choruses, and slick flows, it’s easy to find yourself vibing to their hazy brand of hip-hop. These attributes lend true once again on “SOUFSIDE*”, JustRaw lending another eclectic boom-bap beat and loopy chorus lines to allow the smoky flows of each member to settle in, delivering their bars like passing a blunt to one another and giving a quick puff out of it. Nyjah’s flow exudes a bouncy swagger; Tunshion’s vocal flips are filled with a hysterical tone; Jeff Tussy’s brings off sober energy to his verse; JM Ence’s flows are brief, delivered with a lax attitude; Massa Michi pulls off dithering syllabic flows in his bars; and JustRaw’s inflections in his verse and chorus are sharp and snappy. “SOUFSIDE*” is an addition to the addicting and hazy vibe that ASIDE BOONDOCK is building up with tight melodies and hypnotic boom-bap production. A smoky trip that the collective is inviting you to join and bounce along to the vibe, with the Odd Future influence used to capture your attention through a loose atmosphere, straightforward lyrical flair, and slippery flows alongside it. While the collective is clearly in the initial stages in terms of sculpting their lyrical and sonic style, their ability to invite the listener to their breezy, smoked-out vibe in the southside is a vibe worth relaxing into. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Jeff Grecia – Elevate
Written by Elijah P. I have a proposition for all local hip-hop listeners: close your eyes, listen to Jeff Grecia’s “Elevate” and imagine a time in 2017 when Al James exploded in the scene and somehow spawned imitators in the scene to the point there was no turning back. Jeff Grecia’s “Elevate” takes the worst elements of a 2023 mainstream rap track. It is more vapid than an emptied Elfbar on a Happy Thursday, a flat tire in the middle of heavy traffic, “aesthetic rap” only catered to pick up people at a bad gig outside of a Poblacion bar. There are verses, flows and pitches here trying to stay away from the formula but it is so formulaic that it’s pointless to hear Grecia’s wincing voice reach to Hell’s gate. What else do we need to hear more of Grecia? Virtually nothing apparently. Not even the tito cornrows and hoodie can save face. If we were to look at it in the bigger picture: We do not need more Al James clones in the scene Support the art and the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: O $IDE MAFIA & TUS BROTHERS – CRASHING
Written by Elijah P. The internet has long existed to demystify many different art forms. From showing its bare bones to even revealing what is there and what makes the material in the first place. In music, there’s an ongoing debate whether or not an unfinished track with little to no final mixes made by the engineer – or in short a “leak” – made it out in the open from trusted sources all over the ethernet is better than the final product. Take O $IDE MAFIA and Tus Brothers’ collaboration “Crashing” as an example. As far as my hearing is concerned, “Crashing” sounded a lot more tamer, sinister. And yet it feels a lot more collected with the trademark rage-y verse-carrying by none other than O $IDE MAFIA. With Tus Brothers’ classic contemporary voice aping overkill sticking out like a sore thumb in the mix, even if the beatswitch in the earlier versions from the leak wouldn’t save the track from being unbearably mid in the long run. “Crashing” was an experiment in collaboration. It was an attempt to make something work from opposite sides of different worlds trying to make sense of something on paper and yet fall flat on the surface. Gee, Cashman, and Madman have equally drawn their swords higher than ever, exceeding everyone else’s expectations presence-wise while Al Tus and Rudy Rude attempted to sound as piercingly sharp as their cohorts, but neither of the two would even come close to match O Side’s energy in the first half. From the internet’s obsession over TMI in IG livestreams to the inevitable leak of the earlier version – which is now gone from YouTube – “Crashing” did their best to keep the hype yet the leaks made sure that there are no such things as securing the element of surprise. Support the art and the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Hev Abi – WELCOME2DTQ
When it comes to a territorial takeover, Hev Abi does it in the most sinister way by inviting you to 1103 aka South Triangle, Quezon City. Beginning in the Memphis Rap influenced production to the modern-day ominous trap house presence, Hev Abi is looking forward to taking the entire region by storm this year. “WELCOME2DTQ” is documentation of a city that has a long and rich history in hip-hop, and Hev Abi successfully captured the essence of Kyusi via baseball bat-wielding charisma and flawless flows. Say what you want about the A$AP Rocky comparisons, but no one would ever dare to reduce Hev’s uncompromising presence and initiative. He possesses an aura of coolness to the place to the point you’d actually be proud of repping your hometown. Whether it would be a posse backing him up along the Tomas Morato avenue or the overall crew love you receive in “WELCOME2DTQ”, the up-and-coming rapper is largely responsible for being the phantom in the dark, slowly but surely tagging his nearest vicinities with an all-encompassing rap skill. Backed by C.R.E.A.M callbacks by the bridge and demonic pitches placed by the outro, Hev Abi’s at the come up and QC is the launching pad he needs at this time in the hip-hop scene.
TRACK REVIEW: P4blo – baka magalit boyfriend mo
Written by Elijah P. The concept of “girlbestfriends” or “boybestfriends” in the year 2023 might be a ludicrous rap theme for older listeners. For those out of the loop, think of it as a zoomer litmus test of infidelity – an archaic concept that traces back to the time when infidelity is still pretty much a playful yet haphazard theme to rap around. Think of SZA’s “The Weekend” except it’s executed on a less deeply personal level. In the decade that is the 2020s, you’re pretty much in the clear to goof around with the exception of earworms and infectious hooks. Rapper and singer P4blo does it effortlessly. In “baka magalit boyfriend mo”, the up-and-coming rapper melodically prances around the concept of being a sideboyfriend or the proud rebound to the protagonist’s girlbestfriend in cloudrap form – sped-up piano notes, reversed synth pads and sliders, and vocal harmonies melding together. P4BLO knew for sure what he was writing about yet the undeniable hook writing shouldn’t work out, but its inescapable melodies make it an anthem for all sidechicks or sidebffs all over. Not that the casual clueless listener is to acknowledge the existence of such culture, but rather this substitute for the typical Valentine’s playlist should be highly considered for all. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Kiyo ft. Yung Peso – Puyat
Written by Elijah P. Pampanga-based rapper Kiyo never really forgot his roots since moving from the ports of Navotas to the north side of Angeles not too long ago. His latest track “Puyat” offers introspection rather than the nostalgia trip of their previous material. Time seemed to run out for the young rapper. It wasn’t too long ago either when he released haranasa – a 15-track debut that overstayed its welcome. The debut showed more filler than a 4-verse solo track. However in “Puyat”, it was more likely that he’s been keeping these verses loaded with more impact. The compactness of these 16-bars are rich with food for thought compared to the aimless reminiscing thoughts of haranasa. Although, the listener would rather frame it this way: “Puyat” is an entry of a more mature Kiyo. The borderline boombap production and hazy pianos ride over Kiyo’s gliding melodies seamlessly. You have the flows of Kiyo complimenting the guest feature Yung Peso in the monochromatic music video; hustling in the skinny alleyways and living the life by skydiving freely. Kiyo didn’t join the rap game for fun; he joined because it made him live life more carefully. “Puyat” has all the breaks for kiyo to showcase his more melodic and lyrical sides. Support the art & the artist:
RACK REVIEW: Gre! – Staywme
Written by Elijah P. Once you hear the sound cues of ice bouncing on the glass and the keys bouncing a millisecond after the producer tag, you know that you’re in for a plugg showdown. Gre! – QC-based and aiming for Metro Manila’s best kept secrets – released “Staywme”, produced by dopamine, a little over a week ago in the time of this writing, and since then, it hasn’t left my mind how the rapper-slash-resident-growler-of-a-metalcore-band has an impressive streak of writing the best melodies known to the post-lockdown crowd (examples: Majica and VOID). The surprise doesn’t come from the fact that it’s a Plugg track – a formula that might be nearing its end after a shelf life two years of gig freeze alongside several Soundcloud anons trying and testing the template effectively – but rather Grei embodies the Plugg with infectious verses, executing a chorus-free single and armed with loads of melodic syllables and lines that call for “bebe time” during autotuned croons and trap hijinks, ultimately extending the possibilities of plugg once more in the latest single. “Staywme” is target practice for Grei, maybe even a no-sweat affair or rather a genre hopping test drive, either way he fits the bill in both genres. An ear for genres could mean a master scheming their way to success and “Staywme” feels like a swaggering flex of Plugg-ian proportions. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: PLAYERTWO – THAT’S MY BABY
Written by Louis Pelingen If there is one word that may perfectly describe PLAYERTWO’s artistic progression so far, it may have to be the word: flexible. From just a few singles that were put out last year, this 3-member boyband hailing from Davao comprised of Ivo Impreso, Wave P, and Luke April has already presented themselves adaptable and confident in leaning into genre-jumping from one song to another. The indie rock & bedroom pop genre flourish of ‘TALK STRAIGHT’ with a summery hook, compelling flows, and blurry guitar tones connect themselves with impressive results. ‘HDYF’ goes for a swerve, drilling down to Hardcore Hip-hop with rumbling low-ends and chalky beats as the members lean on the imposing side of their lyricism and dribbling flows with enough genuine snarl to make it work. So now, they have followed up with their latest release, ‘THAT’S MY BABY’ with another slight spin in style. A tight, sweeter pop cut where the band leans more on their slick, flirty side this time around. And leaning into it they did, embracing more vocal cooing and smoother flows that honestly owe a lot to the effortless and lightweight charm that a lot of K-pop boybands tend to showcase from time to time. For the band dabbling in this style, they’ve mostly delivered as there’s a lot of charismatic charm expressed from all members, making their flirtatiousness tiptoes more to admiring the woman that they see in the distance to feel more captivating and relaxing. If there is something that does distract from the vibes of the track, it has to be the instrumentation. Melodically, they do sound potent, especially with the grooves allowing the lightweight lovestruck charm to stick. However, the mixing and tone choices do come a little crushed up for the song to work all the way, with the bass sometimes crushing down the distorted guitar and the pristine keys. The texture of the drums comes off as chalky and thin that it sticks out like a sore thumb from the rather relaxed textures of the other instruments and could’ve switched to a different drum texture to compliment the rest of the instrumentation. As a third song showcasing the band’s free-spirited talents, it reaches quality territory. Each member brings out a charm that adds another dimensionality to them as a band and while this song (alongside their other past releases) does show the influences that they’re taking from, they still execute those ideas with good results. For a band where every genre-jumping attempt from each track release comes with pretty good results, their flexibility and compatibility as a band are something to behold. Listen to the artist: