SUD /so͞od/ is an alternative-soul five-piece act from Metro Manila formed in 2011.
Originally started as a blues funk act, the band transitioned their sound to soul in 2014 while gaining a remarkable following in the local independent music scene. In 2016, SUD released their album Skin, in partnership with Filipino spoken word group Words Anonymous.
It was when one of the tracks from that album, “Sila”, their only Filipino song at the time, was used in national TV that SUD was able to penetrate the mainstream audience – being one of the first local indie artists to do so.
Their music has brought them to arenas and coliseums around the country and has given them opportunities to perform on national television as well. With a platinum record under their belt, the band is now working on new songs to share with their old and new audiences, both in their hometown and abroad.
Ever felt going head over heels for someone? SUD’s latest track, “Baliw” (lit. ‘crazy’), expresses that feeling exactly. With the lyrics talking about how a person starts to have their walls broken down in the process of falling for another, the song also describes feelings of being crazy in love, the track features a playful melody with classic 80’s harmonies. The outro is reminiscent of the classic love song “Crazy For You” by Madonna.
The song was written by frontman Sud Ballecer, bassist Raisa Racelis, and drummer Jimbo Cuenco – it took around two weeks for the lyrics to be completed while the production went around roughly a month. The recording was done under the supervision of Emil Dela Rosa of House of Billy Gaga Studios.
The band’s current lineup consists of Sud Ballecer (vocals, guitar), Jimbo Cuenco (drums), Kohl Aguilar (keyboard), Carlos de la Fuente (saxophone), and Raisa Racelis (bass).