Written by Louis Pelingen There is a chilling mist that Squaretoe – the trip-hop duo consisting of Mazerboy and Maggie – conjures within this newest cut as it immerses deeper in a glacial tone. Through its flickering synth pads, needle-sharp drum machines, and saturated guitar mixes swirling around Maggie’s haunting vocals that loom and bend around the general mix, it creates a dream-smeared atmosphere that drowns into gloomy moodscapes. Ever so carried along with the spare writing presenting a lingering cruelty that lurks deeper, a feeling that Maggie’s dreamy performance effectively brings as her voice rings all across the song. There is an assured quality that Squaretoe brings to ‘Subzero’ in an immediate way, sinking deeper into more layers of atmosphere that the duo lurks in slow, but curious spaces of mercurial triphop and frosty electronica. Overall resulting in the fleshed-out sonic ideas on the production and compositional side amplifying the atmosphere to a certain degree even if the briefness of this cut feels like the duo is still testing out where they would go in the future. Still, it’s potent enough to move the temperature to its freezing point, letting that sullen dread nestle in its unmoving place. Support the art & the artist:
Tag: Track Review
TRACK REVIEW: To Love Everything Ever Again – Jonah
Written by Elijah P. In every scattered, programmed drum loop, bitpop-influenced keys, meddling string section, and vocal delivery, there’s an underlying sensitive theme at play in “To Love Everything Again” — the solo indietronica and chamber pop project of Janpol Estrella. The track exudes a tight embrace and a strong tug at the heartstrings. It’s quiet yet hauntingly melodic; there’s lingering depression yet a playful energy that hangs in balance with a grim foresight. “Jonah” is the debut single you shouldn’t miss. Singing about sensitive topics such as sudden urges of suicide and the like, Estrella carefully orchestrates an experimental thread of influences: electronica weaving through folk-inspired elements and such. While listeners groove to “Jonah,” it serves as an assuring sign of hope and a reminder of the reality we all must face eventually. The concept of “youth” remains central to the artist and its listeners, as experimentation and pushing the envelope exist on the fold, which is exactly what To Love Everything Ever Again is doing right. “Jonah” is a single that everyone should check out in the year 2024. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: 25hearts – HEARTS
Written by Aly Maaño If you’re missing BROCKHAMPTON, 25hearts is the collective to watch out for this 2024. Formed last year, this seven-piece ensemble, consisting of Never Paco, Bankyu, E.J, Wan, Nix, kyleaux, and k1ko, has been teasing us with early releases like “NAGA FREESTYLE” and “PUMAPALO” in collaboration with other up-and-coming hip-hop artists, including RB Slatt and Papayasoak. In their latest single, “HEARTS,” the group introduces a fresh and vibrant sound — a culmination of each member’s style and artistry and their journey as a collective. Never Paco’s catchy freestyle hook is a nod to BROCKHAMPTON’s signature style, with its pitched-up vocals rolling off suavely over kyleaux’s production. Surprisingly, the beat is sampled from ABS-CBN’s “Family is Love,” and layered with bounce house elements and bluesy piano underscores that swell around Bankyu’s short but sweet verse. E.J delivers probably one of the most significant lyrics in this track, “Take me back to these moments / Let me do it again,” which celebrates how far they’ve come and can still go. And while each verse presents its own flair, Wan’s effortless flow stands out like a magnetic string pulling you to get up and 2-step along to their sonic odyssey. Another noteworthy part is kyleaux’s wistfully melodic verse smoothly transitioning to Nix’s heavenly voice—a perfect match to their infatuation-heavy lyricism. Nix’s hyperpop-influenced vocal charm is a key element in completing the sound they aim to capture in this single. More than the vibes, “HEARTS” reflect the members’ experiences on love, relationships, and their solid bond as a group. Sweet and upbeat, this track echoes the passion they have for their craft and how they have fun in the process. As we anticipate more projects, we’ll definitely be dancing the hula with 25hearts! Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: fuzzy headcoat – Czai
Written by Elijah P. Eastern Metro Manila has become cloudier and more ethereal than ever before. The solo bedroom project fuzzy headcoat delves into the ethereal wave, exploring the indie/alternative genres with its almost repetitive distorted guitar work, xylophones, and the gentle twee vocals of their vocalist. Drawing inspiration from the enigmatic “world music” netlabel and incorporating hints of Reed-isms in their vocal work, fuzzy headcoat partly satisfies expectations while balancing it with charming instrumentals. Although the track may feel hollow at points and repetitive for its own good, “Czai” embraces its transient nature, appearing fleeting and almost structureless yet meandering in its separate listens. This is an impressive take on jangle pop songwriting because it functions as a song and doesn’t delve too deeply into abstraction. fuzzy headcoat shows potential, but they still have a long way to go. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Twosday – piyesa
