Batangas just left a mark in Filipino shoegaze, a scene that is already defined by the formidability of many growing talents and its steady embedding into OPM ubiquity. Cementing the region’s place this time around is the Lipa-based, emo- and grunge-adjacent shed, with the release of their debut album ‘if heaven is real’.
Following their self-titled project and a few singles here and there, a template to the band’s overall sound identity is traced. ‘if heaven is real’ serves as the band’s proving ground, an opportunity to bury the nail planted by earlier songs like ‘mahika’ and ‘forgotten song’—songs that exemplify the band’s penchant for a certain blossom in their sound, where the viscous rhythm section envelopes the bright, manic wails of the lone guitar riff.
The challenge for their debut album was not to exceed what was first established, but rather to prove that the ingenuity in their earlier releases was not a sleight-of-hand trick you cannot show the same audience twice.
shed overcame this challenge on ‘if heaven is real’ thanks largely to the variety of execution throughout the track list. Given their proclivities for roughness and sonic punching power, depth is no longer a question in shed’s toolbelt. And instead of trying to reach greater heights with their sound, the band focused on expanding their emotional range—more specifically, the applied use cases for their already honed affinities.
As a result, we get pent-up anguish expressed in a smorgasbord of ways. For one, an unwitting listener may pass off “easy” and “tangerines” as blackgaze, while “relapse” and “susi” are more akin to the classic shoegaze sound of the mid-’90s. Though genre influences and mood are intermingling, the unrelenting attitude is the glue that holds every element in place.
But most notable of all is ‘blue’, a returning track from a past project that serves as the album closer. This song takes the best trait from every song in the album and amplifies them to great heights: dense layers of heavy guitar riffs at odds with each other, a tempo of almost breakneck speed, the hope-filled ecstasy of a well-executed melody, and themes of endless yearning that rival the tragedy in tales of old. This is easily a highlight not only on ‘if heaven is real’, but in shed’s journey thus far.
In contrast to the band’s dead-set dedication to carving their identity through loudness, songs from ‘if heaven is real’ derive their thematic shoegaze melancholy from the unmoving. Songs like “moths,” “easy,” and “heaven” share this common thread, usually depicting human trepidations that are rather still than tumultuous.
For instance, “moths” plays around its own metaphor in its depiction of the tragic paradox of affection and avoidance; “easy” reads like a lullaby sung by a seemingly grieving narrator; and “heaven” is a claustrophobic sketch of a narrator trapped in the stasis of loss. The tone of shed’s overall pen work in the album stems from this decaying monotony that blossoms into a dissonant harmony to the unyielding chaos that is their sound. This can only be achieved by shed’s innate ruthlessness, which they have proven time and again.
‘If heaven is real’ is best described as a storm. Its relentless pressure lays waste to everything it touches, having gathered plenty of force from shed’s past projects and coverage through the band’s persistent experimentation. Yet through it all, shed remains steadfast, unmoving, and in full control amid the chaos.
A debut album would typically symbolize an artist’s effort to mark a creative turning point in the medium from which they can branch off, or mark a point in time at which they were at their most unfiltered and relentless.
But it’s a different case for Mondo de Castro, the man behind the eponymous band MONDO and its eponymous debut album, who decided to flip the script and turned his debut album into an imprint of his creative assemblage. To him, who staked his name on this album, is what all his 20+ years of work in the industry have been leading up to.
As an artist, Mondo has been in the industry for several decades, having played for The Pinup Girls and collaborating with heavy hitters like Francis Magalona, Diego Mapa, and Kitchie Nadal. E Nick Lazaro is involved in the production side of things
All this to say that Mondo’s resume is a decorated one, and his grasp of the technical side of songwriting and music production is out of the question—all that’s left to mull over from ‘MONDO’ is in its ethos and creative process.
On his debut album, Mondo leans toward British rock and Britpop, with Gospel themes as the occasional thematic hook. His faith is most apparent in “A Thousand Voices,” in which he shares the spotlight with Kitchie Nadal and Diego Mapa. On the one hand, an electronic track with an ambient trip-hop feel, and on the other, an acoustic ballad that serves as the penultimate album closer rather unceremoniously, especially since the closing track is a rendition of another song on the album.
On the other side of the tracklist is “Fire Buns Brighter” and “Awaken,” a pair of upbeat rock ensembles that do not hold back from evoking kinetic energy. Besides sharing a similar stylistic makeup in its employment of a modern take on the British invasion of the late ‘60s, these two openers are indicative of what aspect of the creative process Mondo prioritizes most (sometimes to the benefit of his work, sometimes to its detriment): risk aversion.
The biggest fetter in ‘MONDO’ above all is its overreliance on tried-and-tested formulae, especially on a genre that is already known for its steady progression tropes. While such an approach is not inherently at fault per se, the lack of unpredictability in a song (or rather an air of excitement brought to the fray by fresh, unconventional ideas) and excessive sanitizing of sound may make for material that is seemingly uninspired. The album’s more raw outputs resonate more with the artist’s core intent.
In contrast, ‘MONDO’ shows a lot of competency in its lyrical output. The aforementioned “Fire Burns Brighter,” while overshadowed by its heavy composition, shows Mondo’s spiritual side in a tasteful way, making use of imagery to add mystique to the song. The same can be said about “The Second Coming,” but with a better (and slightly more subdued) melody to accompany it.
But the album’s highlights are seen in the middle, with “If I Tell You Why” (both versions) and “The Second Coming” being the biggest highlights of ‘MONDO’. This is in large part because of Mondo’s penchant for sheen not getting in the way of his intuition for making good riffs and emotionally potent melodies—a feat that is apparent throughout the album, but is neutered in its weaker moments. “Isang Libong Araw” is another well-composed song that strikes a better balance between the explosiveness and restraint of a rock anthem meant to uplift the audience, at least when compared to its faux-sibling, “Fire Burns Brighter.” ‘MONDO’ is fundamentally a showcase of the artist’s well of knowledge in his decades-long journey as an artist. Now with the resources to operationalize his songwriting process like one would a client brief, he is keen on getting the best people on board to make it happen—a highly ambitious endeavor, one that is hindered by the smorgasbord of ideas left unregulated, and can be improved on by having a clearer sense of direction, regardless of who is involved in the making of his work.
Identifying Laguna-based hardcore punk from its heavily populated pack of contemporaries is like sensing a food’s quality from afar with just the olfactory.
Following up on the band’s electrifying, long-awaited ‘Streetwise’ EP, ‘Hell’ checks every box of the Laguna hardcore handbook. Drawing from the deep roots of the region’s hardcore punk scene, the thundering bellows of distortion, two-step-primed rhythms and breakdowns, and the protesting wails into the microphone—all qualities that are unmistakably Laguna hardcore, bred by the subculture’s founding fathers in time not-so-immemorial as well as those that remain active at present—have become par for the course in this field. On one hand, Past Forward’s latest “Hell” carries Laguna hardcore in its DNA, and on the other, it is bound to it.
While these shared attributes in the genre have been staples used by and elevated many astute punk acts of similar acclaim, ‘Hell’ packages them with not as much concern for cohesion, unlike past Past Forward releases. ‘Full Disclosure’ comes to mind, the 2017 EP that put the band into the spotlight.
A counterpoint to which, however, can also be seen in ‘Full Disclosure’. The EP’s closing track, aptly titled ‘Closure’, leaves the record to an abrupt—almost trip-hop levels of mellow—beat switch; and interestingly placed track in an otherwise straightforward hardcore project. But it is more of a complementary footnote than anything, and it does not demand one’s full attention the same way ‘Hell’ does, or attempts to do. Put simply, ‘Hell’ relies more on safe conventions than a focused direction.
Such a deterministic approach is not the most appropriate for “Hell”, though, as its faults more harken to culture bleeding into an artist’s songwriting that a guidelines-based, objective critique just would not cover.
Laguna hardcore is one subculture with a history and influence that stretches beyond its territory’s borders into the larger Filipino hardcore punk mythos, with evolutions that led to what are now scene staples shared among artists. But it is also one mired with tumultuous principle-based infightings (more internal and collective-oriented) that, unfortunately, led to its creative stasis. San Pablo’s Past Forward—formed as recently as the mid-2010s—is one of the descendants of this respected but equally tainted movement whose creative deadlock has carried over to bands as esteemed as Past Forward.
And while these ties are not indicative of the band’s dispositions and quality of work, the cultural or historical factors are more suggestions that may explain certain trends rather than cast judgment. Fortunately for them, theirs is not an isolated case.
But for all the missed points in ‘Hell’, more output from Laguna’s finest only benefits Filipino hardcore in the long run, despite its dire history and current state of affairs. Its background does not discredit the wave of new and exciting Laguna-based hardcore-adjacent artists steadily rippling through our spaces. Among them, Past Forward maintains their steadily growing momentum, driven by the release of ‘Streetwise’ and whatever is to come after “Hell”.
If anything, Laguna hardcore needs more Past Forwards—the resolve to move forward, carrying and learning from its past.
There is this inherent pressure for concept albums to be atemporal. Perhaps rooted in misinterpretation, the idea of a concept album being similar to that of an odyssey revealing gospel truths of whatever musings its creator has willed into existence. What follows usually is a prophetic candor reaching apocalyptic scales. Dark Horse’s debut album ‘Spirituals’ challenged my idea of a concept album.
Behind ‘Spirituals’ is an ensemble from two major players in the underground — and I don’t mean any local music scene. Renowned author and alternative culture connoisseur Karl De Mesa and Ronnel Vivo of the Vivo Brothers fame (known for Basalt Shrine, Dagtum, Sound Carpentry Records, atbp.), among others, join forces to create this brooding experimental doom folk project.
