music
Thursday, August 6, 2026
If you're just beginning your vinyl journey or looking to expand your growing record collection, PlakaMNL is an online record shop worth bookmarking. Known for its impressive selection of rare and hard-to-find albums, the store caters to both first-time collectors and seasoned audiophiles. Beyond vinyl records, you'll also find quality turntables, speakers, and essential accessories to help you build the perfect listening setup—all at prices that won't break the bank. Whether you're hunting for a beloved classic, an OPM favorite, or the latest reissue, PlakaMNL makes discovering your next treasured record an enjoyable experience. The shop also carries both brand-new and pre-owned vinyl, along with turntables and audio equipment from well-known brands, making it a convenient one-stop destination for music lovers.
Starter recos:
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Three young musicians from Cagayan de Oro are quietly redefining Filipino progressive rock—crafting ambitious, genre-defying music that deserves a place on every serious rock fan's playlist.
There is something thrilling about discovering a band before everyone else does.
Every once in a while, a young act emerges with a sound so assured and distinctive that it reminds us why we fell in love with music in the first place. At a time when playlists are increasingly shaped by algorithms and fleeting trends, Cyber Band stands apart by choosing musicianship over formulas and artistic exploration over instant gratification.
Hailing from Cagayan de Oro City, Cyber Band is a three-piece progressive rock outfit formed in 2019. The band is composed of singer-songwriter and guitarist Andrew Patuasic, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Isaac Villegas, and drummer, keyboardist and backing vocalist Cermund John Alcantara.
Inspired by progressive rock giants such as Rush, King Crimson, Queen, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Filipino rock legends Juan Dela Cruz Band, the trio has created a sound that is ambitious without being pretentious. Their music effortlessly fuses progressive rock, jazz fusion, funk, classical influences, and melodic songwriting into compositions that are both intellectually engaging and emotionally rewarding.
What makes Cyber Band remarkable isn't simply technical proficiency, although they possess that in abundance but their remarkable musical maturity. Still in their early twenties, they compose with a confidence and sophistication rarely heard from artists their age. Having started their musical journeys in grade school, they have evolved with astonishing speed, each release revealing greater artistic depth than the last.
Growing With Every Album
Their debut album, In My Dumb Perspective (2020), captures the uncertainty and emotional intensity of youth through melodic, guitar-driven rock songs that remain refreshingly sincere. It is a modest beginning compared to their later work, yet already hints at the band's compositional strengths.
Tracks such as "Puso," "Kulay," "Ako Na Lang," and "Everything" showcase an instinct for memorable melodies and heartfelt storytelling. Among them, Puso remains a personal favorite for its emotional honesty and beautifully restrained vocal performance.
Cyber Band's artistic leap becomes unmistakable in The Light (2022), later released as an analog remaster in 2024.
This is the album where everything comes together.
Sophisticated guitar arrangements intertwine with adventurous harmonic ideas, dynamic rhythm changes, and fearless experimentation, resulting in a record that feels cohesive rather than overwhelming. Every song reveals another layer upon repeated listens, making it one of those rare albums that continues to reward the listener long after the first play.
The recognition was well deserved. The Light received Best Album of the Year at the Indie Musicians Music Awards in 2023, affirming what many listeners had already discovered—that Cyber Band was quietly becoming one of the country's most exciting independent acts.
Favorites include "The Light," "As I Sail," "Where Are You," "Wars," and "A Million Things." Together they form an album that invites uninterrupted listening from beginning to end.
Beyond Genres
Cyber Band's standalone singles further demonstrate the band's refusal to be confined by expectations.
"Don't You Ever Give Up" carries shades of post-punk reminiscent of early U2 while maintaining the band's unmistakable identity. It is instantly memorable, infectious, and the kind of song that quietly becomes your latest last-song syndrome.
Meanwhile, "Kilos Ka Na" proves that an anthem can deliver conviction without sacrificing nuance or musical sophistication.
Through the Passages of Time
Released in 2024, Through the Passages of Time is arguably Cyber Band's most ambitious work to date.
This is progressive rock in its purest form—bold, immersive, technically demanding, yet deeply emotional. Rather than chasing conventional song structures, the album unfolds like a carefully constructed journey, allowing ideas to breathe and evolve naturally.
Listening feels like stepping into an expansive cinematic landscape where every instrument serves the story. The arrangements possess an almost orchestral quality, remarkable considering they are created by only three musicians. Guitar passages soar with elegance, keyboards create rich atmospheric textures, and the rhythm section anchors every transition with remarkable precision.
The album's 23-minute title track is nothing short of extraordinary.
"Through the Passages of Time" is less a song than a musical voyage. It moves through shifting moods, changing tempos, intricate instrumental passages, and moments of breathtaking restraint, inviting listeners into a world where time seems suspended. Every section reveals another dimension of the band's creativity, rewarding careful listening rather than demanding immediate attention.
It is an experience that reminds us why progressive rock continues to endure—not because it is complicated, but because it allows music the freedom to become limitless.
Final Notes
Cyber Band is not merely reviving progressive rock for a new generation. They are quietly redefining what contemporary Filipino rock music can sound like.
Their music asks listeners to slow down, listen closely, and appreciate the craftsmanship behind every note. In an age of disposable singles and shortened attention spans, that commitment to artistry feels almost revolutionary.
If you've been searching for music that challenges, surprises, and rewards with every listen, Cyber Band deserves a place in your rotation. They may still be one of OPM's best-kept secrets—but perhaps not for much longer.
Follow Cyber Band on Spotify to keep tab on their discography and new releases:
Thursday, July 9, 2026
A thoughtfully curated Spotify playlist of indie gems, mellow pop, dreamy acoustics, and feel-good tracks to make every commute a little lighter.
Streaming platforms like Spotify have become the soundtrack to our everyday lives. Whether we’re rushing to work, staring out the window on a bus ride home, or simply trying to quiet a busy mind, there’s always a song that fits the moment. Music has a remarkable way of transforming ordinary routines into experiences worth savoring.
For someone like me who commutes to and from work every day, that daily journey has become a ritual in itself. Instead of letting traffic, crowded rides, and long queues dictate my mood, I reach for my earphones and let music take over. The right playlist doesn’t just make time pass faster—it softens the edges of a hectic day, eases a tired mind, and turns the commute into a welcome pause between responsibilities.
That’s exactly why I created Cool Commute.
Curated for rush-hour mornings, golden-hour drives, and after-work rides home, Cool Commute is a thoughtfully assembled collection of indie gems, mellow pop, dreamy acoustic melodies, ambient textures, pajama-pop, and feel-good tracks. It’s a playlist that balances energy with calm—music that keeps you moving while giving your mind room to breathe.
Rather than demanding your attention, these songs become companions on the road. They color familiar streets with fresh emotion, make ordinary landscapes feel cinematic, and remind us that even the most routine journeys can hold small moments of joy.
So the next time you’re heading to work, catching the train, or simply taking the long way home, press play and let the music carry you.
Because sometimes, the best part of the day isn’t the destination—it’s the soundtrack that gets you there.
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Thirty years after Wolfgang changed Filipino rock, Basti Artadi's solo work reveals the artist behind the roar—a songwriter of remarkable depth, vulnerability, and fearless reinvention.
Basti Artadi needs no introduction. The wildly charismatic frontman, singer-songwriter, visual artist, and creative force behind legendary Filipino rock band Wolfgang has long outgrown the shadow of the band that made him a household name. Three decades after Wolfgang reshaped the landscape of Filipino rock, Artadi continues to evolve—fearlessly chasing new sounds while remaining unmistakably himself.
For the longest time, I associated his voice with Wolfgang's crushing guitars and unapologetic heaviness. His unmistakable growl became the soundtrack of an entire generation of rock fans. So when Wolfgang 30 came around, it nudged me down a Spotify rabbit hole that led me, somewhat belatedly, into Basti Artadi's solo catalog.
It felt like reconnecting with an old friend only to discover there were chapters of his life I had completely missed.
There was a tinge of regret in realizing I hadn't followed his solo journey more closely through the years. Yet perhaps there was also something beautiful about discovering it all at once. Hearing the music today, free from the expectations that accompany new releases, allowed each record to unfold on its own terms.
