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

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Peryodiko - Tayo Lang Ang May Alam

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