RIVERMAYA, “Casino”
Ever popular alternative band Rivermaya makes a triumphant comeback with “Casino,” their first single since 2018’s “#SBN.” Blending post-punk and alternative rock influences with ‘80s dance grooves, the upbeat number deals with a love affair that instantly blossoms into a serendipitous, full-blown romance.
“It’s also the first Rivermaya track with a four-on-the-floor feel all throughout,” lead vocalist and drummer Mike Escueta said. According to Escueta, the chorus, lyrics, and melody of “Casino” were written before the pandemic, and have been recently reworked from his Google Docs files.
“It’s been five years so we really miss putting out new music,” Escueta added. “It looks like we’re gonna be able to do this a lot more often this year.”
The release of the track comes with a music video that features two strangers who met, connected and danced the night away in a speakeasy. Watch for future developments from the iconic band.
JBK, “Porket”
Award winning trio JBK, composed of Joshua Bulot, Bryan del Rosario and Kim Ordonio, is back with “Porket,” a Latin pop-romance inspired song to usher in the summer. The song combines the soul of OPM spiced with Latin American sway.
JBK shared, “We want to break new grounds in mainstream OPM, and at the same time, also hopefully reach other parts of Asia and our friends in Latin America.”
The new single tells the point of view of a loathing man after being abandoned by his lover. The jilted person recollects recent memories which should have been red flags in the failing relationship, As such, stages of deep sorrow are vividly expressed all directed at the ex-lover.
YOUNG COCOA, ‘Nova’
After landing on several high-profile playlists curated by some of the biggest names in K-Pop, Filipino singer-songwriter/producer Young Cocoa returns with “Nova,” where a bossa nova sample serves as a foundation for the rest of the beat, The prolific hip-hop artist raps about young love with awe-inspiring giddiness as he delivers one of the breeziest crossover tunes to come out in a while.
“We wanted to create a song that was an easy listen, had a lot of bounce, and felt ‘bubbly’ in the same way the lyrics were written,” revealed the rising Asian rapper. “Nova’s creation really just started off with the exploration of a different sound, and progressed into a song that I wrote about having an innocent crush, or puppy love. The title is directly inspired by my favorite snack, Nova and the use of bossa nova elements in the production.”
The song comes with a performative visual that aims to bring to life to the singles art inspired by Wes Anderson.
K-RAM Featuring ACE CIRERA & YURIDOPE, “Wala Na”
Thistrack from K-Ram, a well- known battle MC, is about a person in a relationship who struggles to find reasons to stay when he’s falling out of love. Admitting that there’s no more spark and no more reason to continue is the hardest part.
K-Ram has been joining the Fliptop battle league (the biggest Hip-Hop battle league in the world) for about three years now. In “Wala Na,” he has collaborated by Ace Cirera and Yuridope (a member of Ex-Battalion). More creative fireworks are expected from the cooperation this year.
NOAH ALEJANDRE, “Di Man Tinadhana”
The 22-year-old Filipino singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Noah Alejandre hails from Ormoc City, Leyte. Best known as the other half of Filipino indie band “reon”, he drops a new solo single titled “Di Man Tinadhana,”
a song about having to accept that you and your significant other aren’t meant to be. It’s also a song of relief in knowing you would never have to wait for that other person anymore because it’s over, secure in knowing you’re ready to move on.
Something BIG is about to happen at The Big Dome!
Four of the biggest South Korean acts are slated to visit Manila for “Begin Again: KPOP Edition” taking place on May 29, 2022, 5 PM at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Fans are sure to have a blast with NCT DREAM, SHINee’s KEY, WEi, and ALICE performing their latest hit songs on the Philippine stage.
NCT DREAM will be headlining the show, coming on the heels of their widely successful album “Glitch Mode.” Back in 2020, the group is the last to hold a live concert in the Philippines before COVID-19 lockdown. Now, they’ll be one of the first international artists to perform live again after two years. The two-hour concert marks the first live KPOP show in the country since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Pre-selling of tickets via https://www.cdmentertainment.ph.