When you have latched onto a sound, you stick with it.
And that’s what hit singer-songwriter Adie (Adie Garcia) has been doing of late. Since he became a big act with “Paraluman,” the singer has stuck to his guns so to speak when it comes to sound and style. Consider his new single “Kabado.” Those who have latched onto Adie since will be glad to know that he is staying faithful to the sound and feel of what made “Paraluman” endearing in the first place. Which is to say that the new song is wistful, lilting and heavy on the feels. The new song’s inspiration, according to Adie, came from his own prom experience. “I had a crush on someone I badly wanted to dance with,” and the song ‘Kabado’ encapsulates what he was feeling back then as he was trying to figure out how to make his move. But what makes this song is Adie’s phrasing (vocals) which at this point, is all his and has become a signature. Guy can probably sing any tune, and we’d recognize it's him. Which says a lot. All the good ones are instantly recognizable. Which is to say, when you’re lucky enough to latch onto a sound that your audience likes, stick with it long enough until that sound becomes you. You can go anywhere from there.
Hit rap music artist and trendsetter BECAUSE returns with a banging new number titled “0916.” The rapper’s got this mid-tempo trap beat-driven thing down and he’s been dishing this style since “Marlboro Black,” to “Sandali” to “BMW” (and even during his stint with side project Flow Minister), which is what we’ve been driving at. Consistency is key. The rapper is feeling sentimental, throwing back to a time when “0916” was a popular celfone number prefix. This chill and vibing mid-tempo track is, according to BECAUSE, “reaching out to an old fling.” A moody rap number about booty calls? We can relate to that.
A band that listeners should be listening to is FERODINA. Besides being ace musicians, they come up with nice sounding hugot tunes. Like the emo-filled song “Karapatan.” The love-stricken, falling-hard-for-your-best-friend theme is a worn topic, but it gets spun on its head with this rising, dramatic rendering by Ferodina. Fender Dimalanta, Brian Feliciano, Steven Naguit and Joaquin Rodrigo deliver this power ballad with forlorn-tinged fervor. FERODINA also scores the theme for the Vivamax movie “Purificacion” with previously released track “Muling Nakita Ka.” FERODINA doesn’t sound like anybody else out there today, and this song proves it.
Nikki Bagaporo is someone that Pinoy pop listeners should be keeping an eye and ear out for. Her new single “Kailan” is the kind of easy listening pop that we wouldn’t mind putting on repeat. Nikki sings a memorable melody over a bouncy pop progression and sings about a secret love story. Just because its secret doesn’t mean it isn’t true love, Nikki argues that in the nicest way that she can, with those lilting falsettos. “Kailan” is Nikki Bagaporo’s best effort yet and stylistically, the right kind of pop for this singer that’s due her moment in the sun.
Carlo (aka Carlo Mendoza) offers an uplifting ballad titled “Tahan Na.” Carlo actually wrote this song as a sonic balm when he himself was going through a breakup phase. “I decided I want a song that could actually be my ‘friend’ after a heartbreak, and it turned out to be a song of comfort for me in the midst of my healing season.” It also sounds great and is a solid first effort.