Written by Elijah P. Gabe Gomez, better known through their solo project aunt robert, explores indie rock and dream pop with a diaristic approach. Their Spotify bio emphasizes “I like writing short songs,” wholly embodying this sentiment by focusing on emotional depth rather than song length. In their latest single, “Mad,” Gomez is accompanied by a powerful wave of sonic textures—layered guitars and electronic swells of reverb—that create a walloping wall of sound. This sonic backdrop either ushers in a blissful catharsis or points to a bold new direction, moving away from their bedroom pop roots. “Mad” seeks to sound grandiose yet it remains grounded. It is a statement to the entirety of aunt robert’s material. The buildup in the track’s verses creates tension as aunt robert’s whispered vocals and the accompanying band build towards the chorus. The result is a peak that is both cathartic and a display of emotional unease. While it might may seem elementary to craft a song with both quiet and loud dynamics for some, the contemporary execution of these ideas makes “Mad” especially satisfying. The blend of uncompromising electronica, transcendental dream pop, and the innocence of singer-songwriter formulas comes together beautifully. aunt robert consistently delivered a powerful track, making it clear they know how to create something special. Support the art & the artist:
Tag: Track Review
TRACK REVIEW: VINCED, Fern. – SITUATION
Written by Louis Pelingen With Kindred putting their mark within the local music space last year, that doesn’t stop the members from working further and further into their craft. Just this year, some of Kindred’s members started doubling down on putting out singles as a sign of them pushing themselves into refreshing soundscapes. I might be unsure if it does lead to a future release of a solo project, but just pulling up to create a song is good for the time being, keeping things vitalized as each member focuses on something else. Clearly harking upon the 2000s era of R&B, VINCED and Fern. carries their effortlessly pleasant vocal flairs and harmonies that effectively convey the song’s flirtatious winks, pulling in someone to their passionate presence. Despite the instrumental textures coming off a tad wooden and thin – the wonky guitars don’t exactly mesh well with the sleek synths and clean beat – the overall melodic groove that it carries is solid, allowing the song to have some swell and bounce that VINCED and Fern. rides on wondrously. A quality that will enable VINCED and Fern. to pull off a sense of cool in every situation possible. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Alisson Shore, Yuridope – Ako Pa Rin
After nearly a decade in the music industry, Alisson Shore has carved out a niche for himself, creating a world of his own told through the full length format. He has a knack for selecting soundscapes, writing lyrics, and curating overall structures that set his work apart from most of his contemporaries. There are times where Alisson’s creative process often results in music that belongs in the electronic music spectrum than it is in the r&b spectrum. In his last album, Garuda, Shore explores the metaphor of a black bird soaring high and falling hard, blending elements of trap and R&B in a way that creates a cohesive imagery. Moreover, the album uses the bird figure to craft a fantasy-like tale or a tragedy seen through the eyes of a fictional character. It’s as if Shore is building a new realm with each track in different approaches in production style and vocal acrobatics. Fast forward to post-lockdown, with “Ako Pa Rin” featuring Yuridope, Shore continues this world-building, creating a musical universe reminiscent of a telenovela sequel jammed into one throwback piece. This single follows “Ako Ba Talaga?”, which subtly positions itself as a response to the previous single’s dynamic, almost nasty singy-songy dialogue between KLLY and Alisson over themes of infidelity. Rather than merely echoing 2000s music video aesthetics from Channel V or BET, Shore maintains a cohesive sonic thread through his singles with the help of strong visuals that portray a relationship in shambles as shown in cable television and told through old online forums. Each single builds on each other, blending nostalgic R&B with contemporary 2010s production in a hazy, dreamlike sequence. This approach highlights Shore’s storytelling ability and musical strengths, transcending beyond clickbait-y nostalgia. A Messenger app call alarm introduces the listener; It plays along as a narrative device. At the same time, a tool queued right when the kicks and snares go in. With Yuridope puncturing every bar and every invitation for a one-night stand, the featured rapper on the track plays with the flow along its rattling hi-hats, sliding pianos and record scratches. Alisson, on the other hand, follows through in a stronger, much more potent vocal presence and ingenious production that’s equally effective in “Ako Ba Talaga?” which had the nifty Ashanti “What’s Luv?” sample flip. One is to argue that on the surface, this is to highlight a bygone era of r&b, acting out of pure novelty and nothing in between. But listeners here would think otherwise, both singles belong in an era where Alisson Shore chooses to delve narrative-wise in hopes of elevating the story and its sonic cues. Is there a new album on the horizon for Alisson Shore? We’ll have to wait and see until the next episode! Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Darren Cashwell – NUMBER ONE
Written by Elijah P. Pop duo Darren Cashwell has a colorful history, from creating remixes on the fly with top EDM DJs before the pandemic to transitioning into gentler, chorus-driven guitar pop, and finally crafting cool-guy pop music with “NUMBER ONE.” Ironically, much of that “color” in their music now feels somewhat dated, given the oversaturation of pop from the 2016-2019 era. For a track that aims to capture the feeling of love and being “wanted,” it ends up sounding one-dimensional and lacking the charisma needed to make a strong impact. The guitars and drums are standard pop-rock fare, and the rap-influenced style of the duo follows a familiar blueprint. This may be the effect of a major studio standard: evident in songwriting style and a lot of imagery that’s tailor made to look safe and barely reaching any newer ground. Their background of being music producers in the past still seeps through, coming full circle all the while being not sticking. This formula makes “NUMBER ONE” feel somewhat predictable, especially considering the duo’s seemingly contrasting styles. Neither member stands out distinctly, and their chemistry seems to be missing. The chorus, unfortunately, doesn’t quite stick with the listener. Star Music Philippines appears to have a tendency to feature artists who, like their roster, can come across as somewhat generic. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
TRACK REVIEW: Shan Capri – Past Flight
Written by Aly Maaño You may not know it yet, but Shan Capri might just be your next favorite alt/pop artist. Despite being new in the music scene, this artist isn’t afraid to push sonic boundaries by producing songs that reflect her eclectic taste. With her new single “PAST FLIGHT,” Shan lets us feel the rush and exhilarating feeling of meeting someone—an instant connection, a tender but fleeting desire. Drifting away from her soulful sound, Shan takes a deliberate turn to produce catchy hooks and melodies with a rich, flirtatious bass woven into her dreamy, sensual vocals. “PAST FLIGHT” begins like a summer adventure with its zappy riffs gearing into a playful chorus with an intimate delivery. It’s intuitive in its attempt to be soft but also impulsive. The song possesses a certain tenderness and vulnerability but is also effortless in being sexy. It’s short like most pop songs but just as it ends, you’ll want to impulsively hit play again. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Liminal by Ruru
Written by Faye Allego Picture this: You’re twelve years old, your parents run an internet cafe down the street and you borrow your Kuya’s PSP 3000 to play The Sims 2. Your best friends come by to play the bartender game on Y8.com while Kuya is on an extreme DOTA battle. You’re not too keen on the fact that it’s the first day of school when you wake up but at least you’re having the time of your life now and who knows, maybe your mom might pack you Yan Yans or an extra bottle of Yakult for lunch tomorrow. You didn’t think of it then, but amidst all of the popular mid-aughts games, excitements, and leisures, “no one knows where they’re really going.” That lyric from Ruru’s new single titled “Liminal” transcends me into this portal of, well, liminal spaces. Spaces I had never thought would be so empty, yet full of life in retrospect. The song is upbeat, it does not contain the subtle mood of tragedy commonly heard in wistful chord progressions and melodies, however, the lyrics say otherwise. The song’s lyrics as well as perhaps the lack of strings, share key elements seen in the Hauntology genre; in the sense that something “lost” from the song’s features is haunting. Aside from channeling how the song feels sonically, this song looked like a kaleidoscope of every single one of those dreamcore, corecore, weirdcore, and vaporwave aesthetics I’ve seen across social media. Any lyric can be used to caption a liminal space photograph and evoke the feelings of longing for something you didn’t realize you’ll never get back as an everyday, mundane feeling. The worst part is that “something” can be everything from the past. In Ruru’s words, “We’re just way too in our heads/ Passing on acquaintances/ Some days I’m not quite myself / Yet I’m on my bed…” Liminal is also one of those unique tracks where you don’t need to actually feel a certain emotion when listening to it despite the existentialist lyrics. It’s a song that could pass as an Animal Crossing tune on a Nintendo DS. It can be your go-to shower song, or the absolute final song you choose to go on your Instagram story when posting to a monthly wrap-up collage template. I’d love to hear this track be a part of an album that explores the genre of Hauntology or even avant-garde electronic music that we don’t typically see in OPM. Additionally, the cover art for this track could pass for an album cover itself! It looks like Ruru’s self-portrait is taken from a driver’s license, exemplifying adulthood or the oversaturation that can suggest the technicolor that life brings in the mundane. Or maybe she just looks really good and so does her music. That’s what I think. Cheers to more Ruru! Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Fern. – SO FLY