Whenever I review an artist, I make time for uninterrupted listening. I slip on a pair of wired IEMs—the kind that disappear into your ears and let the music take over and spend an entire day living alongside the songs.
The music follows me everywhere.
It hums softly while I nurse a mug of coffee, read a few chapters of a book, potter around the garden, or spend an unhurried afternoon playing with my cats. By late afternoon, I bring it with me on my walks along the Iloilo River Esplanade, watching tangerine skies slowly surrender to crimson as daylight fades into evening.
Music always hits differently when you're in motion.
Somewhere between footsteps and sunset, melodies settle deeper into the bones. Lyrics breathe differently. I simply allow my synesthetic imagination to wander and follow wherever the songs choose to take me.
My first impression of Artadi's solo work?
He sounds expensive.
If I could bottle the feeling of his music into a fragrance, it would smell like Creed Aventus—bold without being loud, refined yet rugged, quietly luxurious without trying too hard. Some records don't merely entertain; they evoke textures, colors, scents, and movement. Artadi's catalog does exactly that.
Listening feels cinematic.
One moment I'm inside a dimly lit blues bar. The next, I'm driving down an endless highway beneath amber skies. Then suddenly the music veers into alternative country before settling comfortably into folk-inflected introspection.
It also struck me that Artadi's voice would be perfectly at home on an indie folk record—a genre I happen to adore. Beyond the grit lies remarkable restraint. He knows exactly when to lean into power and when to pull back into vulnerability. Few vocalists navigate those emotional extremes with such ease.
His 2014 album, Everybody Knows the Dice Are Loaded, may have been released over a decade ago, but hearing it for the first time in 2026 made it feel entirely new. Good music, after all, has no expiration date.
The album's title unmistakably nods to Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows," and much like its namesake, the record wrestles with the complexities of the human condition—love, regret, longing, resilience, and quiet acceptance.
This is where Artadi's greatest strength reveals itself.
His emotional range.
"Last Goodbye" aches with remarkable tenderness, proving that the same voice capable of commanding a stadium can also whisper heartbreak with devastating intimacy. On the opposite end of the spectrum, "Easy Leisure Ladies of Rock & Roll" swaggers with playful irreverence, infused with Latin rhythms and a delightfully loose, almost tipsy vocal performance that never loses its precision.
Whether he's delivering a hushed baritone or unleashing that familiar gravelly roar, every note feels lived in rather than performed.
For longtime Wolfgang fans like myself, the solo records offer something unexpectedly refreshing.
Without towering walls of distortion, acoustic guitars, blues influences, Americana textures, and melodic grooves create space for Artadi's voice to become the central instrument. Every subtle inflection, every breath, every pause becomes part of the storytelling.
What emerges is not simply a rock vocalist trying something different, but a songwriter completely at ease with his artistic identity.
His latest album, Black on Black/Blood on White (2023), continues that spirit of exploration, proving that even after decades in music, Artadi remains creatively restless. There is no sense of chasing trends or reliving former glory—only an artist following his instincts wherever they lead.
There are no obvious filler tracks.
No songs that merely occupy space between the singles.
Each piece possesses its own personality, inviting listeners to discover a different shade of the same artist. Rather than searching for "the hit," the joy lies in immersing yourself in the entire journey.
If Wolfgang introduced us to Basti Artadi's roar, his solo work reveals everything in between—the quiet confidence, the bruised tenderness, the restless curiosity, and the songwriter who has always existed beneath the distortion.
Sometimes the best musical discoveries aren't the newest releases.
They're the ones that patiently wait for us until we're finally ready to listen.
And perhaps that is what makes his solo catalog so rewarding.
My Top 12 Basti Artadi Solo Tracks
- Goodbye Rye
- Last Goodbye
- Blackness of Heaven
- In Shadow (with Perf de Castro)
- Darkness Calls
- Denim Blue/Salty Kisses
- Easy Leisure Ladies of Rock & Roll
- Azalea (Just Like the Flower)
- Bagong Siglo (with Christian Bautista and Gloc-9)
- Panay Abo
- In the Wind
- Stargazer (with Razorback)
New to Basti Artadi? Start here:
• For longtime Wolfgang fans: Blackness of Heaven
• For singer-songwriter lovers: Last Goodbye
• For blues rock: Goodbye Rye
• For something playful: Easy Leisure Ladies of Rock & Roll
• For a taste of his newer work: In Shadow
Final Thoughts
Basti Artadi’s solo catalog is one of OPM’s most rewarding rediscoveries. Free from the expectations of Wolfgang, he explores blues, Americana, alternative country, folk, and acoustic rock with remarkable confidence. It is a body of work that deserves to be heard in its entirety—not simply cherry-picked for singles. Longtime Wolfgang fans may come for the familiar voice, but they’ll stay for the songwriter.
Essential Listening
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
A signed album, lingering concert euphoria, and the joy of growing older with the music that shaped us.
I'm still reeling from the euphoric high of Manila 2.0: The Wolfgang Reunion Concert Tour held at the Filinvest Tent in Alabang, Muntinlupa. It may take weeks before this nostalgia-fueled hysteria finally wears off.
I can still feel Wolf Gemora's thunderous drumbeats and hear Basti Artadi's warm, full voice filling every corner of the venue. Manuel Legarda and Marco Cuneta's dynamic guitar tandem remains etched in my mind, their interplay so intuitive it bordered on telepathic. The earth-shaking riffs. The raw energy. Pure rock and roll sorcery.
When Basti urged the crowd to raise their middle fingers in collective defiance—a salute to a generation that refuses to be subdued by age, expectations, or BS—we were officially transported back to 1995.
As I slip back into the daily grind, I can't help but feel grateful for the rare privilege of witnessing a band that defined my youth celebrate three decades of music. For one night, we relived the old days. We sang every lyric. We became 23 again.
On June 20, 2026, the kids of the '90s were one tribe once more.
To stage a reunion concert after thirty years is perhaps the greatest measure of a band's success. When your songs become life anthems—soundtracks to heartbreak, triumph, resilience, and growing up—you know your music has fulfilled its purpose.
As a fan, I couldn't be happier for Wolfgang. As Basti once wrote on Facebook, the fans are the band's fifth member. And somehow, that makes this journey feel even more special.
Back at work today, a long-awaited parcel finally arrived in the mail: the Batch 2 limited-edition Wolfgang 30 CD that I ordered from Jeepney Rock Stop.
It's been ages since I've held a CD in my hands. It's been even longer since I've ripped one onto a computer. I don't own a proper CD player anymore—just an external drive connected to my laptop. Maybe it's time to buy a portable CD player. Am I officially back in 1990s mode?
I think so.
The Wolfgang 30 album packaging is artsy yet straightforward, featuring Paolo Cagampan's striking artwork in a blue, gold, and white color palette. The sleeve includes song lyrics and short anecdotes about how the tracks came to be. The only problem? The lyrics are printed in microscopic nano-sized fonts.
Seriously, Wolfgang?
Your 50-year-old fans need a magnifying glass.
I also love how the band was cheeky enough to include a tiny group photo with a taho and balut vendor. It's roughly one inch by three-quarters of an inch, and it perfectly captures Wolfgang's offbeat sense of humor.
The CD itself embraces a clean, minimalist aesthetic—black on white, simple and masculine. Since this copy is signed, it automatically earns a permanent spot in my Wolfgang treasure box.
And yes, I'm already eyeing the upcoming Acoustica vinyl release.
If physical media isn't your thing, by all means stream Wolfgang on Spotify and other music platforms. They deserve far more than a million monthly listeners.
What I particularly love about Wolfgang 30 is the band's decision to re-record these songs with Basti's present-day voice. Time has given his vocals a warmth, depth, and richness that add new dimensions to familiar tracks. The songs haven't aged.
They've matured.
Like fine wine—or your libation of choice.
A new song, The Blackened Sea of Carrion is also included in this limited-edition CD. I loved the song the first moment I heard it. I believe a video version is available on the band's YouTube channel.
The album is masterfully recorded, mixed, and mastered by guitar wizard Manuel Legarda at Loudbox Studios. Listening to it, I couldn't help but wonder what a future spatial audio remix might sound like.
