Manila Concert Junkies

R&B and alternative pop artist Alisson Shore announced on social media the oﬃcial merchandise for his latest album GARUDA. Collaborating with technical fashion brand SNK ATK Design Lab, the oﬃcial merchandise was revealed in a teaser video posted on Facebook and Twitter showing a sneak peek at two items;a tshirt and a tote bag with graphics inspired by the GARUDA album and designed by SNK ATK.

"We're big fans of Alisson's music, with some of his past music videos featuring elements in line with SNK ATK's aesthetic and attitude" said Psalm Alfafara , Creative Director and Principal Designer of SNK ATK Design Lab. "I had deep conversations with Alisson about his motivations for using the Garuda from Hindu mythology as a symbol for this album," Psalm describes. "With concept ﬁrmly in mind, we tapped Sketchole for the winged Alisson illustration and incorporated that into my graphic designs for the t-shirt and tote. I also designed the silhouette of the oversized shirt to ﬁt with Alisson's own personal style."

According to Alisson Shore, “GARUDA represents “wings”, and this album is a vehicle for my music taking ﬂight and reaching new heights as I create bigger and better experiences. This collab with SNK ATK is another way for me to explore new possibilities, as we create products that allow my fans to own a piece of the album, and by extension a piece of me.”

The oﬃcial GARUDA merch collab with SNK ATK is a limited edition collection and will be available for purchase on December 3, 2021 at 9:00pm via https://snkatk.co and Lazada. To listen to the GARUDA album, listen here.

Whether it’s Yuletide carols playing on loop, a live band playing the year’s chart-toppers, or everyone’s favorite uncle singing the night away on the karaoke mic he’s been hogging for the past five songs, there’s nothing like having music at a Pinoy Christmas get together to double everyone’s good vibes or GV. And while pandemic restrictions may have dampened our musical merry-making during the holidays, there are new ways to keep old traditions alive—one of which is through TM's Kantahang FunPasko.

“Because we are now in our second year in a pandemic, we at TM wanted to give Filipinos the doble-dobleng GV that they deserve,” says Darius Delgado, TM Vice President for Consumer Mobile Business.

TM's Kantahang FunPasko started off with a musical bonanza with the recent release of TM's Playlist on Spotify with songs that ka-TMs love.

Playlist tracks include the TM FunPasko song “Dobleng GV sa FunPasko (Noon, Ngayon, Palagi),” an anthem about raising Filipinos’ Christmas spirit amid the pandemic; “Push ang Pusuan”; “Fun Pasko 2020”; and “TM Doble Dekada,” a song that celebrates 20 years of TM and all of its subscribers, who are carrying on with the Samahang Pina-Easy spirit.

Last November 26, TM launches the official music video of “Dobleng GV sa FunPasko (Noon, Ngayon, Palagi)”. It features ka-TMs The Juans, SB19, Matthaios, Silent Sanctuary, Donnalyn Bartolome, Seth Fedelin, Andrea Brillantes, Alden Richards and our stans from TM Mad Rush To Your Crush—showing us that everyone is welcome sa TM samahan.

“With TM, there’s no stopping the doble-dobleng GV that Kantahang FunPasko will bring to this year’s Christmas celebrations,” says Delgado. “This musical experience allows our customers to find solace in these special songs and become part of something bigger than themselves.”

Visit this link to listen to TM’s newest song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tndMSpVVIVo

The rising four-piece act, The Wallblossoms, also known as The Fabulous Flower Boys, releases their latest single, “Lunod” last November 18.

Lunod recounts what it means to be swamped in the comforting warmth of love — dotingly crafted by the band’s vocalist (Bri Constantino) as an “anniversary gift” for his girlfriend.

“Lunod is a love tune that revolves around finding comfort and solace around the arms of the person you consider your home.”

In this latest single, the band delves into a refreshing style as they emanate a “stripped down song” caroled in Tagalog — granting their fans who have been hankering for more Tagalog song releases for the longest time.

“Lunod is a far cry from the sound our listeners are used to. That’s what we think, at least but it’s nice to try out something different,” says the band.

Published under O/C Records, Lunod marks the band’s first release for 2021 — picking up from their remarkable holiday tune, This Christmas, launched in November 2020.

“It’s always exciting when we release new music, and as cliché as it sounds, it still feels like the first time,” shares the fabulous flower boys.

The four-piece band comprises Bri Constantino on vocals; Janssen Lopez on bass; Rafael Lanozo on guitars; and Jao Serrano on drums.

The Wallblossoms is notable for their subtle style of tugging the heartstrings — strikingly touching on varying stories about love with their melancholic compositions that are undeniably saturated with emotive tunes. Among their noteworthy tracks include Sleep, All Ours, Miss Na Miss, You, and their hit fan-inspired single, Lizzie.

While the zealous fans of The Wallblossoms have been anticipating the release of their debut album this year, the planned record has been held off for next year as the ongoing pandemic halted the scheme.

Nonetheless, their newest single, Lunod, is now out for streaming on all leading digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

We recently caught up with Dark Pop German singer/songwriter FLØRE. She launched her second EP, ROMANIAC. Similar to her debut EP, SUPERBLOOM, she worked with Berlin-based indie pop artist NOVAA to produce the 5-track piece.

FLØRE has made her impressive debut in 2018, and made her way as part of Spotify’s RADAR program, got featured on Playlists like New Music Friday US on top of New Music Friday playlists in 20 other countries, Indie Pop, EQUAL GSA, Indie Womxn, Easy, and many more and decorated the cover of OFF POP when she released SUPERBLOOM’s lead single “I’m okay, i’m just a little depressed”.

Her single ‘Bad Medicine’ went straight to Germany’s Radio Top 200 charts. This year, she played her very first global live stream show on Amazon Music Session and played her first live show at Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg last September.

Here's our quick catch up with FLØRE:

MCJ: I’m Melanie, from Manila Concert Junkies and I’ve heard your song a few days ago and I was ecstatic hearing your new song.

FLØRE: Thank you so much!

MCJ: Yeah, I’ve been listening for the past few days so yeah. Okay… Can I start with my questions, sorry.

FLØRE: Yes

MCJ: Yeah, yeah, yeah.. Can you share with us how you started your career?

FLØRE: Um, well I started, well I started when I was like thirteen and I started to play the guitar.

MCJ: Oh, Cool!

FLØRE: Uh, well this is where I got like more into music and into singing and I was like kind off, yeah like even my family and I didn’t know that I’m like I might be a bit better at singing and when I started playing the guitar and I covered like these Taylor Swift songs. I was like, “oh, maybe I can- I can, like I’m a bit better at singing. Or like I kinda have a talent when it comes to music. Um, yeah like, I’ve released my first single in September 2018 so not that long ago, um, so yeah I’d like, it was not like one moment where i decided to make music, it’s just like I think that comes naturally. Uh, that you always have a bond with music and yes.

MCJ: How would you define your music in three words?

FLØRE: Um, emotional. Um, it’s hard. I’m so bad at describing things in three words. Ok.. emotional.. Uh, okay I’m very bad- [laughter]

MCJ: Haha! It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.

FLØRE: Uh, maybe.. Yeah, honest- very honest and-- what’d you call it? When it’s like vari- variable? Like, uh, what’s the word for it. Not like different but like it has different sights.

MCJ: Uh, eccentric? Or something?

FLØRE: Um, yeah, i don’t know- like the words today. [laughter] Um, so yeah, emotional, honest, and different. That I’m saying this-

MCJ: Different- different- different in what manner?

FLØRE: Yeah like, it has- that it has like- because right now i’m working on songs which sound more like- punky? Like rock- so there’s like variation, variation, variation, so i don’t know what’s the word for it. But yeah.

MCJ: Yeah, it’s okay, yeah. How would you compare your latest EP, 'ROMANIAC' to ‘SUPERBLOOM’? Your song from ‘SUPERBLOOM’ to your latest EP? So how would you compare it?

FLØRE: Um, ‘SUPERBLOOM’, I think it’s way more delicate. It comes more from the perspective of like “Oh, I’m hurt. You left me and now I'm alone.” [laughter] and but ‘Romaniac’ is more like this- it has a stronger mindset, I would say. And it’s like “yeah, i know you left me and this relationship might be toxic but I kinda enjoy it and i kinda like to use you for my art so it has like a stronger- yeah, i has like a stronger mindset. Um, yeah and it’s a bit tougher, I would say.

MCJ: Hm, cool. How- How do you feel working with NOVAA?

FLØRE: Uh, well I’m very grateful that I have her. Uh, we produced this EP on our own. So it’s just like 2 girls setup.

MCJ: Wow!

FLØRE: Yeah, I write these songs and I produce them on my Ipad- demo versions- and then I send her- send her the tracks and she works on it and then she sends me the tracks back so yeah. It’s very nice to work with her. Um, and having this exchange like that- for example, with the pandemic, we don’t need to actually meet up, we can like send each other over the internet on the tracks.

MCJ: Haha, cool. That’s cool, awesome. Yeah, inspiration in working on your latest EP?

FLØRE: Uh, the inspiration is like- this EP is-uh focused around on the shadow sides of love- like- toxic relationships, as i said. Or like secret killer fantasies, for example in that voice. Yeah, so- um, the inspiration is just like heartbreak, in general. And getting left and being like, left alone but yeah, using this to create something that’s beautiful. You know, songs, and like yeah.

MCJ: Do you have dream collaborations that you’re looking forward to- your dream collaboration with other artists? Either German or Filipino? Are you- are you looking forward to it?

FLØRE: Uh, well.. YUNGBLUD- [laughter] So, this would be like- I really love him- and I love his style of music and he’s a big inspiration so I would say YUNGBLUD. And I love Lorde.

MCJ: Oh, cool!

FLØRE: Yeah, or Aurora- something- yeah. Someone like that.

MCJ: Yeah, hm… That would be all, actually. So, one last question. Uh- are you planning to visit the Philippines soon? Or in the near future? After this pandemic.

FLØRE: Yeah, I would love to. I haven’t seen a lot of the world yet so I haven’t travelled a lot. Yeah, so far, I’ve never left- like- Europe. Um, so, this is like something- this is like one of my biggest dreams to travel the world with my music and playing shows. So, yeah I would love to really- it’s like- one of my biggest dreams

MCJ: Hoho, hope to see you soon. Because I’ve been attending concerts before- before the pandemic so hope to meet you soon.

FLØRE: Oh, that’s cute. [laughter]

Check out FLØRE on Spotify, Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook,and YouTube.

It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for all year: An Evening With Silk Sonic has arrived.

Multiple GRAMMY® Award winners Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have finally dropped their debut album as Silk Sonic with help from special guest host Bootsy Collins. An Evening With Silk Sonic includes their three previously released charting hits “Leave The Door Open,” “Skate,” and “Smokin Out The Window” alongside 5 unreleased tracks.

TRACKLIST:

1. Intro

2. Leave The Door Open

3. Fly As Me

4. After Last Night (W/ Thundercat & Bootsy Collins)

5. Smokin Out The Window

6. Put On A Smile

7. 777

8. Skate

9. Blast Off

Filipino Hooligans are in for a treat as Warner Music Philippines, together with Magic 89.9, are hosting a listening party over at Stationhead on November 20, Saturday, at 7pm Philippine Time. Get a chance to win official Silk Sonic merchandise while you listen with your fellow Hooligans in the Philippines! To join, just download the Stationhead app and join the party at Silk Sonic’s official Stationhead profile here: wmp.lnk.to/silksonicstationhead

Did you listen to the tracks? What can you say about it? Comment down below!

Last October 22, JUNGSU and MAIJAY dropped their double single, REAL LIFE and Already Rich.

[REAL LIFE] is JUNGSU's first collaboration release soon after the release of “Breakdown” last August.

With these tracks which holds a classic hype modern trap and old school boom bap beats, this is different from his previous releases of a mellow, melodic mood; the message of each songs still the same.

They shared their thoughts on what meaningful, fulfilling life would like. Doesn't matter the money or fame, all good thrilling experiences will be there but they seem to wonder what is actually lasts eternally.

As they shared their faith in Jesus, as you will learn about the true meaning of REAL LIFE, even if you didn't realize that we're "Already Rich" even without the materialistic possessions around you. The most important thing is our relationship with God. He is possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." - Matthew 13:44

If you're into upbeat song while hitting the gym, go listen to Already Rich. Chill vibes on a free day listen to REAL LIFE.

You can stream REAL LIFE and Already Rich on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Melon, Bugs, Naver Vibe, FLO and genie.