The Hidden Gems of OPM

By Terence Repelente   Whenever I hear someone say ‘OPM is dead,’ I always want to smash their face with the shovel I use to dig out underrated acts from Bandcamp, or Souncloud, or Spotify, but I recommend what I find to them instead. In need of your support, the local music scene is literally a gold mine of diverse sounds and styles, and to prove my point, here are five of OPM’s up-and-coming gems: 1.) The Male Gaze In feminist theory, the term ‘male gaze’ is the act of representing women (usually in the visual arts, literature, and cinema) in an objectifying way, or from a masculine and heterosexual point of view, which results to the empowerment of men. The newly formed band of the same name, The Male Gaze, is on a mission to destroy the term through their music. Tackling themes from gender norms to political feminism, this all-female band is set to rock the local music scene, smash the patriarchy, and empower every woman, while wearing their matching Girl Scout uniforms. Twitter/@TheMaleGazeband 2.) The Geeks What’s your ideal band? If your answer to that question is “a group of awkward boys singing about dank memes, self-deprecating humor, and irony,” then The Geeks may just be the band for you. Often described as the young version of Ciudad, this band is skating away from the comparison and starting to make a name for itself. The Double Sided Sophomore Slump, their latest album, is filled with slacker pop songs touching on mundane and serious themes, from heartbreaks to existential dread, which will all make you say “hard same.” Go to their Soundcloud or Spotify page and listen to “The End (An Ode to Nihilist Memes).” Thank me later! Twitter/@TheGeeksMusic; Soundcloud/TheGeeksMusic 3.) Calix If you’re too tired of rap music centering on sex, fame, and money, Calix is a breath of fresh air—and a burning spit of militancy as well. His verses are punches directed to fascists and political dynasties, which are evident in all of his works, especially in “Di Matitinag,” a song from his second album The Lesser of Your Greater Friends. This rapper shows no hesitation in calling out politicians and their social injustices. He does it using fiery words, delivered with rage, fervor, and anger. Watching him live will definitely keep your left fist raised from beginning to end. Twitter/@Calixphil; Soundcloud/Calixph 4.) Ourselves the Elves Best known for their album Geography Lessons, which is the soundtrack for Petersen Vargas’ short film Lisyun qng Geografia, this independent pop/folk band, composed of Alyana Cabral, Akira Medina, and Ponch Salvador, makes music that evokes young and heart-melting love. Their tunes, hitting you with unknown feelings of longing and nostalgia, may just be the work of magical and musical elves. Disclaimer: They’re not real elves. Twitter/@Oursleves_elves; Soundcloud/Ourselvestheelves 5.) The Gory Orgies If you’re a big fan of Blur or Pixies, you’ll definitely dig this garage punk rock band. According to their “about” page on Facebook, their interests include bath salts, cannibalism, ultraviolence, Engelbert Humperdinck, squanching, eukodol, Qabalah, vellocet, synthemesc, drencrom, etc., but don’t worry kids, they’re absolutely harmless. With odd song titles such as “Stalking Ely Buendia,” “Kagabi Nanaginip si Shirley na May Nagmamahal sa Kanya,” and “Christmas in Our Cats,” these quirky ‘90s grunge rock nerds will do nothing but capture your heart. Facebook/TheGoryOrgies; Twitter/@TheGoryOrgies; Soundcloud/TheGoryOrgies