Tag: Louis Pelingen

  • TRACK REVIEW: XYVRL – SBAPN

    TRACK REVIEW: XYVRL – SBAPN

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    Back in February of this year, XYVRL put out the self-assured “Scottie T” as a middle finger to people who may have underestimated her as a hip-hop artist in her own right, one still continuing to explore and find her space in it. 6 months later, she immediately follows things up with “SBAPN”, carrying her slick attitude yet also showing tongue-in-cheek flair in her lyricism. Said cheeky tone is then complemented by the well-balanced budots beat – produced by Luke April and Nathaniel Escanillas – with some wooden percussion that adds more distinction to the overall sound.

    Its fun may run over for 2 minutes, but overall feels shorter. Once the final hook passes the one-minute mark, the other half is left letting the beat run its course as XYVRL’s vocals get chopped over in an awkward motion. A clumsy way to end out the song, but even with that, XYVRL’s playful presence on the microphone lands more than it doesn’t.

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  • TRACK REVIEW: Tatz Maven ft. SHNTI – Takbo

    TRACK REVIEW: Tatz Maven ft. SHNTI – Takbo

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    As the guitars echo and the punchy drums roll over “Takbo,” its unflinching rhythms uncover the conflict of seeing someone running away from a place that wholeheartedly welcomes them. This turmoil allows Tatz Maven’s expressive flows to be one left wandering for answers, naturally progressing towards SHNTI’s stout cadence that never waits, but instead immediately engulfs that frustration of being left behind. A tangled pain that is melodically expressed throughout.

    What makes “Takbo” stand out throughout Tatz’s gradual singles that he has released thus far is how emotionally gripping it is, ramping up what he’s capable of as a musician and supercharging it. If this is the song that makes him run further across with gusto, it’s worth following where he’ll go next.

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  • TRACK REVIEW: OONA. – DARAMA

    TRACK REVIEW: OONA. – DARAMA

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    Throughout the 2020s, the P-Pop space has continued to craft more talent worth seeking, especially across the girl groups that have their names established in their own way. Bini, VVINK, and Kaia are big examples of this, as they bring a different sonic presentation that reflects upon their identity as a group. This becomes a statement that OONA. – a newfound girl group consisting of experienced dancers and idols – is working through, all reflected upon their debut single, “DARAMA”.

    Right from the jump, OONA showcases a unique flair in their performances that immediately makes them stand out, as there’s a distinctive tone to each member’s voice, allowing their group dynamic to land with charm while not taking away their individual personalities. 

    OONA’s sweet presence on the microphone is also helped out by Neil “NJ” Subong and Eiron “pxyche” Reyes – the same people who produced for acts like Hev Abi, E-Kove, and Zae – providing an approachable beat with enough glossy keys and synths to add to OONA’s exploration of their feelings towards someone they like. Acknowledging this fluttery feeling of love, but they’re rather unsure of how to deal with it.

    The overall concept of exploring one’s feelings is quite inspired for OONA’s debut track, because as much as their hearts are fully exposed in this introductory song, they are still navigating their approach as vocalists and performers in their own right. There might be flubs in their delivery, but it paradoxically works nonetheless. After all, exploring one’s feelings takes quite a while to settle in, and for OONA, they’ll definitely figure things out in the long run.

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  • TRACK REVIEW: Project Yazz – Ningning

    TRACK REVIEW: Project Yazz – Ningning

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    Ever since 2021, Project Yazz has been best described as a band whose joy in making music comes from freewheeling expression, with varying instrumentalists who play around from time to time. Vocalist Faye Yupano and bassist Burgan Nunez, the mainstays in the project, never stay in a fixed atmosphere, thematic approach, and cast of players, as they are always shifting around with ease. Despite that, one aspect always continues to stay around in their music: warmth. 

    This year, the band steps up in imbuing that warmth in lusher soundscapes. “Haraya” evokes that firsthand, yet the following single, “Ningning”, takes it up a notch. Faye Yupano’s vocals gracefully express a wistful longing under the glinting presence of the stars, a gentle emotion amplified further with supple arrangements with crisp grooves and gleaming brass swells that continue to gradually ramp up.

    However, this cascade of potent ideas never reaches its transcendent state, where the production does not fully expose the wells of yearning that Faye Yupano embodies in the song, and the expanded arrangements don’t allow their rich textures to be heard. Instead, it feels distant, constantly on the cusp of reaching a stirring resolution, yet it never truly gets there.

