Entertainment

Hong Kong-based producer and singer-songwriter Gareth.T tackles the stinging effect of a loved one’s death on his new single “November Rain”, out on October 30, Friday via indie label Umami Records.

Writing and producing the emotional R&B track felt like getting a huge piece of stone off Gareth.T’s chest, and somehow, the recording process gave him time to mourn and find the silver lining at the end of the tunnel.

The multi-hyphenate artist shares, “My uncle passed away from cancer a decade ago. We were so close, and I wish I could see him for just a little longer. He passed in November and the day he was buried it was raining heavily, I thought November rain would be the perfect title.”

Perfectly encapsulating the experience dealing with the loss of a family member, “November Rain” holds tight to important memories before letting it go forever. There’s more to the song than its sentimental refuge. The production is divine at carving out interesting sonic spaces with ‘90s disco drum grooves and a dash of hip-hop at the helm. It’s meticulously written and arranged with a floating, languid sound in mind.

Gareth.T

“This took me 2 years to write,” Gareth.T adds. “I felt every word I sang, from ‘being afraid to put songs about him out in the past, cause it felt like I was saying goodbye’ to ‘not being used to the empty chair on my grandma’s table at Christmas’. Every word I wrote, I meant. I still cry when I listen back to this song.”

Currently based in Boston while studying at Berklee College of Music, the prolific producer has been dropping a new track every 4 weeks, and has no plans to slow down.

Listen to November Rain by Gareth.T everywhere at this link: https://www.umamirecords.sg/november-rain/

About Gareth.T

Hong Kong R&B artist Gareth.T coalesces the smooth tones of R&B and the rough edges of hip-hop music, using his diverse musical experience to tell his unique story.

Now based in Boston, Gareth.T was born and raised in Hong Kong, bringing an eastern metropolitan perspective to his music. A classically trained violinist, Gareth.T is also a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer, allowing him the complete creative freedom to express his own unique style.

Gareth invites you to accompany him on his journey throughout this year as he continues to craft his soulful, experimental soundscape.

Alex Bruce

It’s been a very challenging year for the music industry in general, but not to Alex Bruce, who continues to enjoy commercial and critical plaudits—thanks to her slickly produced, empowering anthems.

Her Wish 107.5 Bus performances of “Mind As A Weapon” and “Pull It Off” have garnered more than a million hits respectively, while the latter earned the young prodigy a record for the youngest female artist to have scored a top 3 on Wave 89.1’s weekly chart. To top it off, the 13-year-old rapper/songwriter has recently teamed up with global hitmaker August Rigo, whose songwriting and production credits include BTS’ “Black Swan” and Justin Bieber’s multi-platinum album, My World 2.0, for the trap banger “Go Crazy.”

With barely two months left for 2020, the feisty newcomer isn’t showing any signs of slowing down with the release of “Yakap,” an endearing love song in hip-hop/R&B form.

Intricately laced with dreamy atmospherics and infectious beats, “Yakap” finds Alex Bruce dealing with her first-hand experience on puppy love and infatuation. Her latest single plays out like a simp-worthy jam: thematically appropriate for Alex Bruce’s age, but charismatic enough to sweep listeners off their feet.

“Yakap is all about my crush,” the bubbly newcomer fondly shares the inspiration behind the urban jam. “Well, if you guys didn’t know, I’m 13 turning 14 this Christmas, and like a normal teenager, I started to experience weird things like puppy love. So for me to express my feelings, I wrote a song about this person.”

The song was a three-way collaboration with Alex Bruce, her dad, who is currently in Australia, and music producer Cursebox. The songwriting, recording, and production were done in a span of two weeks, with the involved heads brainstorming and working together though Zoom meetings to discuss matters related to the new track. Alex adds, “Sometimes it’s hard because I have online class and it’s still very different from homeschooling that I’m used to. I’m still adapting to this kind of set up, all of us are.”

For what it’s worth, “Yakap” truly has the makings of another game-changing hit. It’s another testament to Alex Bruce’s incredibly compelling talent as a rapper, singer, and lyricist—a triple-threat that will surely go to places in the many years to come.

“Yakap” is now available on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines.

As an initiative to introduce the younger listeners to the generation-defining anthems that conquered the airwaves for almost two decades, Sony Music Philippines and 6cyclemind are finally releasing the special compilation, Sige, I-cover Mo Lang! Project yesterday, October 28 (Wenesday), on Spotify and other streaming platforms worldwide.

More importantly, it brings a great opportunity for new artists to breakout in the music scene.

The covers record, which features shortlisted entries from music fans remaking select hits from 6cyclemind’s acclaimed pop-rock catalog, contains three tracks that were rearranged and given a fresh new spin to contrast or complement with the band’s distinct sound.

Bianca – Biglaan

Released as digital singles a few months earlier, Bianca’s “Biglaan” and Twenty-Nine Eleven’s “I” took creative liberties in terms of arrangement and interpretation, but retained the original’s melodic sensibilities as a way to preserve and recognize its timeless appeal.

Twenty-Nine Eleven

To date, Bianca’s version of “Biglaan” has racked up 1.6 million streams on Spotify, while Twenty-Nine Eleven’s version of “I” has amassed more than 3 million streams on the same platform.

Payapa Project – Kasalanan

Payapa Project, composed of Dan Billano (Vocals), JepoyAlmario (Percussion), TatitEscolano (Guitars), Choi Gonzales (Bass) and Raf Gonzales (drums), completes the trifecta of releases from the Sige, I-cover Mo Lang! Project. The alternative rock outfit, through their vocalist’s powerful voice, was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to render their own version of “Kasalanan,” a chart-topping song from the album, Project 6cyclemind. Their infectious take officially drops today as the third and final single of the tribute compilation.

These songs are now re-released into a music video format helmed by the band’s manager and sixth member Darwin Hernandez. The final versions of the cover tunes were recorded at Backdoor Recording Studio, and were produced by 6cyclemind and Soupstar Music.

Sige, I-cover Mo Lang! Project is now out on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines.

Award-winning British pop group Little Mix made an impressive entrance on several music charts in the Philippines with the release of “Sweet Melody,” the new single off their upcoming album Confetti.

The sassy banger emerged triumphant on its first day of release, as it trended at No. 1 on Twitter Philippines, and debuted on top of the iTunes Philippines’ Songs chart during the same time frame.

Co-written by Ariana collaborator TaylaParx, and co-produced by No.1 hitmaker MNEK, ‘Sweet Melody’ is a pulsating and infectious pop song emblazoned with gigantic harmonies and a driving rhythm.

Its edgy and highly choreographed music video is also making waves on YouTube Philippines as it climbed to No. 10 on its trending list with more than 7 million views on the third tracking day.

More about Confetti

This November, the world’s biggest girl band will finally release their highly anticipated sixth album this November, Confetti.

Jade, Perrie, Leigh-Anne and Jesy have been working on the album since last year, perfecting a collection of thirteen solid gold pop songs that showcase their sensational talent for creating music that crosses generations.

Confetti sees the band team up with the cream of current pop creators including TaylaParx and MNEK, pop supremos TMS and long-time collaborator Kamille.

About Little Mix

Little Mix have established themselves as the world’s biggest girl band – they have sold over 50 million records worldwide, collected over 18 million Spotify listeners, received over 3 billion YouTube views, and collated 12 billion streams worldwide.

2019 witnessed the band win their second Brit Award – for Best British Video for ‘Woman Like Me’, and perform the same song live at the ceremony. They also won two Global Awards for Best Group and Best Song, followed by their 4th EMA Award for Best UK & Ireland Act.

2020 Top 10 hit ‘Break Up Song’ has so far been streamed 75 million times and incredibly became their 15th UK Official Charts Top 10 hit with 300k UK sales. This November will see the band both perform at and host the 202o MTV EMA’s.

Little Mix are currently on primetime BBC One every Saturday night with a brand new TV series Little Mix The Search. The series, made by ModestTV, sees the band creating bands and becoming mentors to a new wave of talent. The singers who have made it into new bands gain access to Little Mix’s inner circle who have contributed to their phenomenal success, including vocal coaches, song writers, producers and stylists.

Little Mix’s “Sweet Melody” is now available on all digital platforms worldwide via RCA / Sony Music.

The Midnight Greetings, the solo bedroom pop project of Kyle Maraton, paints a drowsy picture of emptiness on his debut single “Youth”—released today via indie record label, Lilystars Records and available now on various digital and streaming platforms worldwide.

The lo-fi tune makes good on the promise of Kyle’s shaggy charm and confessional songwriting, reflecting on his struggles of losing track of time and being an inconvenience to everyone.

“The song conveys the feeling of loneliness,” the Cebu-based young musician explains. He wrote “Youth” during a very productive period in his life last year, attending shows and performing live in music venues. But the bouts of depression just kept seeping in.His mind was occupied with the uncertainty of not knowing what the future holds; hence, the need to find an outlet to express his feelings.

“After enjoying the entire midnight with friends and strangers, you catch a 4am trip on your way home,” Kyle shares a familiar scenario that somehow alludes to the song. “Suddenly, you find yourself alone, completely detached from the rest. Then, this surge of unexplained emotional bleakness leaves you in deep contemplation, dragging you into thinking about where life would lead you in the coming weeks or months. These pent-up emotions inspired the song to what it is right now.”

Entangled in the woes of suburban teenage ennui and impulsive sentiments, The Midnight Greetings delivers a coming-of-age soundtrack with timeless appeal. On his latest song “Youth,” Kyle wears his Gen Z angst on the sleeves, balancing authenticity with aesthetic value, and chronicling important issues that young folks experience on a day to day basis—be it addressing mental health problems or the need to be seen or heard.

The Singapore alt-pop newcomer , Naomi G marks her official debut with the release of “Cage The Animal” which is scheduled for release over 2021. Described as a gothic pop-R&B tune that chronicles the cycle of abusive and toxic relationships, and how to get away from it triumphantly in order to rebuild one’s dignity. Also it’s official! Naomi G joins the growing roster of indie label, Umami Records.

Merging the broody minimalism of Lorde and Banks with the chameleonic tendencies of artists like Halsey, Naomi G’s latest track begins rather unassumingly with nostalgic, flatlining keyboards and ethereal soundscapes, and evolves into a vindictive anthem that turns emotional scarring and pain into a source of strength.

Naomi G

Given that she already seems to have her stylistic stamp on lock, Naomi G is destined to take the world by storm with her bold, assertive take on women empowerment, never treading lightly on important social issues that degrade, discriminate and disrespect people of her kind. It’s an accomplishment worth taking seriously, a statement of self-love and confidence from someone who initially seemed to have lost it all.

Listen to Cage The Animal by Naomi G everywhere at this link: https://www.umamirecords.sg/cage-the-animal/

About Naomi G

Alternative and alternating, Naomi G is one of Singapore’s rising Dark Pop songstresses rendering her most symptomatic coming of age experiences, wherever it takes her. The singer / songwriter unblinkingly stays her mind and allows her Freudian Slips to take centre stage. The rhythm that comes of it is a moody downbeat electronica, flavoured with slick notes of Alt-R&B, frothed by ethereal Dream Pop, and enlightened by Soul. At times unsettling, her hypodermic words are indeed a salt to her own melancholia – one that slurs mystique sexuality and breaks down brittle emotions afoot.

She’s radiantly inflamed by the terrestrial experience she is treading through, unafraid of undressing intensity and honesty-owed to herself. Naomi describes her music as a “body-caressingly raw sonic prelude to my own deeper tensions” and that running them through music is the cathartic shatter she needs to figure them out. Other times it’s all about expressing that untimely and noise-cancellingly loud message that is often contemplative, combative and cynical. The young singer now begins her journey by flirting with themes of balance such as that between innocence and sensuality, relationship and isolation as well as nature and oppression

About The Song – Extended

‘Cage The Animal’ is a faceted metaphor that baits her romantic wanderings to the aural surface, refracting them in elemental personifications. The ‘Animal’ is she and the ‘Cage’ is he. Her anti-romance bop reflects the inner trappings of an erstwhile relationship that comes-of-age in front of listeners. It unfolds at the climax point of her feminine odyssey where she’s hemorrhaging innocence, infect-uated with his pathologies of lust and masculine-colonialism.

The dark pop singer, though nascent, does not tread lightly. Her single voices a universally pertinent message about the bedding pressures found in toxic relationships – particularly ones that impose trading physical touch for affection. The man of the song had cut an imposing rhetoric with an unbending mandate of fulfilling his unrequited carnal desires.

Naomi likened herself to the “Animal” and “Mother Nature”, among other things. She was an unspoiled picture of relative innocence that was slowly tamed and converted by him. The gradual erosion of her expressive authority proved itself a landslide over her identity. Her partner represented a sort of “man-made advancement” of concrete and stone encroaching on her natural territory bringing about a casual domestication.

PhilPop, the country’s premier songwriting competition, has officially released the songs from the finalists of the Mindanao cluster on Spotify and other digital platforms worldwide this October 23, Friday.

