Favorite OPM Songs of 2013 List

2013 is probably one of the best years in local Filipino music. From genre defying sounds to risky mainstream pop songs, OPM has never been this diverse. Every day there are new bands being discovered or new songs being released. It’s insane! Sometimes, I couldn’t keep up already.

So, here’s a list of my favorite tracks from Filipino artists of 2013 (in no favorable order).

Ang Bandang Shirley - Polygonal Graphs
Although I haven’t heard the crowd favorite Tama Na Ang Drama, I declare that this is the best track from that album.


The Strange Creatures – Stargazer
Sweet and dreamy. I cannot wait for this band’s other releases next year. More of this please!


Slow Hello – You Know It’s You
Sob. I cry every time I listen to this song. It’s so beautiful, I loop this track from their recently released album Audio Baby a million times. :’(


No Rome - Dance with Me
This might sound a bit too late for the chillwave bandwagon but the 17 year old No Rome made it sound relevant to my ears. I just love how it makes me wanna go to the beach and…yeah, dance in the moonlight :p


Sheila and the Insects - Pretty Loser
The comeback single of the Cebu-based band. What happened to the new album, guys?


Moscow Olympics – Alphonsine
Everything about this band is a fave!


The SLEEPYH3ADS - Nights without You
This is such an unexpected sound from these guys. Such fragile and just gives you that feels.


Tradewinds Sailing Club - Marina Bay
#justhittheplaybutton


Spazzkid – Getting To Know You (wow Such Shoegaze Version)
40 winks was my initial fave from Spazzkid’s Desire album but this particular version of Getting to Know You changed my mind.


Always - Spirit Ocean
These kids know their indiepop!


Gio Puyat feat Kaye Matriano - Oh Hey
The great things we discover on Facebook. This track gives me such feel good vibes every time it plays on my itunes.


Bee Eyes - Someone Else
#instafave These guys just released this song a few days ago and it’s so good that it has to be on this favorite list.


Yeng Constantino - Chinito
I would be the last person to listen to Yeng Constantino. Not a big fan of her and her music but this track. This track!!!


Sarah Geronimo – Ikot-ikot
The pop princess’ finest!

MUST LISTEN: You Know It's You by Slow Hello

I wish I could articulate how beautiful this track by Slow Hello as good as those music bloggers out there. But the only thing that comes to mind after/while listening to You Know It's You is IT'S SO F@*&^%#$#KING GORGEOUS. It's so gorgeous that I was sobbing the whole time I abuse the repeat button. And it's not even a sad song! I cant wait for the debut album Audio Baby which will be launched on the 16th of November at Route 196 (layo, man! #southernerproblems) Anyway, listen to the track below and sob with me please :)

Moscow Olympics - Reprise

dream sequence

MUST WATCH: Don't Disappear by Eyedress

Eyedress drops a new video today for his track Don't Disappear and uses a Raya Martin film as a visual backdrop. Just perfect! This is still off of his Beko release Hearing Colors which you can order HERE!

Photo by Denise San Jose

MUST LISTEN: Half Awake in the Morning Haze EP by Love in Athens

Here's something OPM. Love in Athens just released an amazing EP Half Awake in the Morning Haze under Number Line Records. Listen, download and share. Let's do our part to keep the Pinoy music scene alive. Nobody said it's dead, anyway. Download here.

She's a power girl in a 90's world

I read some tweets last night about OPM (Original Pilipino Music) being dead (again) that led to some violent reactions from people who think that it is indeed alive and blah blah. Hmmm I'll save my thoughts on this one for a separate entry. But this "argument" had me feeling so nostalgic about the heydays of OPM, particularly the 90's, PARTICULARLY the female-fronted bands. I wasn't keen of bands with male vocalist before. Probably because I couldn't relate to their songs about having a long hair or how they get piss drunk. I liked bands with delicate voices singing about love and peace and heartbroken but with kick-ass attitude. Just like the first band here...

Agaw Agimat

QT Paduano Nadela was one eccentric vocalist. She performed in barefoot and danced frantically out of tempo and the public loved it. They are known for their political songs with pop sensibilities. No wonder, they gained mainstream success and was one of the well-known acts of  the 90's.

Put3Ska

I remembered my mom was like ano bang pangalan yan? ba't nagmumura? hahaha Well, their name was indeed a wordplay but our favorite Manila Girl, Myra (later became Skarlet) with the rest of the mod-clad Put3ska brought the ska sound in the mainstream Pinoy music scene.

Hungry Young Poets

Almost all teen boys had a crush on Barbie Almalbis (except me) when Hungry Young Poets broke out in the scene in 1997. How can you not like a cute girl who plays guitar and sings about guys being torpe and a girl wanting to be a firewoman, ameryt? Again, not my thing. hahaha But dont get me wrong, I was a big fan of HYP. I was in love with their song Firewoman (which got a heavy airplay on MTV Asia and had followings in the neighboring countries) until I got their album and heard Drowning. I loved the funky intro and thought it was the strangest thing I heard for a HYP song.

Prettier Than Pink

Their only hit Cool Ka Lang was probably one of 90-est songs of the 90's. Traffic, "good time" and the word Cool in a song? sooo 90's! Plus those hideous hats! hahaha

Elektrikoolaid

Fronted by the late Anabel Bosch, Elektrikoolaid was one of the underrated bands of the 90's. I really dont know much about the band but this track made me a fan.

Faust!

One of the amazing bands of the late 90's! Their music was a mix of avant-pop and alternative and yet they were signed in a major label. Something that wont happen these days. My fave track from their debut album was this bittersweet dreamy song called Fool's Song. Haaaay. brings back that teen crush feeling :)

Color it Red

If we'll do a survey of the most played songs in funerals, Color it Red's Paglisan will definitely top it. I loved how Cookie Chua looked laid-back and lutang every time she appears on TV screen. No, Im not saying she's  on drugs. She just had this breezy, effortless look which I totally liked.

Kulay

Probably the coolest Pinoy act of the 90's with their funky hip-hop sound and  their computer-generated graphic music videos (which were oneofakind back then). They had some international success, toured the UK and got remixed by Norman Cook. Lastly, Radha.

Sugar Hiccup

Saving the best for last! No one would ever comes close to Melody Del Mundo's powerful vocals not even Regine Velasquez. I must admit, I was too scared to finish their haunting song Five Years when I first heard it on the radio. I was a weakling 10yearold, what do you expect?! It was like our own Gloomy Sunday. It was the most chilling three-minute song with only humming and six words as lyrics. POWER! :p I just revisited their albums when I started listening to Cocteau Twins later in high school and found out that Sugar Hiccup got their name from a Cocteau Twins song. Their brand of music is a mash of dreamy indie-pop with a hint shoegaze. My kind of music! so I am biased when I say that Sugar Hiccup is THE best female-fronted band of the 90's.

(all photos are from google images. If your photos are used and want to be credited, feel free to comment and i'll do so. Thanks)

MUST WATCH: Teen Spirits by Eyedress

Here's a trippy music video for Eyedress' Teen Spirits. I dunno if I was like that when I was in my teens but this track, I like. Huh? hahaha This song is still part of the Half Japanese EP 

MUST LISTEN: Wanderlust by The Camerawalls

The Camerawalls never fail to put a little sunshine in every song they release. Wanderlust, their new single, is such a great escape from all of the disastrous events caused by the nameless monsoon that recently hit the Philippines. This song gears up every listener to that feel-good vibe of a summer road trip where you dont even know where your destination is. Such an irony with all the gloomy weather overcasting us these past days. This great track here will let you experience the much needed warmth, well, at least for about four minutes or so. But hey, four minutes of sun is better than none, right?

From the band's website:

Pay $1 (or more) for a song, save a life

Starting noon today until midnight on Sept. 30, each purchase of “Wanderlust” will contribute to relief efforts organized by DAKILA -Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism (www.dakila.org.ph), together with Ride & Rock Relief (www.facebook.com/RideRockRelief).

DAKILA is a group of artists and individuals fostering social consciousness in the promotion of societal change; meanwhile, Ride and Rock Relief is a collaborative project of DAKILA, in partnership with other like-minded organizations, which pools care packages and basic necessities for calamity victims.
“Wanderlust” is made available at a flat rate of $1 (USD) on Lilystars Records’ official store/merch site powered by Bandcamp. However, buyers who wish to be more generous may choose to pay more than the asking price of $1 — in short, as much as they can afford to give to the flood victims in exchange for a song — by directly purchasing “Wanderlust” via Lilystars Records.

The pledged money will be used to buy relief goods that will be delivered to calamity victims in the various evacuation centers. Local buyers may also opt to participate and witness the exchange of goods and volunteer in relief operations. Buy this track now by following this link:
http://lilystarsrecords.bandcamp.com/track/wanderlust

Downloads are available in MP3 320, FLAC, MP3 VBR (V0), AAC, Ogg Vorbis or ALAC format.

