Food references on music as Doja Cat drops a mysterious new single titled "Balut," and Pinoy alt-rock hero Sandwich returns. Yes, pun intended.

Doja Cat is proving that she's a force to be reckoned with. Just two weeks ago, she dropped a scorching single, "Demon," with reverberating bass-heavy grooves and her signature flow, delivering themes of self-empowerment. Now, she's back with the intriguingly titled "Balut."

If you, like me, immediately thought of the famous Filipino duck egg delicacy when you heard the title, you're spot on. However, Doja Cat keeps us guessing by not mentioning "balut" anywhere in her new song. Instead, she offers an intriguing explanation. According to her, the song is named "balut" because it symbolizes a bird being consumed alive, serving as a metaphor for Twitter stans and the demise of Twitter toxicity. It marks the beginning of a new era and the end of harmful tweets.

The track itself is a sonic treat. Like "Demon," Doja Cat layers it with echoing basslines, combining them with a slow yet steady groove. Her flow exudes self-confidence, viewed through the lens of a boss lady. She rhymes about her success, how she's living the dream, and even humorously mentions losing crystals on her toenails while making the competition kneel. It's all delivered with those head-bobbing grooves that Doja Cat has favored lately.

Although "Balut" remains unspoken throughout the song, we can still savor the delectable musicality that Doja Cat serves. It's worth noting that Doja Cat has been on a winning streak lately, releasing hit singles, a new album, and even securing the number one spot on the Billboard singles chart with her previously released track, "Paint The Town Red," where she interpolates the iconic Dionne Warwick/Sybil chorus from "Walk On By" in a groovy banger of a tune.

Speaking of food references, Pinoy alt-rock band Sandwich is coming back with their latest track, "Ibang Araw Na Lang."

Sandwich, led by the multi-functioning Raimund Marasigan, along with bassist Myrene Academia-Marasigan, drummer Mike Dizon, and guitarists Diego Castillo and Mong Alcaraz, played a pivotal role in defining the sound of 2K Pinoy rock for almost a decade.

Their new song, "Ibang Araw Na Lang," is a modern rock song with a mid-tempo groove. When we say modern rock, we mean a solid backbeat infused with a touch of '80s new wave, complemented by relaxed strummed acoustic guitars, swirly sound bits, brass and yes, even a short, savory guitar solo, to which I say: bring back those guitar solos!

Raimund grabs our attention from the get go as he sings, "’Di alam kung kailan, babalikan ang araw / dumaan, sumikat at dumilim / ‘di ko sukat akalain, sinimulan mo na palang sabihin." It's an instantly catchy melody that evokes nostalgic feels, especially as the hook chorus of "ayokong tanggapin / ayoko pang isipin / ibang araw na lang" kicks in.

This is perhaps the most Eraserheads-esque Raimund has sounded in years as the Sandwich delivers their most melodically mellow performance to date.

It's a mouthwatering comeback for this beloved band, and we can't wait to hear more from them.