Distributed by Warner Music Philippines, the maiden batch reflects the diversity and appeal of the region’s music heritage, and champions authentic representation of the contemporary ‘Mindanaoan’ experience.

The tracks available for streaming and download include “Akong Bilihon,” composed by John Cadeliña and interpreted by The Marshland; “Kasadya,” composed by Christian Chiu and interpreted by Jay-arVaño and XT on Sax; and “Pahuway,” composed by Sherwin Fugoso and interpreted by Ferdinand Aragon.

Akong Bilhon: An anthem of resilience

According to singer-songwriter John Cadeliña, “Akong Bilhon” is a song about contentment. “No matter how big or small the blessings you have or received, if you really appreciate it’s true value, then it’s more than enough for you to be happy,” the Pilipinas Got Talent season 2 finalist says. “I wrote it last June, inspired by the current situation we have—that despite the negativities, the weights on our shoulders, we should still look up for the silver lining.”

With its soaring arrangements and infectious melodies, the inspirational piece stresses the importance of optimism and resilience in dealing with the uncertainty of the times.

John Cadeliña’s music project, The Marshland is the sole interpreter of the guitar-pop ballad. He counts the likes of Five For Fighting and City and Colours as major influences.

Kasadya: An eclectic sonic brew

Christian Tiu marks the passing of time on “Kasadya,”an irresistible number inspired by childhood nostalgia, Ilonggo culture, and the pandemic. Tiu’s official entry to the PhilPop 2020 Songwriting Festival looks back at the glorious memories spent with his family and grandparents.

Tiu shares, “During the pandemic, that feeling of isolation was even more accentuated. The thought of spending time with our grandparents would be at the bottom of the list due to their vulnerabilities with the virus. In the song Kasadya, I was looking back to those times; reliving those memories and just embracing those nostalgic moments. I felt genuinely happy for those times.”

Musically, “Kasadya” is an upbeat number that blends ‘80s pop with jazz, Manila Sound, ‘70s soul, and contemporary R&B sounds. It features interesting arrangements that mirror the artist’s intentional leaning towards retro-sounding appeal, while also incorporating modern touches to cater to the younger generation of listeners. The song is interpreted by Jay-arVaño, a singer based in Koronadal City and an active contributor to the Ilonggo pop scene, and XT on Sax, a renowned saxophonist.

Pahuway: An emotionally gripping ballad

Sherwin’s Fugoso’s stripped-down ballad “Pahuway” speaks about knowing what your heart truly desires and patiently waiting for its fulfillment. According to the folk artist, it’s a song about “longing, love, commitment, and dedication that stands against the test of time.”

“Pahuwaywas inspired by a famous passage from Saint Augustine’s  Confession in which he states: You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you,” Fugoso explains. “His words hit me big-time, and for me, it is a must to write songs out of these very powerful words.  Pahuway portrays my longing for a cure for my daily dose of restlessness.”

The spiritual song digs deeper into the songwriter’s emotional psyche, but mines a less-is-more approach to showcase the vulnerability in Fugoso’s words. Award-winning Cebu-based artist Ferdinand Aragon interprets the song with the right mix of subtlety and warmth, and even going to as far as captivating listeners with his nuanced delivery and wounded vocal styling.

“Akong Bilhon,” “Kasadya,” and “Pahuway” are now available on streaming and digital platforms worldwide via PhilPop and Warner Music Philippines.

Guy Sebastian, Australian pop sensation has finally released his highly anticipated ninth studio album, T.R.U.T.H. on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music. T.R.U.T.H. paints the portrait of an artist at the top of his game. “I know who I am and I’m unashamed as well,” Guy says. “I’m not trying to be something that I’m not.”

The hitmaker behind the chart-topper “Angels Brought Me Here,” which dominated the music charts in the Philippines and across the globe in the 2000s, is the first to admit that his latest album delivers a deeper, more profound take on personal and communal experiences and struggles in life, love and everything in between.

The album has so far spawned multiple singles before it dropped officially last week, including “Before I Go,” which opened up several overseas market for the Aussie solo act and peaked at No. 1 on Netherlands iTunes charts, and “Choir,” which went on to become Sebastian’s biggest radio single in Australia to date.

