`
NICOLE ASENSIO –“ Kiss Me Now”
Nicole Asensio’s latest release titled “Kiss Me Now” is a slow, syrupy soulful song that was written and recorded almost entirely impromptu. Gabe (guitar and bass) Tobi (Drums) and Brad (Keys) begun jamming chords and rhythm at a soundcheck and Nicole pulled off extemporaneous lyrics and melody that immediately encapsulated the “hit” essence and process of the song. Mirroring its unscripted nature, the lyrics describe the urgency of finally giving into a first kiss that has been brewing for months. Nicole’s velvet vocals glide over scales with power, range and stirring sensibilities while the instruments play within the textures of gospel- soul influences seasoned with rich deep tones.
BEN&BEN – “Courage”
The Filipino folk-pop outfit Ben&Ben dedicates this stripped-down version of their new song “Courage (acoustic version)” to the dreamers who are struggling to gather the strength to face up to an unforgiving world. The Filipino band encourages listeners to reach for their dreams and goals in life despite dealing with personal tribulations
Taking a confident stride back to their distinct brand of intuitive intimacy, Ben&Ben’s “Courage (acoustic version)” offers a compelling snapshot of their journey as individuals and artists. In a press statement, the band offers, “The past few months have been mentally tough for the band, with challenges surrounding us and driving us to low points and times of discouragement. These valleys have been the inspiration for “Courage.” We realized that, as visceral as the feeling of being hopeless may be for us, we wanted to channel it into an uplifting piece of music for a lot of people who have a hard time verbalizing what they’re going through now.”
MANILA UNDER FIRE – “Your Ghost”
This new track speaks about a toxic kind of romantic love that’s devastating yet addictive. The first verse goes “You say shit in silence You shape shift on the surface The violence you don’t want But I do I miss you” – a testament as to how even in terrible circumstances, two lovers can’t let each other go. Another first for the band, Manila Under Fire’s latest song is very minimalist wherein the synths and electronic drums are the main instruments while only the guitar and acoustic drums in the background provide the rockin’ feel.
ICA FRIAS – “Oh Honey”
In the new single titled “Oh Honey,” Filipino singer-songwriter Ica Frias reflects on her fears of being vulnerable and her wariness of romantic entanglement. Still, the young artist manages to deliver a soulful number brimming with hopeless romanticism built on jazzy instrumentation.
The rising star explains, “The song Oh Honey is about the fear of falling in love with the person you’re quite unsure of. Regardless of what you feel for him or her, it’s normal to be cautious about being romantically committed to someone. You deserve to receive all the love you give, but it needs to be with the right person at the right time.” Ica Frias recently made a significant mark with the release of her first song, “Ayoko Na.”
BENJ PANGILINAN – “Dance Like You”
On his new upbeat single “Dance Like You,” , Filipino singer-songwriter Benj Pangilinan expresses the joy of living life with a positive mindset. Encapsulating the essence of youthful excitement in a euphoric, four-minute pop song, the exciting newcomer encourages listeners to dance their worries away and surrender to the beat of a fun, vibrant day
.
“Dance Like You is a song for all ages and all people who just want to have fun and dance,” Pangilinan explains. “I wrote this song during the pandemic. I remember just playing the guitar when I suddenly came up with an interesting chord progression. Instantly, I picked up my phone and opened the Voice Memos app. From there, I remember getting this feeling that a song was about to be made.” “Dance Like You” will be part of an upcoming EP.
SHOEGAZE PILIPINAS – “Alimpuyo” compilation.
Translated as “whirlwind or whirlpool”, “Alimpuyo!” Is a swirling assemblage of celestial vocals, hurricane guitars, and beautiful noise. About the release, former Sonnet LVIII band member Dale Marquez who conceived of this collection told SoundStrip: “I offered the idea to the admins of Shoegaze Pilipinas during the pandemic and I kind of gave them an extra push since I did something similar in the past with Popscene MNL. It took a lot of time to curate but the people I worked with, they’re all my friends. It’s not really work; it’s more of a passion project. It’s also really about getting together the shoegaze community, and help make it grow, or even flourish.”
Input your search keywords and press Enter.
