Island Records Philippines began life in the middle of a pandemic, and for the first time, it held a party in a gig venue on a Sunday night, April 10. The reason for the celebration was Juan Karlos’ Drop 1, the new EP that dropped at the end of March on major digital platforms.
The place for the launch party was Social House in Circuit Makati, which in the past has seen musicians and music lovers gather to celebrate the art and craft of making memorable melodies and lyrics. Now that (hopefully) things are coming back on track, Juan Karlos’ fellow artists and music fans got together at last for a memorable night.
The night began with an astounding performance by JMara, who was joined by a live band and by his fellow Morobeats members.
The Def Jam Philippines artist showed off his poetic prowess and smooth vocal stylings, accompanied by talented musicians who helped him weave his music together. What made this set astounding, we discovered, was that the musicians actually got to hear three of the songs for the first time that night, and it turned out to be one big jam session. That sort of musical alchemy rarely happens on stage, and this strong start set the tone for an exciting evening.
One Click Straight played next, and the energy and melodic prowess were in full force that night.
One of their members told us that the music they played that evening reflected a new trajectory in their journey, which relied less on a particular uniform genre or style than on weaving together the various musical interests of their members. Now that two of them are into producing, he told us, their concern is creating a sound that does not necessarily bear the mark of anyone else. It reminded us of what Juan Karlos told us when we asked him about what Drop 1 sounded like:
“I don’t listen to a song and write something inspired by that song. I don’t have a specific artist that heavily influences the tracks. It’s more of a subconscious compilation of things that I listen to on a daily basis.”
It is no surprise that a band approaching their music the same way opened for him that night.
Over October has been one of those bands on our radar for the longest time since their earliest days playing venues like the late, lamented Route 196. Over the years, their songwriting and performance style has been the secret to their musical endurance, and their setlist that night reflected that. Songs that evoked memories of the pre-pandemic years were there alongside songs of more recent vintage. It was great for us to revisit their music live for the first time in a while, and the customary post-gig congratulatory encounter was a moment of joyful reunion.
Before Juan Karlos played, we finally got the chance to see CHNDTR live after learning about their story a few days ago. We were not disappointed with how they impressed all of us with their musical talent, infectious energy, and a knack for catchy pop-punk that got everyone on their feet (at Chin’s urging, of course). That night, we got to meet their first producer, Monty Macalino of the band Mayonnaise. He told us that, when he first met them, he wondered why no label would sign them, so he took them in. Now that they are part of the MCA/Universal Music Group, their music finds a new home and a new set of listeners.
Finally, Juan Karlos took the stage to play his music live, especially his songs from Drop 1, and his supporters and friends were not disappointed. He told us before the single dropped that his music spoke differently to different listeners. As everyone responded in their own enthusiastic way to the music, we could sense an energetic exchange between him and the crowd in the room. This is what the live music experience is really like for everyone whose part of it, and that is why people like us love being in the room where it happens.
As the Diegos prepared to spin their vinyl records to wrap up a long evening. Juan Karlos made his way out of the room shortly after his set ended. When we introduced ourselves, he told us that there would be a lot in store for us to write about. We are excited to hear what he’s up to next, and if that Sunday night was any indication, there would be more to celebrate in the time to come.
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Stream “Drop 1” on all music streaming platforms!