The latter, a multi-ARIA-Award-winning, 3x Platinum-certified single, is Sebastian’s crowning achievement: a deeply personal tribute that won Song of The Year at the 2019 ARIA Awards. Sebastian then scored another Top 10 ARIA hit with “Standing With You,” the Gold-certified, latest and fourth single from the album released in June of this year. On this timely song – the spiritual salve we all need right now – Guy reflects, “It’s probably one of the most poignant songs I’ve ever released.”

T.R.U.T.H.’s single releases inspired a real inundation of interaction from fans, who spilled their hearts out to Guy via social media, email, and snail mail. “Those notes and shared moments really helped me create this album,” he acknowledges, “giving me such purpose and drive to keep going. So T.R.U.T.H. is their album as well.”

Although T.R.U.T.H. materialized in spurts – during various sessions with songwriters in different geographical locations across a two-and-a-half-year period – it’s undeniably Sebastian’s most cohesive-sounding album to date. “I feel like every song on the album has really extreme waves of emotion or tension release,” Guy observes.

Elsewhere, T.R.U.T.H is peppered with upbeat songs of romantic devotion, an ode to the friend-zoned plus a sexy nod to Sebastian’s R&B influences and the new single, ‘Love On Display’. A soulful, fun pop song, ‘Love on Display’ encourages everyone to express the joys around love, bringing everyone to an uplifting sense of hope.

T.R.U.T.H.’s cover art features a stunning photograph of Guy smiling and completely immersed in joy. Initially, a more stylized photo had been chosen to grace the album cover, but – when coupled with the album title, T.R.U.T.H. – this candid capture of Sebastian looking completely elated “just felt right.”

“There’s definitely a sense of freedom,” Guy adds. “When you live a truthful life, you can smile without anything behind it; uninhibited joy knowing that you are doing your best to be the best person you can be. None of us are perfect, but the truth is important and it is something we should all strive for… I think throughout my life I will always look back on this album cover and remember exactly what I was feeling, even decades from now.”

Guy has sold almost four million albums to date and is the only Australian artist in ARIA chart history to boast six #1 singles – the most by any Australian male artists in ARIA history and two #1 albums

AsianAmerican hip-hop artist Blahza and Malaysian lo-fi producer OnlyM come together for another chill hop crossover: ‘Drugs’.

‘Drugs’ is a laid back track that envelopes the listener in waves of relaxation. Driven by moody but minimalist soundscapes and smooth beats, the latest collaboration between Blahza and OnlyM settles comfortably into a simmer, taking a step forward in its attempt to embrace subtlety and introspection sonically and lyrically.

Blahza shares about the inspiration behind it: “Everything in life is going good and everyday I’m getting closer to my goals. I used to relax by numbing my mind with intoxicants and I reference that heavily throughout the song. By the end of the song I ask what’s a better high than you? It means that you can get a high from the people around you, like your significant other, or from yourself. You don’t need drugs to get high.”

OnlyM x Blahza

To complement Blahza’s vision, OnlyM decided on a vibe that makes people feel good, highlighting a more optimistic but steady approach in terms of sound and feel. “I wanted something to make people feel good,” the underrated producer shares. “That you could chill out to as summer winds down, and reflect on the good times not just this year, but in life thus far.”

Blahza’s upcoming EP, Sad Songs For Happy People, is scheduled for release in 2021. He is also working on several collaborations dropping every month.

Listen to “Drugz” via Umami Records: https://www.umamirecords.sg/drugs/

Dustybuns, an electronic pop duo formed by Charles Baltazar and JokOloquina, has finally released their second single “Seasons”—out today on indie record label, Lilystars Records and also on digital and streaming platforms worldwide.

Expanding the eclectic pair’s sonic palette with delicate harmonies, bright keyboard tones, and subdued arrangements, “Seasons” delivers an effortless, almost slick sound pulled from vast music resources that range from indie pop to chill wave, electronic music to ‘80s pop.

Despite its incredible mélange of influences, the song remains confident in its delivery and intent. In fact, “Seasons” stands out as an anthem that offers reassuring comfort and warmth. It packs a punch, while also inspire listeners to stay strong even when the going gets rough.

“The song is about being there for the people you care about no matter what, and reassuring that you’re never alone and there’s always someone out there ready to lend a hand when you need them,” Charles Baltazar shares.

Currently Dustybuns is busy writing songs for their debut EP to be released soon. “We’re not yet sure if Seasons will be included in an EP, but we have some songs already made that will sit well along with it. We’ll just see when the time comes,” multi-instrumentalist JokOloquina says.