The production of ‘Spirituals’ showcases the duo’s mastery of dread. Despite his proclivities and inclination for heavy sounds that demand your full attention, Vivo’s presence in ‘Spirituals’ is more understated than in his previous projects. This time, he plays a complementary role, taking charge in creating the needed ambience that gives De Mesa’s performance the urgency and biblical breadth fitting for an album that is more prose than a technical display of musical proficiency.
The name Karl De Mesa is one linked to horror, more so the banality of it in the life of the everyday Filipino. Anyone familiar with his body of work would know his affliction for themes of family and resistance.
The album’s single “Comrade Buddha” revisits this common Demesian trope, as explored in his earlier essays found in “Report from the Abyss.” More succinctly, a postmortem reflection of an ideal or a past, more formative self that bore witness to such tumultuous events. Binding spirituality and armed resistance and weaving it into a perturbed hymn is just the cherry on top, further displaying the masterful duo of De Mesa and Vivo.
Meanwhile, “I Offer Pslams” finds the author recounting his memories in specific places, paying tribute to his mother in a solemn act of devotion. The album’s denouement, “Airwaves (A New Song of Darkness),” carries an oppressive air that leaves the listener in a claustrophobic state, as supplemented by Vivo’s scornful production work.
These are just two examples of how De Mesa reveals himself in his writings; it is no surprise that these characteristics would bleed into his music. And not to mention, “I Offer Psalms” and “Comrade Buddha” are two of the highlights from this album. The other tracks, however, all follow the same pattern: tirades of cataclysmic scales interwoven in layers of cryptic wordplay – some are piercing, some barely scrape the epidermis.
With all that being said, ‘Spirituals’ left me with more questions than answers. First, the album did not leave us with a satisfying conclusion to ascertain its connection to De Mesa’s past works, perhaps by design. What does the concept of an album say about the ever-changing state of the artist? Does it hold water when challenged by time and circumstance? ‘Spirituals’ approaches ideas in albums not like the be-all-end-all I may have mistaken them to be. Rather, it takes a larger-than-life concept (that is, De Mesa’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the systemic horrors he grew up with) and shrinks it to the size of a ball — a small yet dense ball.
It might take me forever to parse every line, every subtext in Dark Horse’s debut album in connection to what I know of the artists involved in this project, how Vivo interpreted and translated these messages into sound, and how ideas can be tackled and revolved around by artists pursuing such ambitious endeavors. For now, I am satisfied with the knowledge that ideas are temporal. There are no hard-and-fast rules in creating art that stands the test of time — or even if they should. Whether ideas are reflective of the artist’s current state of mind, the connection ends the next time they hold the pen.
Another breakout song in the charts, and Imperial Manila is put on notice by the South yet again.
The culprit this time is one Bacoor representative, SAJKA (Sajka Jamaiah Formaran). Though his hit single “Nicotine” is making huge waves in local hip-hop’s algorithmic sphere, SAJKA brings more to the table than TikTok-core bait.
Perhaps SAJKA’s table is one filled with residues between tiny crevices and paper rolls rather than ashtrays because “Nicotine” is thematically the farthest you can get from understanding the artistry SAJKA is trying to achieve in his latest EP, Weed&Melodies.
The EP is a reggaeton project at its core with the occasional nods to afrobeat and funk, courtesy of Southrow Music producer ODMADEIT. There is no fine print. It is mostly weed and all melodies.
Adjacencies to the respiratory system and bad habits aside, the EP is packaged, rolled, and passed along as a THC trip, with explicit references to cannabis use and its effects, and without a single care about the forces under the state’s payroll. SAJKA even takes you on a ride-along in the standout track “Masid.”
While the concept is solid on paper, showing SAJKA’s strong potential as a genre-crossing visionary, the EP sometimes falls flat in execution. As a post-release single, “Bogsame” shows signs of fatigue from its initial run, with the song having offered barely anything that hasn’t already been explored in other tracks released prior (you may also look up tracks “Up and Down” and “Masid” that capture the same vibe but better). Even as an opening track, the candidness mixed with the self-indulgence of the ‘me and my friends are high as fuck’ attitude runs its course as quickly as it was introduced, only to make a better comeback in subsequent songs.
SAJKA, however, stands out when he fully embraces his reggae calling. “Horns” and “Burnin Paradise” are great displays of the artist in his element, paying homage to the genre he’s inspired by without losing authenticity.
There is still the curious case of the EP’s journeyman single. Despite the thematic incongruence already discussed above and the subtle genre shift, “Nicotine” — a hip-hop song first, a reggae song never — is still far from being a black sheep figure in the track list. Its success in the charts is undeniable, and its placement is only to the benefit of SAJKA, as it turns people’s heads to him and his more divergent undertaking. Hence, it plays the journeyman role.
But given the state that it’s in, sticking out like a sore thumb in the track list, it is rather interesting that it even exists in the first place. With just as much grasp of information as a common listener, I can only theorize as to why that is the case, of which I have a handful: First, “Nicotine” is an early prototype of Weed&Melodies before they went full reggae, and it somehow made the final cut. Secondly, reggae — even with its hip-hop overtones — is a hard sell, and “Nicotine” was used as an anchor to make it palatable for their target audiences. Lastly (and on a less serious yet more absurd note), tobacco may simply have a larger revenue share than weed in the Philippine stimulants market with more regulatory backing, thus attracting more potential listeners from a larger consumer base.
SAJKA is on a path of reinventing himself from just another laidback rapper in Cavite’s already saturated scene with like-minded contemporaries to a convention-breaking fusion artist. With a heavy background in hip-hop and a growing appreciation for adjacent genres like reggae, dance, and funk, “Nicotine” may just be part of the equation to a bigger calling that Weed&Melodies alludes to. Who knows? It might take a few more ‘hits’ before SAJKA reaches that eureka moment.
“Quality over quantity,” a popular adage that has guided countless artisans, artists, and authors in history into crafting masterpieces. However, it appears that Noa Mal is not a huge proponent of this. For the famed lo-fi grunge pop artist, it’s quality through quantity.
“I’m the outsider, looking in” marks Noa’s return after a busy four-album run in 2023, a feat that made her stand out from the rest of her contemporaries. And much like her past releases, in true DIY fashion, she handled everything from the writing to the arrangements, and production, all the way to the promotion post-rollout.
This level of work ethic is as commendable as it gets, but her 15th album release showed us that her hardworking nature is less of a flex of her discipline and more of a fundamental part of her creative process.
With all the roles she assumes under her moniker—as a lyricist, musician, producer, promoter, and as the very character she presents—Noa Mal has always kept a tight grip on the self, compartmentalizing her feelings across different tracks that show different sides of her very complex personality.
For example, “Someone Like Me” sees Noa claiming her many tendencies as intrinsic parts of her being, and no other person in the world can come close enough to draw a baseline similarity from which to form a connection. In contrast, “The Serpent” shows her willingness to let someone in, though not without giving caution.
These are no unique concepts per se. Even in her past albums, she employed similar approaches to songwriting. While, from this example, she doesn’t steer too far from being a starkly different person from one song to the next, she chops up several aspects of her whole self and scatters them across multiple tracks where nuance can then take shape.
As far as her style of lyricism goes, Noa Mal has stuck to her guns in her latest record. However, the same cannot be said about her approach to production, which showed hints of boldness and resistance from her usual artistic disposition.
“I’m the outsider, looking in” is arguably the most electronic Noa Mal has ever sounded, which opened new doors to how she packages her music and accentuates her messages. For instance, the guitar work in “I Am Not Someone / Drink from the cup” reached a bellowing low that was never achieved in prior Noa Mal releases. The drum machine displayed in the album has also never sounded more artificial—and, by virtue of grunge, has never sounded more grunge. It was almost as if Noa Mal was rebelling against her past records that never attempted to go all out the way “I’m the outsider, looking in” did.
Ultimately, Noa Mal’s uncontested discipline and dedication to her craft extend not only to her work ethic as an artist proven competent in releasing music in quick succession. It is also rooted in the foundations of her creativity. Every piece of music Noa Mal puts out is short and sweet, and every album release is a claim of her individuality with all its many faces, some of which look the same as another but with different intricacies tied to each layer. It is through this sheer quantity of her scattered pieces that she was able to build an image we can never mistake for anybody else in the slowcore umbrella. “I’m the outsider, looking in” provides another piece to that puzzle.
If you’re just hopping on The Braille Flowers now and this is the first song you hear from them, we won’t blame you if the dream pop aspect raises a few question marks above your head. The four-piece band started their journey by taking a dream pop-adjacent route in “Just to See You” before going on an indie pop direction in “Lately.” And now, with “The Magician Was Shot Dead (Scarlet Rivers),” the band is pushing a flashier and headbang-worthy sound into their mix.
Less delicate and more pedal-to-the-metal, “The Magician Was Shot Dead (Scarlet Rivers)” is as direct as it gets for an alt-rock song. From the guitars that are as gritty as The Smashing Pumpkins in their “Gish” days to the shamelessly harmonic guitar fill-in licks and solo section, it’s almost as if The Braille Flowers was measuring how far they can take this loudness without steering too far from their mellower roots.
Even the lyrics, courtesy of Francis Masangkay, now have more wit to them. Francis employs a less self-reflective and vulnerable approach in favor of a more playful and adventurous (yet at the same time, cryptic and self-preserve) approach without sacrificing the emotional core of their songwriting seen in their two previous releases.
The band was simply having fun putting together “The Magician Was Shot Dead (Scarlet Rivers),” continuously looking for ways to reinvent themselves. It is still up in the air how The Braille Flowers will navigate their sound with all the genres they have already explored and incorporated into their sound in such a short amount of time. If anything, they have proven themselves capable of writing such captivating songs while adopting different styles, with “The Magician Was Shot Dead (Scarlet Rivers)” being their second-most cohesive thematically, only behind their debut “Just to See You.”
On one hand, their listener base may not prefer if the band continues to stray from their dream-pop roots. But on the other hand, it would be interesting to see it all come together, now that they have more than just a couple of tools in their toolkit.
Home to some of the spiciest dishes in Philippine cuisine and the beautifully shaped Mount Mayon, Bicol’s music scene is just as hot and active, with many names making strides from within and beyond their home province; DWTA, for example, has seen major success as of late, going as far as making it to the 2024 Wanderland Music Festival’s lineup.
Bicol’s success in cultivating a vibrant music culture can be attributed to the efforts of its many community-based art collectives that are constantly ideating and collaborating to produce high-caliber releases and events that give Bicol its formidability as a producer of some of the best local artists in the larger music ecosystem. One such collective is Legazpi City’s Children of the Mist.
Fervids is one of the major players under Children of the Mist. This young and exuberant rock band is no stranger to explosive live sets – no matter the distance – and their sophomore album SONIC BOOM embodies that destructiveness down to the T.
It is not the first time we at The Flying Lugaw have set our eyes and ears on Fervids. In my initial review of the band’s material (see: TFL’s review of “SWEET TOOTH ACHIN’”), though middling, I saw potential – one that they have not yet fully embraced but the traces of it they had already worn on their sleeves. I was excited.
Now, with a full blues rock-inspired album in their catalog, stage notoriety among the Manila crowd following an electrifying performance in TFL’s 2023 anniversary gig (Damn, if their set doesn’t get you going, then I don’t know what will), newfound inspiration from different styles of garage rock, and sharper songwriting experience in their toolkit, Fervids has never been more exciting.
As exciting as it comes, though, the band does not immediately let on with their new style, as “SONIC BOOM” was teased with “ANNIHILATION” as some sort of a sequel or a spiritual successor to their self-titled debut album: a riff-heavy hard tune that draws primarily from the British Invasion era of classic rock. Even in the mastering of the album, this trend is evident. It isn’t until the third track ‘TRUE’ that their influences from modern contemporaries begin to flourish. This progression makes for an enjoyable listening experience, as “SONIC BOOM” is filled with banger tracks in this confluence of styles, each waiting to ignite.
“THE VAMP AND THE SHEIKH” is a good example of a song that takes classic rock as the prominent element and elevates it to match the wavelength the band operates on. The result is something that Pete Townshend would approve of: a constant flow of kinetic energy pushing harmoniously against each other, and a sweet guitar solo from Andre you can never go wrong with.
“I WANT YOU ALL THE SAME” operates similarly to “THE VAMP AND THE SHEIKH,” serving as Fervids’ take on a power ballad. This time, garage rock takes the driver’s seat.
“EGO’S GRAVE” is easily the best track on “SONIC BOOM” and arguably in Fervids’ entire library thus far, only behind ‘Foolish Notion’. One of the few instances where the band donned a punk veil, “EGO’s GRAVE” shows Fervids going back to the drawing board and throwing out the window a lot of the things that made the band the renowned Bicolano blues-rock sensation they were known for. As a result, they made a song that was so emotional and dramatic despite its simplicity that it’s almost criminal that it only lasted for a little over two minutes. Its aggression almost reminds me of Comedown Machine.
SONIC BOOM is a product of Fervids’ unwavering authenticity. Though it may have carried some of the characteristics that I marked as criticisms in my review of “SWEET TOOTH ACHIN’” two years ago, they are definitely working in their favor now. And given their prestige as some of the most electrifying young bands in the underground live scene today, each new song will only add more to their growth.
But as tempting as it is to draw a connecting line between their growth and the evident success of SONIC BOOM as a rock album, there’s another comforting thought that I’d like to believe in.
I want to believe that SONIC BOOM is Fervids’ way of proving us wrong. For thinking that wearing their influences on their sleeves would be to their detriment. For doubting them the first time around and showing us that their methods work, like the rock stars that they are.
As 2023 comes to a close, GLASS, the silliest MAPEH rock band in town, kicks off 2024 with a new self-titled release chronicling the band’s 2-year-long songwriting journey from their 2021 EP release of the same – featuring three tracks from the album “Spice”, “Jones”, and “Buntot” – and a handful of new material, all loaded in a magazine of kinetic energy, dad jokes, millennial-passing shock value, and musical ammo.
GLASS’ creative box is a confluence of blues, math rock, and post-hardcore templates, oftentimes shifting styles at unexpected turns and in sync with the band’s penchant for odd tempos and intricate rhythmic structures. The opener track “Octopus” does not try to hide this at all; a delicate intro teases the listener of the band’s tendencies to go off-kilter before going R&B-like as the verse kicks in and capping off the song in full virtuoso mode. It’s not always we get to hear these different styles blend as well as GLASS does with their songs.
By the time you have finished “Octopus”, you will already have an idea of the kind of surprises GLASS has in store throughout the rest of the album, but in varying distributions of flair. For instance, “Obmerb” is a tad bit more conventional and Steely Dan-like than “Octopus” with a guitar solo more unassuming with less post-hardcore shenanigans.
Tracks like “Ops” and “Buntot” embrace the blues a bit more than the others, a characteristic the local scene needs more of nowadays as artists and fans across genres have increasingly deviated from the allure of a style that once dominated the mid-2010s flavor-of-the-month genres in favor of a more ethereal sound that shoegaze presents.
GLASS’ bubbly personality helps them in their compositions, and this playfulness complements the disjointedness of their tracks. But at times, it can also work to the detriment of the band. There’s a level of wit that the band employs in their songwriting that does not always land perfectly on the feet. There is this one song in the album, which I will not spoil to not ruin the experience for everyone coming into this record for the first time, that I would consider to be a perfectly acceptable song about a particular subject matter, but they kept running the same joke towards the end after it ran its course. Nothing too cringeworthy to pass on – just the kind of pure tito humor we all have a guilty pleasure for.
GLASS has a treasure trove of innovative ideas, and they are not afraid of trying them all out. Most of these ideas work, a negligible few don’t. But at the core of it all, this free-spirited energy and shamelessness are traits we all ought to have, and GLASS came at a perfect time to set a year on such an exciting note.
The year 2023 saw a lot of shifts happening: the rise of scene kids coming from the FYPs and For You pages of yore and the steadily rising of attendees in DIY underground shows all over. In Luzon, newer collectives were formed via embodying the gothic, emoviolence sensibilities of Metro Manila’s newer heavy music units. Over at the Visayas region, genres like hiphop and dream pop are the talk of the town, making both soundscapes and cultures sought for newer heights. And in Mindanao, their scene becomes more and more solidified in terms of dance music and various alternative genres that goes beyond the expectations of a regular Imperial Manila listener.
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 20 Filipino Releases of 2023.
20. Lil JVibe – WHOLE LOTTA LUVSHIT
Simply put, ‘WHOLE LOTTA LUVSHIT’ is the pop-rap EP that immediately puts Lil JVibe into this current space of inventive local hip hop. From Gem Records Production’s assist in balancing out the 4 tracks’ layered drill and jersey club beats, oodles of pop sample choices that are stitched amazingly well, and Lil JVibe’s ability to keenly blitz through these immense soundscapes is a big testament to his skill as an artist. ‘WHOLE LOTTA LUVSHIT’ is a bold, untethered, and sincere EP that’s just the beginning of Lil JVibe’s ambitious potential as an artist, one that all of us should pay serious attention to. -Louis Pelingen
19. Panjia – all the colors that make you!!!
In the year 2023, you have a ton of shoegaze acts that can easily pass off as imitators of someone and something given the time and algorithm to figure it all out. Staying true to its title, this debut EP “all the colors that make you!!!” is a primer of what you need to know about Panjia; youthful angst in front of computer screen, yearning in a language fitted for the hell week tortured student and loaded with nu-gaze terminology. The solo project surprisingly brings tasteful riffage-writing and overall promise in the young crop of heavy gazers out there locally. It’s Zoomer Shoegaze Bingo and the first recipient of such game is none other than Panjia. -Elijah P.
18. Punebre – Ang Nasa Dako Paroon
‘Ang Nasa Dako Paroon’ is a compelling testament to the raw essence of old-school death metal. With influences echoing ‘90s death metal, Punebre skillfully intertwines a foreboding atmosphere, relentless energy, and concise, impactful lyrics in highlight tracks like ‘Itim.’ The result is a sound that pays homage to the horror genre, revitalized for a new era, with slight nods to Filipino horror filmology, urban mythology, and folk mythology—‘Balete Overdrive’ and ‘Shaken and Rattled’ come to mind. However, Punebre’s most exciting feat that further amplifies excitement for their music is their inventive approach to PR. I vividly recall ordering a copy of their demo CD, which included tracks from ‘Ang Nasa Dako Paroon’, and to my surprise, the package included a meticulously crafted autopsy report. I have since kept that piece of paper and plan to have it framed on my wall. Though I still feel tremendous regret for missing out on their limited release of blood-soaked Punebre shirts earlier this year, there’s always a reason to be excited for Punebre. -Nikolai Dineros
Irrevocable – Generational Curses
Emo and punk band Irrevocable further show their ability to make face melting songs in this new release. They talk more about family influences and touching tributes while letting the songs breathe more resulting in a more engaging and expanded dynamic sound that doesn’t overstay its welcome – in fact, making the listener want more. -Janlor Encarnacion
Oh, Flamingo – Pagtanda
The aging process offers a different perspective even to veteran bands of the music scene. Oh, Flamingo! takes a look at timeless topics such as love and loss but with the added perception of being able to look back. Coupled with the use of our native language, the band is able to process emotions in a more connected way while still being distinctly Flamingo-y. -Janlor Encarnacion
Toots – Jargon State
Toots’ debut depicts an expertly crafted adventure into self-discovery. The earnest vocals display a tenderness that contrasts with the loud-soft contrast of each song – showing a wild journey both lyricism and soundscape. This is an indie-rock/folk EP that deserves multiple listens. -Janlor Encarnacion
Precal Dropouts – Little One, Travel Far
Davao alternative rock and shoegaze crossover outfit Precal Dropouts have indeed traveled far and wide in their long awaited debut EP. The charmed life of Gavin, Jan Mark, Ben, Neilcon and Dee has been incredibly eventful. Singing about their gardens, dinosaurs and tidal waves, their sentimentality has reached from the Manila shores to the third floor of Suazo in their hometown. The project is a welcome gift for all new and old fans of the genre, servicing the classic tropes and new offerings of its sonic choices. Wherever you go, there’s a journey worth taking and that is listening to “Little One, Travel Far”. -Elijah P.
DJ Love – Budots World
Budots World is a compilation consisting of the dance genre “budots” in its different mutations, variations and traditional production style performed by different producers all over the country. It was an effort to unite all producers locally and thankfully Manila Community Radio were able to make the pioneering producer DJ LOVE’s dreams come true in this project. “Budots World” has a diverse selection and interpretations, resulting into 100 percent organic and pouring in 200 percent bust-a-groove energy. This is a mix that you shouldn’t pass on. -Elijah P.
Promote Violence – Joyful
There are two different listening experiences to Promote Violence’s “Joyful”: one is hearing multiple synth screeches and feedback resulting into a cathartic release; The other is a story of how religious Fundamentalist approaches can break a human into two. Despite all the realistic horrors of one group, PV’s confrontational nature is a sound to behold. After hearing the aggressive, therapeutic vocal delivery and its abrasive electronic/noisy production, this emotional release can potentially open many eyes of those who experienced the same pain of their oppressors. And that is why “Joyful” is a must listen for many, religious or not. It’s one hell of a story to hear and a warning sign to all followers out there. -Elijah P.
Goon Lagoon – Rocket Peace
‘Rocket Peace’ is the project that etched Goon Lagoon’s identity as a full-on grunge band. In this record, the band touches on the chaotic brilliance of their earlier work and painted them on a larger canvas. Marked by in-your-face tracks like ‘Down the Drain’ and ‘Pocket Grease’, Goon Lagoon is shaping up to be one of Elev8 Me L8r’s most intense groups to date. -Nikolai Dineros
ONE CLICK STRAIGHT – s/t
ONE CLICK STRAIGHT unleashes a wave of irresistibly catchy indie-pop tunes in their self-titled debut album, hitting the mark with tracks like ‘MRT,’ ‘Dahan-Dahan,’ ‘Synecdoche,’ ‘untitled 02,’ and ‘Hahayaan.’ This eponymous release marks the start of their stylistic evolution, capturing their affection for post-punk while deviating from the genre’s melancholic tendencies. The band’s success is intertwined with the younger generation’s embrace of gothic sensibilities in music and fashion, evident in their adolescent fan base driving a new emo takeover. While some aspects of their songwriting might need ironing out, tackling uplifting music with heavy influences from rock’s more depressive subgenres is already an ambitious feat, which they pulled off with their hits, and their impact on this new wave of show-goers is undeniable. They may be clad in all-black garments and covered in dark eyeliners, but if you happen to go to one of their live shows, you’re in for a party. -Nikoai Dineros
ALYSON – Definitely! Love!
Ateneo’s most charming quintet makes a triumphant return with their album ‘Definitely Love!’ after a long break following the release of their eponymous debut EP. Clad in matching beige suits with their newfound love for the city pop genre, ALYSON shines a light on the rather depressing cityscapes of Metro Manila, showcasing more brass work in a valiant attempt to overpower the seemingly insurmountable cacophonies of car horns and car engines during EDSA’s Friday rush hour traffic. It does not take much to get the idea; just listen to ‘Underpass’! ‘Definitely Love!’ is exactly what its title suggests, and ALYSON perfectly delivers the whole message with all the small bits one would either find cute or cringe-worthy, all packed into one Japan-pressed eight-track album to listen to while stuck in the suffocating hell of city traffic with the knowledge that there’s someone you will come home to. So, no place for cynics here! -Nikolai Dineros
bird. – oshin
When you sleepwalk, you feel like you’re surfboarding across the waves; timing is essential and going with the flow is strategic. Sometimes it’s okay to embrace the fact that bird. made a “surf rock” album for people who wanted to relive those sandy beaches while listening to “Teen Dream” and a little bit of Real Estate. The tracks have rhythm among the bevy of noise. The vocals carry a lot of emotional weight in spite of its husky delivery. Their own brand of dreampop genre is kept sacred and celebrated in their sanctuary. The band has brought it to life from front to back in “oshin”. -Elijah P.