A fan can dream.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Wolfgang 30 isn't just a commemorative album. It's a celebration of survival, brotherhood, and the enduring power of rock music. Thirty years later, Wolfgang still sounds hungry, dangerous, and unapologetically alive.
And for those of us who grew up with their music, that's exactly what we needed.
Stream Wolfgang 30 here:
Monday, June 8, 2026
From Cup of Joe's Gen Z faithful to Wolfgang's reunion crowd in Passi, Iloilo, three concerts revealed how every generation finds itself in the music it loves—and why nostalgia remains the most powerful encore of all.
The best thing about surviving May wasn't the arrival of June.
It was the music.
After weeks of oppressive heat, random prickly heat flare-ups, and the daily indignity of feeling permanently damp, I emerged from the month's meteorological assault with a curious realization: I had somehow spent the hottest month of the year attending three concerts that felt like three different versions of the Philippines.
There was the Cup of Joe Stardust Tour in Iloilo. Then came Tanduay First Five. Finally, Wolfgang's Reunion Tour in Passi City.
Three concerts. Three generations. Three entirely different ideas of what it means to be a Filipino music fan.
And somewhere between Gen Z euphoria and Gen X nostalgia, I found myself confronting an uncomfortable truth.
I am no longer the target market.
The discovery wasn't traumatic. It was simply... illuminating.
At the Cup of Joe concert, I was surrounded by Joewahs singing every lyric with the kind of emotional conviction usually reserved for first love and final heartbreak. They knew exactly when to raise their phones, when to scream, and when to sway in unison.
I admired the enthusiasm.
I also felt approximately one hundred years old.
The same thing happened at Tanduay First Five. The crowd skewed young. They effortlessly sang along to songs I vaguely recognized from Spotify playlists and viral TikTok clips. Names like Zack Tabudlo and Flow G existed in my consciousness mostly as streaming recommendations rather than artists whose discographies I knew by heart.
Meanwhile, I found myself waiting for Parokya ni Edgar while quietly calculating whether my lower back would survive another two hours of standing.
Nobody warns you that one of the defining experiences of middle age is discovering that concerts become endurance sports.
What fascinated me wasn't the music itself but the generational differences in how people consumed it.
For Gen Z, music seems inseparable from community. Songs arrive attached to trends, reels, edits, and collective online experiences. Their fandom is visible, performative, and highly participatory.
For Gen X, music was identity.
We didn't merely listen to bands. We built entire personalities around them.
Heavy metal wasn't a playlist category.
It was a worldview.
Grunge wasn't an aesthetic.
It was a belief system.
Britpop, punk rock, alternative rock—these weren't algorithmic recommendations. They were tribes.
Back then, musical tastes functioned as social currency. The bands on your cassette collection told people who you were. Your concert shirt was a declaration. Your favorite album was practically a personality test.
Naturally, everything outside your preferred genre was considered cringe.
Youth is nothing if not uncompromising.
Perhaps that explains why I struggle to understand contemporary genre labels.
Cup of Joe is often described as alternative pop, indie pop, or pop rock. But for those of us who grew up during the 1990s, "alternative" referred to artists operating outside the mainstream. Once a band started selling out arenas, they graduated from alternative status.
Then again, every generation rewrites the definitions.
The kids are probably right.
Or maybe they're wrong.
Either way, language evolves while aging teaches you not to care quite as much.
The irony is that I genuinely enjoyed both concerts.
I loved watching thousands of young Filipinos become emotionally invested in local music. OPM has never been more vibrant, more diverse, or more commercially successful. Every generation deserves its own soundtrack.
The soundtrack simply changes.
You don't.
Which brings me to Wolfgang.
I almost didn't attend their reunion concert because of transportation issues. When the organizers announced free round-trip transfers at the last minute, I impulsively decided to go.
Alone.
Sometimes adulthood means realizing you no longer need company to enjoy the things you love.
The moment Wolfgang stepped onstage, something shifted.
Suddenly, I wasn't analyzing demographics or observing cultural trends. I wasn't thinking about generational differences or social media algorithms.
I was simply a fan.
Basti Artadi still commands a stage with the effortless swagger that made him a rock star in the first place. Manuel Legarda remains a terrifyingly gifted guitarist. Wolf Gemora's drumming is still powerful enough to rattle your rib cage.
Thirty years after the release of Wolfgang's debut album, the music remains as powerful as ever. The songs that once fueled our youth still hit with the same intensity, even as the people singing along have grown older.
As the guitars roared, the years disappeared almost instantly.
The remarkable thing wasn't that they could still perform.
The remarkable thing was how quickly the audience transformed.
Middle-aged professionals became teenagers again.
Parents became former rebels.
Responsible adults became fans screaming lyrics they hadn't heard live in decades.
Nostalgia often gets dismissed as sentimental indulgence. But perhaps nostalgia serves a more important purpose.
Perhaps it reminds us that every version of ourselves still exists somewhere.
The teenager who discovered Wolfgang in the late 1990s isn't gone.
She's simply hidden beneath deadlines, responsibilities, maintenance medications, and an increasingly practical pair of shoes.
All it takes is a familiar guitar riff to bring her back.
By any objective measure, Wolfgang's concert was not merely the best performance I saw in May.
It was the most meaningful.
Not because the band was better than the younger acts.
Not because the music was superior.
But because, for two glorious hours in a comfortably air-conditioned arena in Passi City, time folded in on itself.
The distance between who I was and who I am suddenly felt very small.
The summer heat, the traffic, the logistics, the aching feet—none of it mattered.
For one night, it was the 1990s again.
And judging from the smiles on the faces around me, I wasn't the only one who felt it.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Put your headphones on and explore Iloilo City on foot with a Spotify playlist made for slow walks and golden hour moments. From sun-drenched afternoons to breezy twilight strolls, this curated mix of gentle OPM and energizing indie beats is designed to help you fall in love with the City of Love—one step at a time.
Languid strolls can lift a sour mood. Picking up the pace can untangle an overthinking mind.
As you move, inhale the city’s calm, unhurried energy. Let the good vibes sink in while a heady mix of gentle OPM melodies and energizing indie beats sets the rhythm of your walk. There’s something about the cadence of the music blending with the city’s pace—it settles into your soul before you even realize it.
Feel it already? Do a gentle warm-up, press play, and let the streets, skies, and familiar corners unfold around you. This is your time to slow down, look up, and rediscover the quiet charm of Iloilo City—one step, one song at a time.
Don’t forget to save the playlist on Spotify. See you around the City of Love.
Friday, January 23, 2026
Cloud Dancer (Pantone 11-4201) feels like a held breath—quiet, weightless, and reassuring. It lives in that liminal space between white and sky, where blue and gray dissolve into something barely there. Like almond milk poured into tea, it softens without erasing, calms without dimming. It is a color that does not ask for attention, yet creates the perfect atmosphere for everything else to be seen more clearly.
To bask in its contemplative softness, imagine pairing Cloud Dancer with a sound bath—tones that drift, linger, and gently fade, much like clouds themselves.
Cloud Dancer Sound Bath
A calming Spotify playlist for rest, reflection, and gentle becoming
You can search these tracks directly on Spotify or build your own playlist inspired by them:
- ✨ Opening – Light & Air
- Marconi Union – “Weightless”
- Brian Eno – “An Ending (Ascent)”
- Hammock – “Turn Away and Return”
- ☁️ Floating – Dreamy & Spacious
- Nils Frahm – “Says”
- Ólafur Arnalds – “Near Light”
- A Winged Victory for the Sullen – “Steep Hills of Vicodin Tears”
- 🕊️ Resting – Soft Piano & Ambient Calm
- Joep Beving – “Sleeping Lotus”
- Max Richter – “Dream 3 (in the midst of my life)”
- Hania Rani – “F Major”
- 🌙 Closing – Stillness & Breath
- East Forest – “10 Laws”
- Julianna Barwick – “Look Into Your Own Mind”
- Sigur Rós – “Samskeyti”
How to listen like Cloud Dancer
-Play at low volume, just above silence
-Listen during early morning light or late afternoon lull
-Pair with white curtains moving in the breeze, warm tea, or journaling
-Let your thoughts pass—no need to hold onto them
Cloud Dancer is not about escape.
It’s about permission—to slow down, to soften your edges, and to let the rest of your life’s colors quietly glow.
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