Filipino band The Strange Creatures releases wondrous debut

Filipino band The Strange Creatures releases wondrous debut

by rick olivares

Filipino Dream Pop band The Strange Creatures released their first full length album titled, Phantasms, last October 9, under Terno Recordings.

The six-man band – guitarist/vocalist Jon Tamayo, keyboardist/vocalist Megumi Acorda, guitarists Tobit Rubio and Tan Evangelista, bassist Bam Butalid, and drummer Ryan Rillorta – have crafted a beautiful and dreamy album that was three-plus years in the making after their previous debut extended play album, Stargazer.

“It took us more than three years to record Phantasms because we had to go through the transition of changing female vocalists (from Stephanie Coojacinto to Megumi Acorda) and our bassist working abroad for a few months,” related Tamayo.

Tamayo agrees that Acorda’s addition and vocals have given The Strange Creatures a different dimension. “We found our sound evolving through the years. With Megs though, we found our identity and developed our sound,” described Tamayo of his bandmate. 

“She easily adapted to our musical influences making it easy for her to be creative with her keyboard lines. It is also huge that she is a music production student.”

The popular British bands of this genre with utilize different approaches to the vocals. Slowdive use voice as like an instrument with vocals that are subdued and like a layer.  Lush that adds a bit of punk energy that is typified today by the Cheatahs among others. Pinkshinyultrablast has picked up the baton of mostly unintelligible singing from the Cocteau Twins and Sigur Ros.

The Strange Creatures, find inspiration in the manner of the vocal interplay of Camera Obscura, Club 8, and the Acid House Kings.

The result is Phantasm, an album that is a blend of dream pop, twee, and the jingle jangle of indie pop. Acorda’s voice is at once lovely and spellbinding; making you want to hear more. She shows range that adds depth to the songs; very evident on the lead-off track “Moonstruck” with its achingly beautiful boy/girl harmony and the guitars adding riffs that give the song a bounce, the more pensive “Into Serenity” towards the end of the song, and the dazzling “I Feel Like I’m On Drugs”.

What is great about dream pop is its ability to transport one to flights of fantasy and realms of imagination. And the track “I Feel Like I’m On Drugs” allows Acorda to showcase the timbre of her delectable voice.

As a whole, Phantasms glistens with hope and shine. It demands that you listen to it with every fiber of your being as you take in the layers of sound, the harmonies, and the melodies.

It makes for nice listening alongside other dream pop albums Filipino alternative bands Sugar Hiccup (Of Tongues and Thoughts) and Taken By Cars (Plagues).

After Phantasms’ launch in the south at 19 East, The Strange Creatures are planning a launch in the northern part of Manila on November 10 at Tomato Kick in the Tomas Morato area. Phantasms, given an initial compact disc launch, is also being readied for its vinyl launch with this November or December as a result between a collaboration between Terno Recordings and China-based Boring Productions.

You should check this out because Phantasms is a darn good debut and should make any best-of-year-end lists.