2023: The year of indie Filipino vinyl

If there is any indication of the return and continuous growth of vinyl as a physical medium for music releases, consider this…. in the year 2022, there were 50 – yes, you read that right – independent releases on vinyl whether via 7,10, or 12-inch.

That is not counting the reissues by the major labels who are merely cashing in and do not really care for the industry.

What we like in the independent sellers and labels is how they do it right. Meaning – outstanding printing of the jacket in standard or gatefold form with pictures, liner notes, inserts, stickers, pins, booklets, and whatnot. They take the time to remaster them specifically for vinyl and they make proper remuneration to the artists.

That is why the indie movement is more meaningful. The resurgence of vinyl is mainly because of these independent stores and artists themselves.

We saw that even at the start and height of the pandemic, sales of vinyl – both foreign and local did not slow down at all. It even increased meteorically. And the buyers of these titles aren’t necessarily the same as the others. Not everyone will purchase, say indie rock as opposed to metal. Each band, each genre, has its own audience.

Not all digital music listeners will purchase physical copies. It is the same with vinyl enthusiasts – not all will patronize the digital versions.

Furthermore, the sales were not just on a national level, but also international. And this helps push Filipino music out there.

This 2022 is the first time since 1991 where we have seen voluminous vinyl production locally.

The indie sellers and artists have their music pressed either in the United States, Eastern Europe, Taiwan, or Hong Kong.

Here’s the list:

1. Dawn of Cataclysm – Ataul
2. Kitchie Nadal
3. Six True Mentals Vol.3 – Six the Northstar
4. Ciudad
5. Filipino – Dong Abay
6. Sleeper’s Paradise – Various Artists
7. Locked Down Since 2002 – Various Artists
8. Autonimbus – Nonentities
9. Haru Kaze – Victor MKII
10. Discotrillion – Narda
11. Alert Level – Various Artists
12. Pagbigkas – Dicta License
13. The Jerks
14. The Jerks Live – The Jerks
15. Brain Salad
16. Blunt Instrument – Kapitan Kulam
17. Parallel Uno
18. What Mek Rasta – Sistah Lore Meets Soulsteppa
19. Culture Cow – Tarsius
20. Sudden Pictures – Polyphonic Vision
21. New Wave 1986-87 Recordings – Ethnic Faces
22. You Look So F***ing Empty Without Me – Space-Ta with Tarsius
23. Critical Times – Ras Taro/Red-I
24. Dubplate Pressure Records: Macka B, Ranking Joe, Earl Cunningham, Red-I.
25. Fatigue – Assembly Generals
26. Affinity – Johnny Alegre
27. The Bones We Used to Share – Brick City
28. Danum
29. Dead Girl – Noa Mal
30. Laurent Legs – Space-Ta
31. Kjwan
32. Pirata – The Youth
33. 98-05 – Eggboy
34. Kagid
35. Then & Now – Betrayed
36. Greatest Hits – Bras Pas Pas Pas Pas
37. The Class
38. Tales from the Alley – Lampano Alley
39. Pilipinas Hardcore III – Various Artists
40. All This Time – Itchyworms
41. Habangbuhay – Ebe Dancel
42. Weld – Squid 9
43. From Fiery Tongues – Basalt Shrine
44. Fuzz Sounds – Spacedog Spacecat
45. Sitcom Theme Songs – The Geeks
46. Don’t Blame the Wild One – Ena Mori
47. RJ and the Riots
48. The Awakening – Kiss the Bride
49. Papuri Kay Sathanas – Kambing/Ebwa
50. Fundamental Task – Rastaveli Meets Red-I

If 2022 was massive for independent artists and labels, 2023 is going to be even bigger.