2024 was the year where Filipino musicians and artists valued the full-length release. There are bands that shot for the moon right away by releasing an album with 12 songs while others released a mixtape like it was 2013 all over again. Streaming platforms like Bandcamp and Soundcloud are important in searching for those who wish to push the envelope in releasing new music. There are no limitations when it comes to releasing an album; you can create a “season” of your own while another up-and-coming local act is cooking something up behind the scenes. Music deserves to be heard in the form of an album (or at the very least releases that have more than 3-4 songs)

The Flying Lugaw crew would like to make a wish that in the year 2025, or any year for that matter, more albums, EPs, Mixtapes or any other release with a collection of songs would be pushed more for artists, by artists.

30. Pat’s Soundhouse – Khaen Solo Vol. 1 (anika)

Heavy on instrumentation, this one’s for long car rides. Maybe when you’re stuck in traffic or driving through the freeway. Poignant, with a touch of elegance, the sound of the khaen is brimming with liveliness as if embodying the spirit of a human within its chords. Encapsulating the aura of what it feels like to stargaze, Khaen Solo is rich with vastness in tone. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/2webH6kaLadcVoHd6uBEET?si=HJaFOd1-S_SNL6x2qq-D1w

29. To love everything ever again – Nineveh (aly)

Emotional, vulnerable, brooding yet hopeful. In his first EP, “To Love Everything Ever Again,” Janpol Estrella, who goes by the moniker Nineveh, bares his soul by intricately weaving gut-wrenching lyricism with glitchy synthesizers, noisy distortions, playful drum beats, and chamber pop elements to uniquely capture an emotion and to tell a story. Referencing biblical characters and verses throughout the EP, Nineveh questions his relationship with his faith as he boldly shares his internal struggles, even if his voice shakes.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZLfneo1HaEkbv4g7a57Gn?si=cdb26387ac754144

28. Soldados kan Tios – Walang Titulo (nikolai)

More than a post-metal sludge release, ‘Walang Titulo’ is a protest. With heavy contributions from renowned artist and activist Alex Pinpin, this newly formed hardcore band decries in the album the plight of farmers whose lands are taken by the elite class.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/046CsHH1cBlsg411TmmRgF?si=668f301ae3bc4dbe

27. Tydings-Mcduffie – s/t (louis)

Ever imagine a period piece coming back as a message to the present times? Tydings-Mcduffie takes you on the highs and lows of the Philippine Commonwealth Era. Amidst the brief ride, the tides of their self-titled record zoom into its protagonists and all they have to dream, experience, and sacrifice – paired with smooth jazz compositions that give you a tune to remember. Tydings-Mcduffie provides a penchant for what the past believed in: an optimism that persists beyond melancholia.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/35vNlk6c2W6c3SXPS8ka1W?si=11d57ae092e04085

26. Haley Heynderickx – Seed of a Seed (anika)

Folkish and devoted to the nature of Oregon, Seed of a Seed projects the gentleness of trees, flowers, and insects when brought into a tender symphony. Like ripples on a river, doused with rainwater, Seed of a Seed introduces an organic approach to composition. Bringing in Heynderickx’s ability to produce poetic lyricism, she enkindles the profuse vibrance that one can find in mundanity. Surrounded by lush imagery, the musicality speaks for itself when it wants to convey that sense of fullness. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/5WjjIOn40MG9kLfaeHBS5a?si=03125d230e504161

25. PRY – Resignation Letter (jax) 

Pry is aggressive and unapologetic in their female rage, in their sophomore album RESIGNATION LETTER, which slices through indie rock, alternative, punk, and noise rock with emotional edge. The constant surveillance and judgment for their non-conformity to established concepts of femininity and identity are anathema to the band. Unlike their debut “The Party’s Over,” which leaned heavily on riot grrrl and cathartic screaming, their new sound now explores more lilting rhythms, slower tempos, and stickier textures. This evolution is a goodbye letter to their anguish like a lump on their throats, but still, fitting in their principle of being punk. 

LINK: https://prymusicph.bandcamp.com/album/resignation-letter

24. Switchbitch – Silang (jk)

switchbitch’s bombastic debut release sets the stage aflame as they solidify themselves as Filipino Conscious Rap heroines. Women rapping about peasant and working-class advocacies sounds exactly as badass as it looks on paper, Silang is just another way of getting their points across. Heavily equipped with sardonically blunt quips and fast code-switching, the lyricism is wildly compelling at riling people up and igniting the simmering anger we already feel. It evokes inspiration and anger—one out of frustration and one out of hope, all in the sense of creating a better nation.

From the current state of affairs in the Philippines, it seems that this isn’t the last we’ll hear from them. They said it best in their outro, “Ako at sila ang magtutuloy ng pagpunla sa pag-asa hanggang sa makamtan natin ang tagumpay.”; as long as there is injustice, there will always be a switchbitch spitting bars on the oppressor’s face.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/3TfSuIKsQfT6R1LFJ1f6FS?si=155c9dca615a4302

23. Brickcity – We the Forgettables (nikolai)

Kinetic energy and deep angst envelope the room in Brickcity’s ‘We the Forgettables’. For 25 minutes, you are treated to pure skramz goodness with not a moment to rest besides ‘Pretend’. A must-listen if you’re into bands like TNG.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/6wBzB53uUrFW32BtxSpwnp?si=f263574b8ce94259

22. vice* – syzygy (louis)

‘syzygy’ is a notebook scribbled with every idea that vice* can execute with the hand of a careful adept. An EP that crosshatches glitch pop illustrations with emo-pop doodles notably aware of his influences, yet using that knowledge to establish his style within. What results is a melting pot of bassooning beats; fractious guitars; and bending vocal stirs that tie up into prismatic melodies. All chaotic pieces, linked into one mesmerizing frame.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/3wthcVGeUFteuz3gNZnPDC?si=0b713105c79f4788

21. sci fye – who knows? (jk)

Something needs to be said about the beauty in mundanity. As an open hate/love letter to the buzzing existentialist cityscapes of Manila, who knows? captures its worldly essence to a tee—but not without unwittingly writing an ode to its intricacies. From the sweltering afternoon heatwaves to the late nightlife expeditions, it’s a cycle sci fye may swear they want to get rid of, but is ultimately one that is synonymous with the band. 

So, with all its gritty stories and failed dreams and dizzying scents and sleazy mood, I don’t think we really hate sci fye, I mean, Manila.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/2BdtdX066N136LdhjNUnJQ?si=48024eac10a148b7

20. Palepaths – I Can Tell You About Grief (faye)

When in grief, condolences sound nothing but white, blank noise waiting for its echo to travel into the abyss; but grief? grief sounds illuminating, and Palepaths can tell you all about it. In their long-awaited debut EP finally released this year, “ I Can Tell You About Grief” seeks to melt your tears into firey passion all for the sake of love and the loss of it. Nearly seventeen minutes of melodic, hardcore heavy noise, lead vocalist Maki Dela Cruz’s plasmic voice along with the low-pitched riffs and thrash metal tones extolled the pain of grief and the violent yet sound nature of it.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/7ordGDnlJPZaJZIfLtbUPs?si=961195d2251f4b00

19. The Skeleton Years – Real Curses (nikolai)

Dark, brooding, and strangely comforting, ‘Real Curses’ is like a soft pillow that puts you to a deep sleep before plunging you into a harrowing nightmare. Excellent songwriting compounded by tight-knit performances across the board and good mixing work to boot. The Skeleton Years gave us not only a superior post-punk record, but also one of the.better rock releases of the year.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/6KXDRbbgvWHwc27NLLdPcM?si=7a543ac6d0244fcf

18. Fervids – SONIC BOOM (faye)

“SONIC BOOM” by Fervids exudes an energy so vibrant that it’s supposed to shake you awake from your dreams. Albeit the primary genre of this album is blues rock, there is no doubt that this sophomore album ruptures utter eclecticism in every facet of Rock N Roll, you hear it in certain tracks’ use of distortion in the guitars, the avant-garde metal influence in the explosive vocals, and of course all the head-banging that comes with listening to this body of art. Fervids cohesively blends opening riffs and gritty guitars that feel fresh and nostalgic all at once. Expect to hear it at a garage, a rooftop, your little sister’s playlist as you introduce your significant other to the family, or at one of their eargasmic gigs found in the Bicol music scene. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/3DgjJmbzCqUdaMYSmgfQvG?si=1d887d838aeb4013

17. Salem & The Stellar Cats – Salem! (aly)

Salem! & The Stellar Cats takes us between food stall conversations and ramblings on a national highway in their four-track EP “Salem!”. The garage punk riffs and fuzzy pop-rock elements apparent in their songs are reminiscent of 2010s local indie rock darlings such as The Gory Orgies and The Buildings. But this four-piece, cat-loving ensemble is more than just the sum of their influences. In “Salem!,” the band’s personality radiates in all corners as they stir chaos without rage, just their chummy, intuitive tunes and tongue-in-cheek lyrics laced with stellar witchcraft.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/4WYduhEKvtnrBtuULAfcYZ?si=32856811ef4248f0

16. Cinema Lumiere – Wishing it was sunday (anika)

Once you enter the workforce, weekends visibly become more of a blessing than they ever were. Like a gust of fresh air, Wishing It Was Sunday is the feeling of getting off work on a Friday night, and finally being able to breathe again. Charming in its dualities, Cinema Lumiere is a trip to the coffee shop a few blocks down the road, to get your usual fix. It hopes the weekend could last even longer, potentially forever if only that was possible. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/0wmDkXGeMLACwOeJw2YvtO?si=a942178892ca469f

15. Joey Valence & Brae – NO HANDS (elijah)

The JVB enterprise is entering into a state of prosperity. They produce banger after banger with a little bit of cinematic magic in mp3s. “NO HANDS” is part stand-up comedy and part buddy-cop energy action in the most slapstick way possible. Rapping in between Spongebob references and Omnitrix bling-blings, Joey Valence & Brae have created an West Coast recipe that’s uniquely themselves. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/1Fjelo0jZ4i1iQZBsK0pOA?si=81edefba5d244f39

14. Austri – The place where birds meet (jax) 

Oh, how punishing it is to have the language to articulate both transformative love and the heavy weight of lingering guilt. Folk acoustics, solemn vocals, and ambient patchworks ground Austri’s deeply personal storytelling in his indie folk/dream pop debut EP, more or less sounding like Sufjan Stevens and Ichiko Aoba which he draws inspirations from. Through his music, he explores the vulnerability it takes to acknowledge imperfections as part of being human, who may love like a garden or may cradle like the moon with the waves. Like migrating birds that move and find places to meet – the album title – humans, too, move and seek new places for genuine moments of connection, which Austri wants to find beauty and meaning in.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/1cGSWEzPBE7fevTjIJUn3Y?si=dafc053b52034134

13. Shanne Dandan – Kung Iyong Mamarapatin (nikolai) 

The style of Manila sound that dominated Philippine airwaves in the mid-1970s is a key component of Shanne Dandan’s artistry. The singer-songwriter does not shy away from it and proudly wears her influences on her sleeves, as made evident by her past releases like ‘Hanggang Sa Langit’ and ‘Sandali’, and she even famously paid tribute to one of the proponents of the Manila sound with her rendition of Cinderella’s ‘T.L. Ako Sa’yo’.

With so much respect shown by the artist to the Manila sound—from the reserved use of synths to the quiet acoustics, and liberal use of vocal reverb—one would easily mistake Shanne’s rendition of ‘Boy, I Love You’ for a forgotten recording of the famed Cherie Gil song from that era. ‘Di Na Babalik Sayo’ and ‘Iyakin;’ are two other highlighs from the album that display Shanne’s exceptional control of her vocal chops.

However, ‘Kung Iyong Mamarapatin’ is far from a promise of a Manila sound revival delivered in LP form, though it’s worth noting that not a lot of artists today adopt this style of Filipino folk pop and excellently represent it the way Shanne does, which help make her stand out.

At it’s core, ‘Kung Iyong Mamarapatin’ is a concept album; an exploration of grief ingeniusly tied together by tarot overlays that allude to the individual themes (or, more aptly, fates) of each track. The songs are meticulously arranged to tell the narrator’s journey through the different stages of grief, emotively narrated by Shanne.

As cynical as it may be, not all that experience grief possess the wherewithal to overcome all its stages. Sometimes, they’re perpetually stuck with the thought, “Kailan ba ako magiging masaya?”

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/6ryTFrBmNtWNC1nIUKp8l5?si=c1144f9e286c4562

12. Precal Dropouts – Eagles Shall Prosper (elijah)

The Philippine Bald Eagle has recently reached a triumphant announcement: a chick egg hatched in a government bird breeding sanctuary. Maybe it’s a coincidence or probably it’s a signal of a time changing, and Davao’s dream pop hybrid outfit Precal Dropouts achieved a feat so jubilant you might as well blast “Eagles Shall Prosper” outside of Suazo’s established building complex. Locked and loaded in a 9-track adventure, Precal has officially graduated in seasoned scenester status with blaring guitar textures and cathartic releases of gang chants in their debut album. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/2xvgAhF8XUCGH9oYMFevqz?si=a9f9262db0e54e48

11. Amateurish – A Gentle Reminder to Rest (aly)

A Gentle Reminder to Rest is foolproof evidence that Amateurish is no amateur in the local music scene. In this much-anticipated debut album, this five-piece indie rock band hailing from the country’s summer capital didn’t hold back in channeling their raw energy through introspective lyricism, somber melodies, and elaborate guitar solos. The first track “Blue” sets the listener up for an emotionally-charged rollercoaster ride, circling into the catchy hooks of “Orange” and the upbeat fast-tempo grooves of “New Age You” until it cascades into the acoustic intro of the last song bearing the album title, a fitting end to the entire listening experience.

The distinct fusion of math rock, emo, and pop punk evident in this 11-track, no-skip album sets Amateurish apart from mainstream bands, earning them a rightful stage beyond the borders of their hometown.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/2jGttqtQU9oqpjgUcuCZuD?si=96262839a9a84c3f

10. Rosh – cotton mouth (faye)

In her debut EP, Rosh spends thirteen lucky minutes creating an Alt-Pop masterpiece by tapping into a lyrical and contemporary ode to the bittersweet pursuits of love found in OPM ballads. Her lustrous vocals paired with the grainy sound her vintage noughties acoustic guitar brings are emblematic of a sensory waterfall. “Cottonmouth” contains four songs that gradually build upon one another; the EP begins as though she started singing to herself in her room, and then later gravitates toward opening a space for connection and ends the piece like she’s standing in front of a crowded gig where her musical muses stand beside her. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/30HsW1TmMtRx1KKy9n0ytl?si=5e8380f4d76b4e92

9. Sica – Go See God (jax)

Sica stays humble and grounded in his profoundly human sophomore album, articulating how he’s so beholden to the almighty after dipping his toes in fame. Throughout the record, melancholic jazzy and trappy beats, alternating between soulful and boom-bap, meet his contemporary R&B style, elevating Sica’s songwriting to heavenly junctures. Furthermore, “On See God” particularly stands out in the sea of dirty rap. His pen game is too cold, with how his inspirational chronicles are deeply rooted in the strong community that shaped him. He recognizes that maintaining having highs and lows in life preserves his values and desires, and ultimately, he realizes how to keep moving forward while still having the “give-no-fucks” attitude.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/1GjFQ4dFnFkRwWHxxRGiC1?si=4c529031be3a48aa

8. Cherryfocus – Teenmachines (jk)

Teenmachines is a release unapologetically made for Gen Z Filipino kids. If the themes of Internet Addiction and Internet Love are not enough to convince you, then the harmonious cacophonic genre switching within its 10-track run surely will.

It is an album born out of the kids’ TikTok attention span, the rapidly increasing apathy, and the overwhelming suffocation to how bad things have gotten. Nowadays, everything is digital; digital money, digital personas, digital deaths, digital love—it makes one think if anything even matters because hey, are we even real? Are these people on the Internet real? It’s a dilemma that none other than a kid of the Internet Age understands, a culture that embraced the disconnection despite how close we all claim to be.

In a few years, ‘Teenmachine’ is bound to be the type of release that represents the zeitgeist of an entire generation.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/4AzHWC3nsQZegotutiC5Lo?si=f05a9b71dd794066

7. Parannoul & Fax Gang – Scattersun (aly)

Fax Gang’s twinkly electronic distortions coalesce with Parranoul’s fuzzy synth presets to produce a genre-bending project that is “Scattersun”. Like colliding stars, “Scattersun” creates a violent explosion of textures with its glitchy, bit-crushed, shoegaze-riddled production which often sounds like a conjunction between My Bloody Valentine, Drain Gang, and 100 Gecs. Fax Gang’s vocalist, PK Shellboy, explores existential themes in their lyrics, adding to the rawness of Parannoul’s warbling vocals and screams, with Mudd the student and agatka joining in the emotional turbulence. This collaborative album exudes chaotic energy, one that continuously unfolds one track after the other. But amidst the avalanche of effects, abrasive drum patterns, and atmospheric percussions, “Scattersun’s” uneasiness feels like a controlled chaos leading to a technicolor propulsion of sound transmitted straight from the cosmos.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/2Jnz20A5HeJUk7u2ys6nQm?si=86db1fcfc88b4a3a

6. Cream Flower – To Remember is to Live (elijah)

Sorsogon’s ecstatic indie pop duo Cream Flower plays “To Remember is to Live” like a distant memory, and you can sense its approaching you in a haunting fashion. Whether you find yourself lost in the haze of a bus ride back to the capital or by the sea catching fish, there’s a wave of fuzz waiting to hit you in rhythm. Static crumbles beneath you while an angelic voice lifts you from rapture. Memories gently lose their prominence, leaving the listener into a void of beauty and longing. Cream Flower rages into the light with simple approaches of dream pop and shoegaze, leaving the scene celebrating even further into the future. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/1fqdLDP1FFgiNld0onftag?si=89ced8fc05ab4838

5. U-Pistol – Last Splinter (anika)

Leg warmers and much of the ‘anik-anik’, this album is twee in a kind of Sailor Moon-esque manner if it was mixed with grit and perhaps a cross-cultural dance floor. That’s a strange way to put it, but poses as most accurate. Twinkly, but spunk with innovation, U-Pistol relays emotions of coolness and chill demeanor. Electronic and inspired by the visuals of Japanese anime, we recall lo-fi track beats if sped up to higher octaves. As a concept album, Last Splinter evokes colorful harmonies, stretched on a field of blossoms. That, and the facet of what one would categorize as celestial-like and grotesque, perhaps even metaphysical. 

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/7xWjsv8e9GjlYSzZPXBNOb?si=2ff41ab7fc53466b

4. DJ Love – Budots World Reloaded (louis)

After DJ Love received his deserving flowers last year, this year, he signals his sound worldwide. The reverberating groove of budots can be heard everywhere else: from sound bites on Tiktok, melodic bounces in a Soundcloud mix, to live performances worldwide from DJ Love himself. There’s no denying just how much his unique electronic beat-making has impacted the dance floor.

Through that wave of well-deserved success comes his cherry on top: ‘Budots World (Reloaded)’, the debut album that pushes what made Budots an earworm sound from the start. Swirly beats tousled around with magnetic vocal dubs, bouncy grooves, and even touches of techno melodies – amplifying DJ Love’s letter to spread forth the lovely markings of Budots in its remarkably distinct form. No matter what everyone feels about it, one thing is for sure: Budots will be here to stay for a long time.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/1AjWbEq838WOOmiQm9lsDa?si=d1fab07d18ae476f

3. ORIANG – Oriang (louis)

“Oriang” isn’t just an album, it is a statement firmly rooted in its activism. Tao, Calix, and Co carry the names of figures whose revolutionary spirit flows within their movement, as their words and actions elevate the oppressed and oppress those who elevate the corrupt. Tao’s emboldened vocals and Calix’s flexible production merge smoothly as they always have before, a consistency that further sharpens the power of its songwriting. 

Strapped with foggy atmospherics and strident cadences, it leaps to enhance the folk details that are embedded in the music. It embraces the struggles of the oppressed, reinforcing the hope and strength to continue fighting for a better place.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/04E6QU9lgwxvyyHq6CBnbx?si=1810b7720e7c4954

2. Cat Boy Jeepney Drivers – Diary Ng Pogi (jax)

“DIARY NG POGI” has a certain je ne sais quoi, perhaps in Cat Boy Jeepney Drivers’ futuristic approach to concepts that go beyond simply making a pastiche of 2010s romcom music and mainstream pop. The esoteric duo Neytan and Areli’s love for that era shines through in every track, blending dream-pop and experimental R&B with cheeky production like in their cover of Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” or their interpolation of Nadine Lustre’s “Paligoy-ligoy.” This is literally a no-skip mixtape packed with freneticism brought to life through autotune-laden and reverb-heavy production, making the 2010s feel astig and fresh. 

Moreover, local pop culture was pervasive for those of us who grew up in that time, especially with the then-rise of Facebook, YouTube, and internet access. And the duo managed to transform that nostalgia into something frivolous and welcoming. The idea of reviving exactly the sound of 2010s Pinoy pop felt so impossible before, until the release of this mixtape… The outro perfectly encapsulates the feeling of its stylish sound – everyday ay birthday [natin]!

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/0wwfCmnpeLKCDEeZgRWPvt?si=f3bd7a5194d24426

1. Memory Drawers – Memory Drawers (louis)

Underneath the dreamy pastures of Memory Drawer’s self-titled album lies the core of its gleaming spirit: its interconnectedness. Despite the amount of time lingering towards the creation of their debut album, Memory Drawers never distances away in filling pieces of which melodies will stick in our memory. Its overall package is like a small capsule box, which nonetheless pops up all of the wistful longings that this trio has penned down.

Within all of that patience, the self-titled record encapsulates the majestic strength that comes from bands that want to bring their songs into the world amidst dour musings that surround present times. Personal priorities may be focused throughout everyone’s lives, but as long as their connections continue growing forward, they’ll always be able to make something special. Their debut album does just that: colliding their paths into one, where the possibilities of creating more memories are cherished in the songs they made together.

LINK: https://open.spotify.com/album/77pocqnF1OlVMLbQ15j6LQ?si=iq-SMv4lSlCYXn5zeLU2ww