    As it stands, “Ningning” becomes a fascinating growth and challenge for Project Yazz, as they are willing to experiment with their warm tones in grander escapades. Succeeding in placing down this tender desire that’s as simple as it is evocative, yet it doesn’t flourish the way it should. It might result in the song whose resonance becomes wishful thinking under the starry night, yet even then, it sparkles just enough to see how it could have shined brighter. 

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  • TRACK REVIEW: rhodessa – nananabik

    TRACK REVIEW: rhodessa – nananabik

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    The streak of rhodessa’s refinement as a musician has only persisted since breaking through in 2023, with “Kisame” allowing her presence to shine in broad daylight. She continues to hone in on the well of OPM pop rock she only delivered with more exciting gusto, with the 2023 track “sa’yong sa’yo lang ako” and her 2024 EP ‘kiss’ becoming the main showcases of her artistic throughlines developing further and further. 

    And with the recent release of “nananabik,” rhodessa continues to stitch her creative growth, sticking to her yearning songwriting formula that may be wearing its welcome, but still delivers the necessary punch in the overall composition. Carving an emphasis on saturated guitar riffs and a stable percussion section that offers enough support to her pleasant vocal delivery. 

    With her overall changes in sound and style well documented over 6 years of consistent single releases, it now poses a challenge for rhodessa moving forward, especially in how she will branch out her songwriting into deeper, more interesting ventures. To yearn on the surface may be fun, but sinking deeper into it may require her to tilt to a different angle, just so that she can fully grasp an emotionally wider experience. 

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  • TRACK REVIEW: JRRD – Thrill

    TRACK REVIEW: JRRD – Thrill

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    Since last year, JRRD has been in a constant process of finding himself in the music that he makes. He started things off with an alternative pop sheen on his debut album, ‘001,’ that might have the queer longing and well-structured melodies out the door, but his production flair is something to be desired. Sounding limitedly thin, dulling his musical capabilities for the most part. But five months after that project, he immediately found his calling through embracing hyperpop and electroclash soundscapes, a range of sonic aesthetics that he explores further through his next few records, such as ‘POP.MP3’ and ‘Yuck!’—piling upon as much enticing flash and passion as he possibly can through their brief runtimes.

    He doesn’t completely stop his tracks, however, as he continues to push himself further in 2026 with an eye for sharpening his craft. Through his second single that he put out this year, ‘Thrill’ displays a level of refinement. JRRD’s affinity for detailed production is better emphasized, allowing their blubbery tones to carry more spark, and his vocal melodies capture the attraction interspersed in the lyrics, centered around being enticed by a romantic thrill that he keeps at a distance, letting that tension feel simultaneously thrilled and wary. It creates a balance of thinking realistically and thinking indulgently, an approach that may ask more questions than answers, but it lets things simmer down before heading off to decide if he should chase that affection.

    While buffing his production does become a double-edged sword – the textures, while flashy, also end up sounding muddy in the mix – JRRD clearly gains more confidence and spark with this song. He carries more strengths that he can further embrace in the future. For now, JRRD languishes in his own thrills, one that’s alluring enough to experience long-term.

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  • TRACK REVIEW: DANTE – Yosi

    TRACK REVIEW: DANTE – Yosi

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    DANTE’s debut single plays things straightforwardly cool. His vocal theatrics sound natural amidst this brand of pop rock, all with flashy guitars, bright keys, and choppy effects that are placed organically within the song. Everything plays perfectly in portraying affection for someone that just can’t slip off his fingers, like smoke that keeps following him. A presence that never fails to capture his attention.

    While “Yosi” lays out a familiar formula – especially in the OPM circuit – that DANTE definitely plays into, there is enough potency in his performance and production to highlight. This ends up becoming a solid introduction to his overall musicianship, where the real test will come later. For now, this is a cigar worth taking, where you just feel the first puff of smoke before you eventually head out to find more.

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  • SOUNDS OF THE SEA: Soft Things (Myanmar)

    SOUNDS OF THE SEA: Soft Things (Myanmar)

    Within the largest city of Myanmar, Yangon, lie small yet meaningful bands like Soft Things, who are waving the flag towards the dream pop and shoegaze flourishes that echo across the city. Formed back in 2023, this tight-knit band is composed of guitarists Kaung Khant Htun and Nyi Ye Htut, bassist Kaung SI Thu, drummer Thu Ta Aung, and vocalist Thet Htar Zin. Young fledglings finding their groove within the yearning spirit of the sounds they’re pulling from.

    They sparked a flash last year with their debut EP, ‘Warm Blue Sea,’ a stirring wave of dream pop that washes over. It acts as a starting point that defines their spirit, a characteristic best represented on the first track of the song, ‘Asleep, Awake’. Punchy drums and serene pedal effects reinforce the tension that Thet writes on record. Looking into a lilting love that is either fleeting or everlasting.

    This overall spirit carries through from song to song. ‘Zoo’ very much casts a lot of Cocteau Twins’ soundscape, especially how the guitars phase out in the mix alongside Thet’s vocal backdrops scattering all over the song. ‘I am not the one for you’ tests out its writing intrigues, letting glossy keys cascade over the protagonist’s affections with the women he’s loved in the past. The closer track, ‘Cherry Cola,’ delves into synthpop bits as buzzing synth pads trickle all over the song. It recalls and reflects upon the saccharine moments that can end up so bitter, like an unforgettable aftertaste

    Of course, as heard through Thet’s delivery, the brute forces his vocal limits to a flinching degree on ‘I Remember You’, they wear their passion in their sleeves and embrace all its ups and downs as much as possible. Soft Things know that the world is in a rough shape at the moment, so they may as well hold onto those soft moments from the very beginning, and let it glow as they continue their path, charging their spirits to a much tender future.

  • TRACK REVIEW: A Piloto – Asphyxia

    TRACK REVIEW: A Piloto – Asphyxia

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    A Piloto’s comeback song since the past two years immediately wrestles with a shocking surprise splattered through his writing: an old friend just died near his neighborhood. The chills that he encounters through that information fill his entire nerves, wracking him with a desperate plea for connection that turns into solemn avoidance at the end. It’s emotionally haphazard that A Piloto expresses well, with his raw vocals just storming through all that tense situation.

    The frigid indie rock spirit allows “Asphyxia” to rhythmically heave, as the grooves just charge through with shaky guitar maneuvers that explode onto the chorus. It never loses its raucous flair from the start, up till its very ending. Foggy ambience and gentle guitar atmospherics now give enough space for A Piloto. He now gets to simmer what has come to pass, calmly taking his time to breathe before moving onwards, even with the ache still weighing on his shoulders.

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  • TRACK REVIEW: mrt – all roads lead to cubao (or wherever my grave may be instead)

    TRACK REVIEW: mrt – all roads lead to cubao (or wherever my grave may be instead)

    Written by Louis Pelingen

    What would inevitably become an interesting talking point later down the line is how the next generation – in this case, the Gen Alphas – will eventually carve their paths through a lot of the music spaces thriving right now. While it is early to say how they will respond and evolve past the local indie and mainstream music zeitgeists, observing how they’d touch upon the sounds and tones to assess their craft is enough to look into. At least for the time being.

    Case in point, the past few releases that 15 year old mrt has released last year immediately pull a lot of the alternative rock and screamo influences – think acts like Sintasan, North Sentinel, and Walktrip – that swerved into lo-fi, raw fidelities. Those two EPs – ‘hermosa’ and ‘bokeh’ – certainly tiptoed towards those tones, from mrt’s attempts to sing and scream across shambling production, to post-breakup wallowing that is peppered across his lyrics.

    Now, what “all roads lead to cubao (or wherever my grave may be instead)” does is sharpen his melodic instincts amidst an exercise in dynamics. It starts off with a lilting guitar passage contrasted with his composed screams, then the song breaks out into fuzzed-out shoegaze while mrt leans more on moodier singing. It effectively reinforces the emo-tinged emptiness that is buried in this track.

    All in all, mrt still has ways to go before he eventually hammers down the strengths in his songcrafting, yet the intrigue to do a bit more in this song does show some promise. The projects that he has currently pulled off might not blow things away, especially with how the alt-rock and hardcore scenes have only developed into fascinating nooks and crannies; there’s nothing wrong with testing things out. At the very least, he’s familiarizing himself by trying, and that’s good enough for now.

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