Noa Mal – Suspended Animation
Noa Mal continues her multiple-release streak with her recent four releases that reflect Noa Mal’s diversion in darting varied sonic palettes and songwriting themes. However, out of the four projects, ‘Suspended Animation’ remains supreme. A pivot towards languid, softer soundscapes saturates Noa Mal’s expressions of feeling blue as she replaces a lot of her usual grunge elements with drum machines, hazy synths, and tranquil pianos. It leads to ‘Suspended Animation’ ending up as Noa Mal’s refreshing projects to date, where within suspended stillness, the disillusioned numbness becomes more noticeable and upfront. -Louis Pelingen
Jason Dhakal – BEING
The three years of growth after Jason Dhakal’s debut project have allowed him to compile his confidence in his sophomore album ‘BEING’, where the development in his artistic presence finally allows him to find comfort and joy in his poised self. That sense of grace manifests further with Lustbass’ set of warm, luxuriant production with beds of pianos and horns that complement the well-composed low-end instrumentation. An improvement on all fronts and so much more, ‘BEING’ represents Jason Dhakal’s newfound embrace of his growth, now able to be an inviting romantic in his alluring aura. -Louis Pelingen
5. Gibraltar – Promo Release
Hardcore veterans of GIBRALTAR are ending 2023 on an explosive note with their Promo 2023 release under Still Ill Records, arguably one of the best labels in the Philippines today, and a series of live shows across the country to promote the said release. Promo 2023 opens up with ‘Novena’, a haunting prayer vigil reminiscent of Bystorm’s opener to their ‘sumalangitnawa’ (also under Still Ill Records) aptly titled ‘Unang Pagbasa’, before dropping fire after fire with intense ferocity. There’s no breathing room from here on out, as GIBRALTAR clobbers you with some of the most extreme hardcore tracks this year, including ‘The Strongest Weapon’, ‘Jagannath’ and ‘Hissing Cross’, so you best have said your prayers at ‘Novena’. The closest you’ll get to a break is ‘Rondalla’, but the record’s almost through at that point. -Nikolai Dineros
Kindred – Subset
‘Subset’ is the debut mixtape from the boyband Kindred that spills forth numerous rays of color ever since they put out their lead single last year. Despite the different musical flair and origin points of Kindred’s members, ‘subset’ is an impressive body of work that taps all of their brimming light into a single colorful holistic wavelength, deeply immersing their styles of OPM, R&B, and Hip-Hop into one jubilant package. Helped further by Kindred’s embrace of their connections and influences from past and present, ‘subset’ carves out the exciting routes OPM can lead into the future, a future that’s joyous to see for eccentric artists like Kindred thrive even more. -Louis Pelingen
The General Strike – s/t
The General Strike’s debut album has everything you need to hear in a local blues album – harmonicas, anthems about the current struggles from all sectors and a powerful vocal presence that’s exceeded expectations beyond the seas, mountains and streets. Stories of a blue-collar worker’s strife are delivered truthfully, the necessary action of calling for justice, farmer’s rights and land reform using the local tongue will stand as an eternal symbol of equality and worker’s rights. -Janlor Encarnacion
Limbs – Everything Under Heaven
Limbs unleashes a colossal musical journey that transcends their screamo roots in this full-length release, ‘Everything Under Heaven’. This Manila-based hardcore band skillfully navigates punk’s diverse umbrella, blending electronic fusions harmoniously with the album’s kaiju motif. Beyond its musical intricacies, ‘Everything Under Heaven’ addresses mass injustices in the Philippines, shedding light on human rights violations and state-induced terror in rural areas. With contributions from artists like Jem Gallardo of Pry fame and rap duo switchbxtch, ‘Everything Under Heaven’ stands as an enormous, politically charged work urging listeners to confront uncomfortable truths and join the movement for change. -Nikolai Dineros
The Purest Blue – All is True
‘All Is True’ explores nostalgia’s encompassing feelings, one compressed in a dollhouse one could barely make out in their nostalgic childhood. The Purest Blue builds her own experience of this reminiscing journey through painted layers of shoegaze and dream pop foundations with mixing assistance from Jared Lim that makes the compositions crisp and bright overall.
‘All Is True’ is also poignant in musing through The Purest Blue’s reflection of her past, feeling all the torrent of joyous highs and painful lows from those moments yet finding the truth within to pave her peaceful path that keeps those memories with her late father resonate even stronger. It’s easy to write off nostalgia through a rose-colored lens, but ‘All Is True’ shatters that through a closer look at warm and melancholic moments of love and loss that will eventually lead the way to a moving conclusion where the memories from people will be cherished closer than ever, a good luck charm as we embrace a tender kindness in our lives. -Louis Pelingen
Thank you so much for supporting TFL throughout the year 2023, folks! Stay tuned for more updates on reviews, shows and many more!
