New cassette releases by Pinoy indie artists

New cassette releases by Pinoy indie artists

by rick olivares

Vinyl isn’t the only music format that is making a comeback. The cassette – yes, the cassette – has gained in popularity over the past few years. Whether in large part by its prominent feature in the Guardians of the Galaxy films and the sudden taste for anything analog, the cassette is back.

Locally, indie and underground artists have frequently released cassette albums. Here are three of the latest that you must get.

No Palabras – Reyerta

The second album from this power violence band from Singapore that is two parts Spanish and two parts Filipino. The Pinoy contingent includes bassist Gwen Cañete (who also plays lead guitar with Singaporean thrash metal band, Tormentress), and guitarist, Ruel, who is based in Malaysia.

Reyerta, which means quarrel in Spanish, released their self-titled album in October 2017 on cassette. Six months later, the band released their sophomore outing titled, No Palabras (roughly meaning “no words”) also on cassette.

Well, No Palabras is a handful even if the longest track clocks in at a total of 1:24! Yes. The songs just like the ones in the self-titled debut are brutally short. Forget lyrical poignancy. This type of extreme music eschews that. No Palabras features eight angry songs that question and declare one’s independence of the world that suffocates them into indifference and silence.

In fact, Spanish lead singer Carmen digs up the curious and sensational case of John and Lorena Bobbitt (wherein the latter cut off her husband’s penis in a fit of rage after allegedly being raped) in a song simply titled - and probably misspelled - “Bobbit”. Carmen channels Lorena Bobbitt with a rage, “Your inferiority disguised in brutality. It will not touch me. It will not shut me up. The power of your reason will not shut me up.”

Dagnabit!

And that is the tip of the iceberg. No Palabras is one brutal and angry album, but it is more powerful and focused. Perhaps, the band has gotten used to playing with one another. Whatever it is… the songs remain at a blistering pace.

Check out local distros Delusion of Terror, Sickos Records, and Still Ill Records on Facebook for copies of Reyerta’s cassette albums.

Someday We Will Rule the Universe – Memoryville

Memoryville is taking Tears For Fears several steps farther. The Bath, England duo had a worldwide hit in “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” As for Kurvine Chua aka Memoryville, he hatched a plot with his debut four-track EP… Someday We Will Rule the Universe.

And this cassette EP will rule your New Wave heart.

Chua mines the past with his work. In fact, when I first met up with Chua, he was wearing a Talking Heads ’77 t-shirt. Now listening to his solo outing Someday We Will Rule the Universe, I am reminded of Howard Jones, early Depeche Mode and Heaven 17, and other synth-purveyors of the New Wave era with a mien for gloom and dance. He clearly gets the music and by his backtracking not only pays homage, but takes this “bedroom dream pop” to another level.

This is something you play when the world around you is quiet. Trust me. You will appreciate it better.

It is available in both compact disc and cassette from United Cassettes Philippines. Check them out on Facebook. The cassette costs P370 pesos.

Terror Prone Nation – Material Support

This four-piece punk band from Queens, New York is three-fourths Fil-American. Their album debut, Terror Prone Nation, finds them raging against imperialism to inequality to war.

You don’t have to agree with their politics, but the songs and even the recording are damn good. I know it’s punk rock and some bands couldn’t care less about esthetics, but the recording is very impressive. Lead singer Jackie’s vocals are very clear and you can really appreciate the musicianship of the band. It isn’t mindless thrashing or riffing.

This cassette album is available locally through Mutilated Noise Records. Check them out on Facebook as well if you want to score a copy of this.