CLARA BENIN – “blink”
On her first original single under the international record label OFFMUTE, Benin honors memories like they’re fundamental aspects of human nature. She finds refuge in reliving the past without any hint of regret, treating it as part of her personal journey.
“I had a series of sleepless nights just recollecting and reliving different times of my life,” the folk-pop artist shares in a statement. “Some were peaceful times. Some were turbulent times. Some were traumatic times. I didn’t really understand why these memories were resurfacing in my head. Writing ‘blink’ just helped me resolve these thoughts.”
Sprawling past the three-minute mark, the track is deceptively simple by standards, but its introspective quality, paired with an incredibly moving arrangement, ups the stakes on a purely artistic level. The release of “blink” is accompanied by a lyric video made by Clara Benin herself.
ARIEL TSAI – “My All In All”
After launching several new songs from artists in the Philippines, Christian music label Waterwalk Records is releasing a song from Ariel Tsai, a popular Taiwanese singer-songwriter, pianist, and YouTuber signed under Sony Music Taiwan.
Ms. Tsai’s latest single, “My All In All,” is a heartfelt piano-driven worship song written by Ariel herself. “I wrote this song this past year during a time where I felt quite lost and uncertain about the future. I felt I was holding on to the worldly definition of success and chasing it, just to end up realizing that it could never fill the void in my heart,” Ms. Tsai says.
“That was when I came to God and re-surrendered myself to Him, and God had let me experience His peace again, the peace that the world could not give,” she adds.
LOIR – “Umaga”
R&B newcomer Loir teams up with rapper Guddhist Gunanita on the hypnotic slow jam ‘Umaga.’ Inspired by her realizations in life and in romantic relationships, the track maps her journey towards acceptance and starting anew with the right mindset. Laced with lush strings, acoustic guitars, and minimal beats, it is produced by frequent collaborators HavoMusic and Goodson, whom LOIR worked with on “Sakay.”
The new track also features a rap verse and songwriting credit from hip-hop artist Guddhist Gunanita. The two have collaborated earlier this year for the sun-kissed bop “Dalampasigan,” which to date, has more than 600 thousand views on YouTube alone.
Both acts star on the official music video of “Umaga,” which showcases a love story arc set in a magical forest. “Umaga” serves as the second installment in a series of LOIR music videos that are connected by a narrative thread.
HEY JUNE! – “Just A Hit”
HEY JUNE! is a band that should not be missed out. Their newest release “Just A Hit” introduces the band and their young, fresh, dynamic and most importantly hopeful music. Through the song, the band sings about how life have its challenges which are inevitable bumps on the road – something you need to triumph over or sometimes just essentially go through. It’s the band’s way of singing “You’ve gone this far, you got this!”
The four-piece band composed of vocalists Jim Mase, 18, (guitars, synth and songwriter) and Earl Paglinawan, 16, (guitars) with Coey Ballesteros (bass and back-up vocals) and Aci Fodra (drums) is one of the newest Filipino bands formed this 2021. The four young kids live their passion for music with their own creative pursuits – restrictions and all.
BRYAN ADAMS – “Kick Ass”
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Bryan Adams releases his latest “Kick Ass,” a track filled with classic guitars and his signature style of feel-good rock music.
“Kick Ass” begins with a John Cleese introductory sermon which sums up the song, there’s not enough rock and roll in the world…end of! More guitars, more drums, join hands…lets rock,” says Adams.
Additionally, in celebration of the 2022 Pirelli Calendar, Adams released the song and music video for “On The Road”, the theme and title of The Cal, also the brainchild of Adams, who has long pursued photographical work alongside his music. He shot a glittering cast of superstar artists including Cher, Iggy Pop, Jennifer Hudson and Rita Ora to create a dramatic visual journey through a day in the life of a touring musician.
MILKY CHANCE – “Tainted Love”
Milky Chance, the 5 billion+ streaming German duo currently enjoying a Top 5 hit at US Alternative Radio with “Colorado” have shared the official video for their cover of the Gloria Jones song (later popularized by Soft Cell) titled “Tainted Love.” Featured on the group’s recent Trip Tape mixtape, the track is completely recast here as a paranoid fantasy in which Milky Chance’s Clemens Rehbein appears bloodied and bewildered. Shot in Berlin by frequent Milky collaborators Sebastian Ganschow & Vincent Sylvain, the video adds an unsettling new chapter to a song with an already unlikely history dating back to its original release in 1964.