Written by Rory Marshall
Cagayan De Oro’s very own Franz Guico switches things up in his newest release, “di ko aaminin.” The folk singer-songwriter has taken a nudge in a different direction with his first single of 2025. Franz Guico has built up a reputation for soft, heartfelt acoustic tracks – reminiscent of haranas and sweet ballads, but with “di ko aaminin,” he casts his music in another light with a Math Rock twang.
Nothing is lost with the new sound. Everything that made his music work before is present in the track, just with a new coat of paint. With his honeyed lyrics and melodies that seem to take residence in your ear long after the song ends, now accompanied with a shifting time signature and twinkly, complex guitar riffs, this feels more like an evolution rather than a switch-up.
He’s no stranger to intricacies in his guitar playing, as seen in his previous folk tracks like “at nagkagulo”, but in this new single, the translation is seamless. All that’s different is the switch from soft acoustic to crunchy electric guitars. That, paired with crashy drums and a harmonic breakdown to close out the song, by the end of it, you’re left wondering how well his two styles complement each other.
Is it a step in the right direction? Yes. His discography has a lot of heart, with tracks like “dahan dahan ka nang nawawala” and “ikaw na ang buhay ko” deserving more recognition than they have, but it wouldn’t be a far cry to label his discography a drop in the bucket of singer-songwriter OPM. Experimentation is healthy, and shaking things up is a natural part in the artistic process. It doesn’t always result in a success or a path the artist wants to pursue, but for the case of Franz Guico and “di ko aaminin”, this is an avenue worth exploring.
SUPPORT THE ART AND THE ARTIST: