Probably the sexiest 5 minutes ever for your ears. The song promises, “your pleasure is my mission”; and rightly so. Sud’s “Smilky” is a languid tribute to sensuality, providing vivid imagery with Sud’s voice practically teleporting us to a candle-lit bedroom. Pretty much like the act itself, it starts slowly and builds to a crescendo of voices. I suggest including this on your playlist whenever you feel like having company over. Hook, line and sinker, I bet. (Peewee Artista)

Sud - Smilky

In the hands of Maan Chua, “Pintig” sounds like a requiem built around George Canseco’s classics: earthy, soulful vocals wrapped in subtle orchestral flourish and hypnotic strings, and approaching mid-way-- transforms into an early ‘80s torch anthem that comes out strong and defiant, but never loses touch of its femininity. It’s the end of an era and whoever sings this tragic and triumphant is trying to change the world by default. Maan takes this undertaking seriously; the grandeur of her melancholy, nothing but a pocket-sized soap opera we all lived in.

Maan Chua - Pintig

Sentimental and sunshiny is a challenging combination to pull off, but Ang Bandang Shirley’s “Polygonal Graphs” has managed just fine. Clear, ringing guitar chords stroll through big-hearted melodies and C86 moments; the mood of wistful romance, a feel-good tickle completely bereft of cheap sentimentality and gimmicks. Credit Selena Galang for taking over the spotlight this time. The ‘60s-rooted pop jangle and Sarah Records-referencing breeziness of the track were the core appeal of Selena’s former and current side projects, Candyaudioline and Slow Hello, in which she tailors soaked and sugared to Shirley’s deceptively simple pop-rock dynamics, smoothly as though cool air is rustling through and ready to take you to its wings.

“Polygonal Graphs” is included on Ang Bandang Shirley’s latest album, Tama Na Ang Drama, which you can purchase at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street and online: on iTunes and on http://wideeyedrecordsmanilashop.bigcartel.com/. It’s also part of Erasing Memories, a free online compilation curated by Vandals On The Wall and SEA Indie. You can download the mixtape here: http://vandalsonthewall.com/erasingmemoriesmixtape/

Ang Bandang Shirley - Polygonal Graphs

Beneath the glitch-hop surface of “Tetha”, you can actually hear the light but intricately detailed production that runs in Soul_brk's creative tinker. The slow tapestry of synth flutters and abstract beats, the fondness for swooning dynamics and chopped-up human samples, the quiet solitude that binds the sonic cosmos, he fiddles around these elements while processing the ache of longing and nostalgia in a single strand of an ambient instrumental. It’s nothing short of breathtaking, the pulse in which the layer of sounds exquisitely flows at one another, an instant honey drip to the ears.

Soul_brk - Theta

Along the lines of The Stone Roses or maybe, Real Estate, WeRideDynamite’s “Different” evokes the nostalgic glow of lazy afternoons while moving in transit, in an imaginary but deserted open road leading to nowhere. In its subdued resignation, you can hear chiming, psychedelic guitars brush up with breezy and tranquil melodies, its loneliness masked with haunted and striking details that transcend limitations. 

Listening to “Different” makes you want to get lost in its hazy sonic realm, and turn your world into a temporary dim tint. 


WeRideDynamite - Different

“There’s nobody here with me, still lonely”—the plaintive, repeating hook starts the chorus of Nouvul’s (artfully spelled) single “Nbdyhr” over an instrumental rife with the hallmarks of good old ‘90s R&B. Vocalist Jorge Wieneke (also known as electronic artist Similar Objects) croons into the microphone with such conviction that you’d be hard pressed to believe that a sizable number of his fans likely know him more for his solo instrumental music.

“I don’t know how you feel, but if it’s real, put it on me,” the chorus continues—half a sizzling slow jam, half seemingly a requiem. It’s not a farfetched claim to say that Wieneke’s fans may be thinking along the same lines. There’s sadness and frustration mixed into the acceptance of the news of the Similar Objects hiatus—but there’s also hope.

Nouvul - Nbdyhr

Halik Ni Gringo are always at their finest when they test the limits of classic goof-rock template with a healthy balance of adult silliness and exaggerated drama. It’s impossible not to crack up and lose it when you hear this bunch of oddballs deface cultural pretensions and machismo while enjoying every bit of the act. They’re sadomasochists, circus jugglers, sex therapists, comic book crusaders, Judd Apatow fellows— you name it. All in the spirit of fun, they thrive and bring on the rock n’ roll fag.

On their new single “NASA, I Have A Problem”, they take on the role of space troubadours spinning tales of sci-fi romance through a superfluous mesh of progressive rock, post-punk, and glam. It’s a refreshingly undemanding listen, a more introspective diversion from the stoner humor that boxed them into the more sophisticated brew of GIniling Festival and Tenacious D. Still, this tendency towards sentimental earnestness proves that while they may be funnier than ever, it’s worth every risk to hear Halik Ni Gringo churn out a different flavor once in a while. 


Halik Ni Gringo - NASA, I Have A Problem

Skarm is a genuinely unpredictable presence in the local music scene and a welcome addition to the respectable breed of emcees pushing hiphop sensibilities a bit further upscale into the left-field territory. His work gravitates toward sparse instrumentation and jazzy astral beats, boasting remarkable levels of wordplay and musicality every chance it gets.
  
On his new track “Consumed (on the high)”—obviously one of the highlights in Skarm’s latest album, Into Your Program—the quirky rapper fulfills his hook duties before settling down to the spiritual promises of psychedelic high. Skarm spins a sumptuously produced, head-nod-worthy of material that pulls you toward one corner and convinces you to listen to the song on noise-cancellation headphones while waiting for the day to pass. Even when everything slows to a laid-back pace, Skarm manages to keep the flow interesting, never pandering to tried-and-tested gimmicks to attract attention. It’s all part of the charm, a logical explanation of why his releases sound comfortable in its own skin, despite the attempt to always surprise core listeners and fans.


Skarm - Consumed (on the high)

Kai Honasan’s “I Should’ve Left” seems intent on pursuing an emotional imprint that moves beyond the quirky, ukulele-driven confessionals that have always been her trademark. Few minutes into the song, Kai makes us curl up in a ball of agonizing regret, rendering a sentimental folk-pop ballad for anxious, sleepless nights spent trying to get over an ex-lover.

 There’s no room for elaborate arrangements that call for attention, no hint of heavy-handed brood for the sake of drama. Even when Kai wants us to feel her pain, she carries in tow the laid-back airy vocals that complement the quiet , rainy-day mood served at the balcony of her window—subdued minus the unnecessary sappiness. It’s a striptease of what to expect from someone ready to chop off her hair and try something new and vulnerably daring, if not a completely departure from her safety net. We’re definitely sold.

Kai Honasan - I Should've Left

Vin Dancel’s willingness to embrace quiet moments has always been one of his greatest strengths. Liberated from the pressure to innovate, or topple his previous works, ”Kung Alam Mo Lang” is everything a Peryodiko song is, but is not: calm on the surface and helplessly demented underneath, swoony lyrics that keep listeners at arm’s length. Vin recruits long-time pals Buddy Zabala (The Eraserheads/The Dawn/Cambio) and electronic producer Morse to set the tone of the upcoming Malay Javier sci-fi flick, Hindi Sila Tatanda and capture a pervasive melancholy that builds to warm melodic peaks and introspective dramatics. The clean, crisp production gives the song ample room to stall and breathe, revealing a beautifully nuanced mix of fuzzy, alt-country sentiments and haunted electronic beats. But more than the sonic aspects involved in the production, it is Vin Dancel’s captivating balance between unapologetic straightforwardness and poignancy that takes the holds the song together with an audible desire to connect to a universal audience.  His songwriting has always been top-notch, and on “Kung Alam Mo Lang,” the veteran singer-songwriter shows no signs of dwindled ingenuity. 

Peryodiko - Kung Alam Mo Lang (Feat. Buddy Zabala x Morse)

It could be said that Up Dharma Down’s “Indak” had the distinct pleasure of humanizing misguided affection or infidelity the same way the late Bodgie Dasig ached his heart on the drunken karaoke staple “Sana Dalawa Ang Puso Ko”, evoking resigned melancholy that isn’t driven by guilt, but by the inability to let go of both persons of interest. It’s a hauntingly beautiful ballad that anchors us towards moments of reverence and isolation, flowering into something fragile and bleak, yet hopeful in its insistence to find the answers in a slow dance, in the hush-hush glimpses shared in the most intimate of spaces.

Peryodiko’s “Tayo Lang Ang May Alam” was written by Vin Dancel as a response to Up Dharma Down’s “Indak.” While both bands have shown mastery in tackling the woes of broken hearts, Peryodiko’s portrait of a relationship undergoing terminal decay, feels more like a slow-motion punch to the chest. “Tayo Lang Ang May Alam” is in fact, light in execution and relaxed in feel; but its pain, like Dassig’s “Dalawa Ang Puso Ko” and Dharma”s “Indak” is the type that is too strong to be easily washed away. When Dancel sings, “Tayo lang ang may alam / nandoon sa pagitan ng paalam at pahiram”, you can feel the world crumbling into pieces as the Peryodiko ringleader tries to mask his feelings in smoke; in denial that he might have been taken for a ride. It hurts hearing it from Dancel, especially from someone whose vocal affectations come from a very sincere place. Add this to your #laslas playlist and join the pity party. Listen:  


Peryodiko - Tayo Lang Ang May Alam

Radical reinventions in terms of style and sound have made Drip a fascinating case of longevity. 2005’s Far Side of The World introduced a soulful trip-hop band with a forward-thinking vision while 2008’s Identity Theft saw the band perfectly at home with brooding electronic pop affectations, running straight into the eerie corners of urban dread. Fast forward to 2015: Drip returns to the local music scene with Beng Calma-Alcazaren on vocals and Ian Magbanua on sound design and samples. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that Drip offers a musical enigma that sounds current in today’s taste-making idiom. 

Their new single “Rupture” is defined by deep, organic textures and emotional torch singing, the kind that immerses you into a deep reverie. It’s a somber ambient affair that shows melancholic displacement at its finest, suggesting introspection instead of gloom. Few electronic artists have put premium on authentic emotional investment, and Drip, with their far more cryptic elegance, knows how to turn a permanently fractured heart into a subject worth exploring even in the digital age. “Rupture” sounds like a place you don’t necessarily want to be, but Beng's aching timbre just draws you in, giving you a reason to stay not just for voyeuristic reasons. From there, things are rarely what they seem on the surface. At the heart of “Rupture” lies calm, the sound of negativity emptying out. 


DRIP - Rupture

“Go Lucky” projects an unfailing sense of paranoia and energy, stripping new wave, synth-pop and riot grrrl influences down to rattling, screeching licks. Audio Drive Thru roars fume right in your face with a dancey, garage-rock anthem that sounds like the beaten path explored by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Elastica. They’re unstoppable without any hint of fainting, but there’s so much finesse in the way they rattle out the noise, the sex and the driving rhythm. It’s like 2004 again: the year when angular guitars were all the rage and everybody wanted to be the next The Cure or Joy Division. Fun, fun times.

Audio Drive Thru - Go Lucky

“Not Sure” is the sound of a band completely on top of their game: crazy, berserk, ambitious, but definitely in control. Not only is Foc Fashion carving out arc and terrain out of modern rock, they’re also more self-assured and eager as ever, ready to rip the stage with showmanship cultivated through years of playing gigs in Cebu. “Not Sure” is meant to be played live at full volume, but it’s also a fine, dance-rock anthem monumental in scope and influence: a little Bloc Party and Foals here, angular guitars immensely fuming with riotous punk energy, executed with a much looser vibe. It obviously operates within a specific rock aesthetic that harkens back to as old as 10 years ago, yet it roars new life to a more idiosyncratic music direction, a path that the band should explore further in their upcoming releases. For now, “Not Sure” fits right into the bill, a rage-of-a-floor-filler that gets you in the mood for dancing, screaming, and throwing a fit when no one’s watching. 

Foc Fashion - Not Sure

We’ve reached a point at which newfound appreciation for chart-clobbering muses with eclectic personalities and music tastes has opened up the mainstream platform to a well of possibilities, providing an alternative to the controversial baits that have crowned Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and their ilk on top of pop’s A list. Coming from an obscure background with relatively zero buzz, Lux Leigh drops a track called “End of Me” and it sounds like the fresh sparks brought together by confident, feminine energy and heart-aching delivery, a track that Charli XCX or Robyn wouldn’t mind working on. The song opens with a stylized, looped vocal and banging synths, and steadily unfurls into a massive chorus that you can cry-dance alone in your bedroom whenever no one’s watching. Credit also goes to Joey Santos for bringing out the seize-the-moment highs of the song with Lux Leigh’s syrupy vocals in mind. There’s a real sense of craft going on “End of Me” that it’s difficult to ignore the track’s infectious appeal the moment it creeps into your consciousness and settles there for good. More of this please! 

Lux Leigh - End Of Me

“Headrush” is Peryodiko at its prime. Dancel’s skillful showcase of anthemic songwriting is on full display here, seeping down into every nook and cranny with a slashing, straightforward assault. Nicholas Lazaro turns out to be a great match for the band in this particular project, capturing the visceral intensity of the rhythm section while giving the world a chance to hear the more nuanced side of Peryodiko. It also adds that Kris Gorra-Dancel is an adept guitar player whose presence is vital in redressing “Headrush” with yearning romantic punch. 

Peryodiko - Headrush

Here's the teaser to our upcoming 21-track compilation, This Is Not A Love Song.

This Is Not A Love Song Mixtape (14-minute Teaser)

An upcoming folk-pop project by The Purplechickens' Aldus Santos and Run Dorothy's Dee Cruz.

Pamphleteer - Pas de Deux (Snippet)

A music blog catering to Filipino indie sensibilities. vandalsonthewall.com

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