BAND CRUSH: Outcasts of the Universe

You guys should check out this local band called Outcasts of the Universe! They play downtempo tunes with layers of synths and electro manipulations which creates this dreamy, minimal sound. Perfect for this stormy weather. No idea why they wear masks in their live performances but if it worked for Daft Punk, it'd definitely work  for them too. I've got samples of their music below and also their new music video which stars Baron Geisler. :)

photo via Outcasts of the Universe Facebook page

BAND CRUSH: Eyedress

photo by Ecks Abitona

Idris Vicuña aka Eyedress' debut solo EP is Half Japanese half genius = 100% awesomeness!

DOWNLOAD HERE

For All Things Beautiful about Apple Orchard

It's Apple Orchard appreciation day on my blog today! First heard about this US-based Filipino indie-pop band through a compilation that was given to me by a friend during my freshmen year in college. I wasn't aware that there were Filipino bands who play straight-up indie-pop/twee music and Apple Orchard was one of the bands that introduced me to it.

This was the song from that compilation:

Then they released several EPs and LPs

...and this amazing compilation which you can download for free here

They recently released a split EP with The Proctors under Dufflecoat Records which you can order here

Here's a track which is part of their current EP. I really hope I can catch a live gig of this band. :)For more music of Apple Orchard, check out the their bandcamp.

MUST LISTEN: There's a Lonely Road to Sunday Night by Ciudad

Listen to Ciudad's very neat single There's a Lonely Road to Sunday Night from their upcoming fifth album Follow the Leader. What an instant indiepop gem!

MUST LISTEN: Hear the Days Go by Outerhope

Outerhope is releasing a new EP this week called No End in Sight and I have here a track off of that. Hear the Days Go sounds like the early Everything But The Girl songs and it's just soooo goood. Love it so much. And I like it when Outerhope uses beats and synths.

MUST LISTEN: Pag-agos (Unplugged) by Armi Millare (Up dharma Down)

photo via here

This is an awesome unplugged version of Up dharma Down's Pag-agos performed by Armi during the Pine for Pine Concert in Baguio City. The video is in HQ so i ripped the mp3 and you can download it below. (I dont own the video)

Maakit ko sana ang iyong pagtingin

Imago just released a music video that looks like an Instagram photo gone wrong. Sa Ngalan Mo, in my opinion, is one of Imago's best songs (and one of my favorites too) and i think it deserves a better music video. SAYYYAAANG!! It would have been better if they just made a "live" performance video highlighting this beeeeautiful song rather than showing badly-acted melodramatic visuals. CRINGE! Im sorry. I just love this song so much.

BAND CRUSH: Child/ren of the Pilgrimage

While everyone's busy making glitches and synths from their electronics, Child/ren of the Pilgrimage is playing 14-stringed bandurria over layers of jangly guitars and hazy vocals. Lakas maka-90's shoegaze! The carrier track Apostolic Dominique Fire gives us what to expect from their upcoming full-length debut album Archaic. 

Here's one of their earlier songs Your Soul's a Jet. Lovin the Brit-pop sound!

Hope to catch these guys live soon. Child/ren of the Pilgrimage is yet another OPM indie gem we need to see more of. Check out the band's Facebook page for updates! Thanks Vandals on the Wall

beautiful noise

MUST LISTEN: Pipes and Palindromes by Modulogeek

Check out Pipes and Palindromes, the new EP of Joon Guillen aka Modulogeek. After remixing Outerhope’s The Man with the Pipes, he got so inspired and wrote some tunes about it. The result is a 5-track EP which shows Joon's melancholic side.

DOWNLOAD HERE

You can also check Modulogeek's Transition EP and my interview of him here

RIP Karl Roy

Photography by Tom Epperson

When I read the news about the passing of the great artist/musician Karl Roy this morning, it brought me back in time when me and my college friends went to gigs and concerts where Kapatid was part of the line-up. It was the time when all we cared about was passing our Comm Theory subject and how to get home safe after a booze fest night. Karl Roy's music was our soundtrack. Maraming salamat, Karl Roy.

This is one of my fave songs from Kapatid


and this one's from P.O.T.

And upon watching this interview by Rogue Magazine, yun na naiyak na ako :(

How to make it in America?

...how about a fundraiser?!

After Taken by Cars being invited at the SXSW music fest, another Pinoy indie gem will invade the Continental US! This time it's Outerhope! They will be performing at the NYC Popfest on May 17-20, one of the biggest indie-pop music festivals in the world! On March 3, Attraction! Reaction! will host a fundraising show to help bring Outerhope to New York. If you're not at the Malasimbo music fest that night, might as well head to Route 196 and watch Outerhope perform along with Eggboy, IdKids and Mount Analogue. Pinoy Invasion!

Here's one of their best songs!