Written by Elijah P. Malibay, Pasay, is a neighborhood brimming with musical surprises, and among them is a group of young talents from Twosday, a 5-piece consisting of friends from other friends in their neighborhood. And like all young upstarts, their influences are well-worn on their sleeves loud and proud from the very start. The neophyte’s knack for covering Smashing Pumpkins and Teeth tracks has prompted each member to showcase their own rendition, infusing the essence of 90s flair onto the forefront of the bustling 2020s stage. In “piyesa,” their homage has reached different heights: belting leading vocals, soaring guitar solos, and layers upon layers of rhythm sections pummeling and grooving to the grungy songwriting. The band may have several things to brush up on musically, but there’s no denying the camp when you hear the words “mahal parin kita” screaming high above the clouds. There’s genuinity thrown on the wall, and you could say it can stick quite well when you’re in a band that’s as unashamed and uncompromising. Twosday’s got a lot in the tank and “piyesa” is evidence of that fuel driving the band to where they are at the moment. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: gins&melodies ft. Hev Abi – Babaero
Written by Elijah P. The year is 2024, and we’re currently at a stasis in how culture perceives sampling as a taboo subject and interpolations as a dubious activity in songwriting overall. Regarding the aforementioned topics, Shaira’s “Selos” made an impact by sparking a discourse on interpolations, while massive critics of the song bombard comments about its original source. But by the end of the day, who cares? It’s a catchy track. No one can ever take away our enjoyment. The same can be said for “Babaero,” which interpolates the Randy Santiago classic of the same name. After all the discourse and disputes, all of this fluff of copyright and ‘gotcha moments’ is all thrown out of the window because gins&melodies and Hev Abi already have a classic on their hands right away. Gently singing along to the lyrics on a Mac webcam with hearts flying out of their heads, “Babaero” is cheesy as it is evidence of interpolation, bringing the hook to a whole entirely different meaning in its contemporary setting; It’s less of a variety show singalong and more of an intimate, much more effective terminally online earworm. Surely, this is a testament to the consistent hook game and charm to both Downtown Entertainment and pop songwriting at large. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Jade Fake – isa kang PUTA
Written by Louis Pelingen Within just two extensive verses and a set of devastating refrains under a clattering, shambling production is enough foundation for Jade Fake to burst up all of her provocative confrontations towards men and all of their borderline pathetic sexual fixation. There is a genuine sense of rage that Jade Fake indulges in, her exasperated delivery and lyricism spilling out scathing whiplashes as the Arca-esque inspired production stiffens and shrivels around her—creating more discomfort as it goes along. The peak of this intensity slowly unravels as the production becomes the center point of all of this, covering up Jade Fake’s voice with its shaky, bleeping textures and its unorthodox melody progressing through with a stomping beat, eventually leading to this track embracing harsher electronics that gives an overstimulating unease and ending with the shrill noise taking control of the atmosphere of the song. It’s clearly an inflammatory pursuit that is portrayed well by Jade Fake in both her production and melodies, taking her lyrical flips to take the spotlight with a potent amount of disgust carried by her performance just before her production steals the entire show, complementing that sense of discomfort and elevating it to the point that it manages to execute its intended message exceedingly well, pricking everybody’s ear who have listened to the song for a single or even repeated listens. Pulling aside subtlety for an in-your-face approach might create some lopsided results, but when the anger toward the insufferable obsession with reckless sex is palpable, the harsher edge may as well permanently disrupt the climax point. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: stab. – watch you die
Written by Elijah P. As the hardcore community continues to expand in numbers, it has successfully passed on to the younger generations who are willing to help out in promoting a progressive mindset to all. Bands like Crepuscule, Gapas, Exit Wound, Shockpoint, and many more are emerging, performing in shows and venues everywhere. Bands like them continue to become more adventurous in terms of themes and technicality, yet Vismin bands like stab. are among the prime examples of experimentation and aggression to their fullest potential. “watch you die” features gritty reality and marks a massive turning point in the genre. The track opens with a sample dialogue: “If you’re gonna stop me, you’re going to have to fucking k*ll me,” followed by an amen break accompanied by a plethora of riffages that invade the listener. This is what happens when you mess with the people you love the most, showing that bands like stab. are examples of rage justified by means of autonomy. It’s a track worth lacing up your sneakers for. You get to appreciate its feral energy and experimentation in the first half and throw it down in the pit by the second. “Get fucking st*bbed, bitch” is a statement that sends shivers down your spine. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Chezka – Fire Near a Toddler
Written by Faye Allego Chezka rose to virality on TikTok when she first released a video snippet of “Fire Near a Toddler” a couple of years ago. Since then, it has amassed over 600k views with thousands of comments coming from youngins who relate heavily to Chezka’s lyricism pertaining to losing hope in love because it was never taught in the first place. Despite “Fire Near a Toddler” being Chezka’s only song out on streaming platforms as of the moment, it is evident through her TikTok that she is a seasoned songwriter who has already figured out what her sound is and what she wants her lyricism to convey. When I listened to this track by Chezka, all I could remember were the origins, evolution, and importance of Bedroom Pop. As her fans are awaiting an album announcement, Chezka’s sound could potentially change, but I think it’s safe to say that her ability to just grab her guitar and sing lyrics with such intensity in emotions brings out a lot of Bedroom Pop elements. Most, if not all Bedroom artists we grew up listening to have grown to become major names in the industry and have shifted and experimented with different genres, but one thing they all have in common is that they all started out online, with a guitar on hand or unrefined productions on GarageBand, sharing their music through video form on platforms like YouTube and now TikTok. “Fire Near a Toddler” exhibits so many themes in under four minutes. It is impressive that Chezka’s storytelling ability invites the listener to a space of vulnerability with no shame. Her writing skills also allow the listener to come up with their own interpretations, I mean, her TikTok comments sections are almost filled to the brim with folks professing their relationship to the song as well as why that song relates to their particular situation. How comforting it is to see community being built upon a single song. Speaking of building, my only critique is that the buildup lacks a bridge, rendering the thematic feelings of anger a bit disconnected. The hollow, emptier parts of the track only justify the lack of meatier rhythms (i.e. electric guitar), however, the lack of a bridge still benefits the track because the listener’s attention is directed toward the lyrics. Many songs that are first teased on TikTok tend to focus on the peak of a song whether it be a high note or a guitar shred, yet, in Chezka’s song, it’s the storytelling, rhyme, and double meanings in her lyricism that strike appeal. So, how did Chezka write a song about feelings I didn’t even know I had with such precision? I think it’s safe to say that her precision comes from the art of self-awareness when it comes to love and longing. It is evident in the rawness of her storytelling that this artist possesses a songwriter’s vital ability to showcase vulnerability with no secrets intact. May she continue to pick up a pen and a pick whenever her writer’s cloak decides to visit her. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Polkadot – Unstuck
If you look up “Unstuck” by Polkadot, you might be thinking that the thumbnail looks vaguely familiar. Is it because of the digicam aesthetic? Is it the vocalist looking sideways? Or is it the entire screencap lingering across your algorithm, nudging you until it convinces you at the very last minute to check it out? Truth be told, I was one of the chronically online viewers to fall for it, and my goodness it was worth my time. Carrying loads of distortion, booming snares and noisy fuzz, a couple of wits on-hand and a bunch of harbored influences from the 90s Matador and 2010s indiemo phase, the Bay Area’s Polkadot is a band that says a lot through its dirty amplifiers and honest-to-god songwriting. It’s infectious more than it is a drag to listen to. After releasing Feeling Okay in 2020, vocalist Daney Espiritu doesn’t run out of emotional whims while guitarist Matthew Estolano runs amok in melodic touches of fuzz rock from start to finish in their latest string of singles. And like all Bay Area DIY darlings, Polkadot’s “Unstuck” is an amalgamation of the band’s sound and attitude: good times, hard feelings, and amazing singles. That’s all there is to it, plus the algorithm is giving you good music this time around. Support the art & the artist: