I watched “Hello, Love, Again” at the theaters and must say that it’s delightfully good. Usually, it’s a pass for me when it comes to flicks of burgeoning on-screen love teams, maybe because I’m already indifferent at age 50. I mean, what use do I have of these kinds of films? Well, I was wrong. As I’m currently in the US and missing everything to do with Kyusi, Ortigas, Maynila, and every point in between, I’m pretty ready to dive into anything home-related. Frickin’ movies included. 

And wouldn’t you know, “Hello, Love, Again" would be a story about hard-working Pinoys carving a living abroad against odds that are sometimes stacked against them? So naturally, I relate. Along with every Pinoy living abroad trying to make something of themselves who saw the movie at the AMC. So did I get teary-eyed when Kathryn Bernardo had to go through the crap she had to wade through but had to swallow her pride? You bet my almost freezing derriere I did (it’s cold in the East Coast this time of the year). And did I relate to the emotional undercurrent as it progressed? Yes sir! Did I find the Kathryn-Alden love team effective? Check! As 2024 Kathryn is so damn lovely to look at. Apart from the relatable themes of being away and finding love once more, “Hello Love Again” is a good story-telling that comes at the most opportune time. And given my circumstance, hits different from my particular perspective. 

Thirty-eight years ago, “Bizarre Love Triangle” was released in November 1986 by the UK band New Order, and it would go on to be the standard by which future synth-pop, alternative, and dance singles would be measured. For the New Wave cognoscenti, any mix tape/playlist of the said genre won’t be complete without including this NO classic, no matter how seemingly obvious and overplayed it is. And now there’s renewed reason to listen to this 80’s gem (which ranks as one of the greatest songs of all time) with the recent release of the Stephen Hague 12” remix. A veteran of the scene himself, Stephen Hague has been closely associated with acts such as New Order, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Peter Gabriel, and Erasure, to name some. Listeners – in particular, audio expert Rommel Villarino – have pointed out the subtle nuances of this brand new remix. From the arpeggiated keyboard intro, singer Bernard Sumner’s ‘doo-doo, doo-roo-root-doo’ vocal fills, and the crisp separations that you can pick out every nuanced note that guitarist-singer Sumners, bassist Peter Hook, keyboardist Gillian Gilbert, and drummer Stephen Morris played. Another Top 5 New Order track, “Blue Monday 1988 (Michael Johnson 12” remix)," is likewise aurally revitalized to go along with this low-key but significant New Order revival. 

New and Notables: Regine Velasquez-Alcasid’s exquisite cover of the Madonna classic “Crazy For You” stamped with Regine-isms. Moira Dela Torre has a timely release with a new song called “I’m Okay,” and If you liked her “Hello, Love, Again” mood-tracking key scenes, you’ll like this too. A shining beacon of young OPM is singer-songwriter mrld (Mariel De Jesus) with the alt-pop flavored new song titled “M.I.N.O.Y.” You can find out for yourself what the acronym means, but the tune itself is earworm-certified. ALAMAT is steady and strong with its new single “Hiraya.” This upbeat, funky, and club-inflected dance song is on brand for the surging boyband who’s still waiting in the wings for their big moment in the spotlight as one of the premiere P-pop boybands in the Philippines today.