Written by Louis Pelingen It seems as Fern. is now working towards his next solo project for the foreseeable future, with him steadily putting out songs that now linger within 2000s R&B that he fawned over, showcased through both the art direction and the music itself as there has been more intrigue towards the 2000s nostalgia more than ever before. But out of the three songs that he has put out thus far for this upcoming project, “SO FLY” is the one that struck the most within his delve towards this 2000s R&B flair. From the chalky drums, glittery synths, and warbling bass that carry a composed, pristine melody, Fern’s vocal touches ooze with so much charm and wonder that he manages to stick the landing towards creating a sense of inviting allure, something that his vocal flair alongside the abundance of harmonies and melodies able to encapture marvelously. Despite the drum textures sound a bit flimsy, this song’s melodic spark is remarkable from front to back. With every single listen, it never fails to fly high to something ever so spectacular. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: DIONELA ft. Jay R – SINING
Written by Elijah P. After almost hitting every note and scoring every possible R&B collaboration known locally, Bulacan-based pop singer-songwriter Dionela has finally hit the algorithm goldmine in streaming with their collaborative hit “Sining” alongside R&B royalty Jay R. Not too long ago, the same mainstream artist and respected industry titan passed down the “crown” to the young neophyte on live television. Dionela humbly turned down the offer by returning the symbolic crown to Jay R in the same segment. Looking back at that moment symbolizes a lot about Dionela’s output: clunky, laughable, and an overall striver that fails to follow up the greatness of any industry singer-songwriter from decades before. Despite numerous attempts to hit the sweet spot in choruses, the “all my life” line is more laughable than sticky in the sensual listening experience. “Sining” is as grating as sprinkling rotten cheese on a bad serving. The awkward use of Tagalog in the verses and choruses feels forced, much like the strained high notes. Meanwhile, the unbearable lows don’t cover up the shortcomings of Nelly’s Tagalog counterpart. When Dionela tries, they try hard, just like the chorus they’ve written. Jay R, on the other hand, turns the track around. However, when an industry veteran tries to steal the spotlight rather than complement the feature, something unequivocally goes wrong in the execution of the track. “Sining” neither looks nor sounds sexy; it’s a track that begs to make sense. Like a ribcage rumbling from the notes of a xylophone while rupturing longing feelings. Did that passage make sense? Not really, and neither does “You’ve turned my limbics into a bouquet” when your prefrontal cortex is fully developed. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Cherry Society – Recluse
Written by Aly Maaño It’s 2009 again. I’m wearing an Artwork shirt, a plaid tennis skirt, and my favorite pair of black Chucks with rainbow-colored laces for a meet-up with my date at the local park. He would teach me how to skate for the first time, and I would let him read the pretentious poems in my journal. After a few weeks, we would stop seeing each other. I would never learn how to skate. This is how Cherry Society’s “Recluse” opened this long-forgotten time capsule in my brain. As an elder emo, I easily resonated with this song as it perfectly encapsulates an era when all the bands headlining When We Were Young were being blasted off from a Nokia Xpressmusic (if you still had one) or one of those early Samsung smartphones. Think of female-led bands like Paramore, Hey Monday, We Are the in Crowd, Tonight Alive, or Courage My Love. Sonically, “Recluse” draws influence from new wave, pop-punk bands from the posthumously coined “Defend Pop Punk” era like Neck Deep, The Wonder Years, Knuckle Puck, etc. With its cutting guitar riffs, thick, jangly bass tones, and energetic tempos, it could easily be the soundtrack for an angsty Y2K movie or the background music of an amateur skate video. Kuki’s strong, raw vocals balance clarity with a punch, evoking lyrics with adolescent themes involving relationships and heartbreak. Although some elements could still be polished, Kuki, Miya, Kat, and Lisha were successful in crafting their signature sound straight from Cherry Land—the kind you’ll dance and sing along to in your room or mosh to with your friends at the pit. If “Recluse” was released in the 2000s, I wouldn’t mind getting malware from illegally downloading it on Limewire just to listen to it on repeat. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Shanni – 19
The second single from neophyte soft pop singer-songwriter Shanni is more enchanting than their debut by a lot. Venturing into dreamier soundscapes rather than city pop beginnings, Shanni’s “19” commands a slightly more consistent and somber approach to their tender sensibilities in pop songwriting. Shanni sings over the gentle compositions as if skiing on a mountain: It’s breezier than it sounds, and with its execution landing more consistently compared to “Sa Panaginip,” “19” feels like an ode to the influences worn on their sleeves. Call it derivative of Men I Trust or Faye Webster all you like, but Shanni is carving out their own lane in songwriting. It’s not theirs to claim just yet, but “19” serves as a proper stepping stone for the young pop star as they emerge from their creative shell. Support the art & the artist: