.jpg)
Leading mobility company Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has energized its electrified vehicle lineup anew with the introduction of another highly anticipated subcompact vehicle, the All-New Toyota Yaris Cross.
As the latest addition to the automotive leader’s widest range of electrified vehicle offerings, the All-New Yaris Cross is expected to intensify Toyota’s drive for carbon neutral mobility with its attractive price point, making it Toyota’s most affordable electrified vehicle yet.
Filipino alt-rock outfit Sponge Cola has officially dropped their ninth studio album, Hometown, Part 2 via Sony Music Entertainment.
Embracing the anthemic immediacy of their 2022 outing with newfound warmth and restraint, the four-piece band’s latest album proves to be a vital example of how music can be a therapeutic outlet for expression and healing. The new collection of songs also sees the band exploring themes of triumph over adversity, resilience, and unfulfilled relationships. It also serves as a continuation of the band’s full-length album, Hometown—released in December 2022.
As lead guitarist Armo Armovit describes it, Hometown, Part 2 is all about finding connection in uncertain times. “We explored new ways of expressing familiar feelings with renewed perspectives incorporating different production elements, arrangement choices, and improved approaches to performance.”
The title also speaks for itself, serving as a continuation of one’s story, much like coming home to rest after a long journey and staying an extra weekend to reset. The record’s songwriting, on the other hand, was inspired by the members’ collective and individual fascination with K-drama and documentaries, as well as first-hand experiences with real-life events.
Drawing a lot of inspiration from pop and electronic elements, the 19-track album is produced by constant collaborator Joey Santos of Love One Another Studios, who has worked with some of the biggest and most underrated Philippine acts, including Ang Bandang Shirley, syd hartha, Coeli, and more.
.jpg)
Armo explains, “Joey Santos did a great job crafting the treatment for songs and dressing them in colors and styles that best express the message. The process was very organic and natural.”
Hometown, Part 2 is accompanied by the release of its focus track, “So Close,” which features pop singer Morissette. The song was specifically penned by Yael Yuzon, and tackles the story of two people who have built a deep connection over time, but whose relationship never really progressed into something that could last a lifetime.
“It's a song that took me 20 years to write,” shares vocalist and guitarist Yael Yuzon. “Inspired by Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez and The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, So Close talks about the possibility of a mirage in our poetic memory, a ‘what if’ that may have been nothing more than a light radiating from a dead star. We might just be romanticizing things.”
Other songs in the album include previous releases “Labis-labis,” a soaring tune that puts a uniquely captivating but relatable spin on the ‘love song’ format; “Hometown,” a grungy pop track with electronic textures and a catchy chorus; and “Siguro nga,” a pop-rock ballad based on a character study of a popular K-drama character.
Track list:
1. Hometown
2. Alamat (MLBB 5th Anniversary Theme)
3. Kung Ako ang Pumiling Tapusin Ito
4. Lumipas Ang Tag-araw
5. Laman Ng Panaginip
6. Labis-Labis
7. Siguro Nga
8. JAIRAH
9. Kung May Oras Ka
10. Signal #4
11. So Close (feat. Morissette)
12. Champions
13. In the End
14. Labis-Labis - Acoustic
15. Kung Ako ang Pumiling Tapusin Ito (Remix) (feat. Matthaios and Clien of ALLMO$T)
16. Kung Ako ang Pumiling Tapusin Ito - Acoustic
17. Siguro Nga – Acoustic (feat. Kai Honasan)
18. Siguro Nga (TMAC's lo-fi Mix)
19. Laman ng Panaginip – Acoustic
Sponge Cola’s Hometown, Part 2 is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
The pop-rock outfit will be officially performing the songs off their new record with an on-ground album launch in Eastwood City Central Plaza on August 12 from 6 pm onwards. Admission is free!
.jpg)
Photo credit: Kristina Yenko
Sydney-based artist BIRDEE 王煒 is slated to release her triumphant new single ‘Best Mistake I Never Made’ via Disruptive Entertainment.
According to the alt-pop singer-songwriter, the electro-pop track is about someone pleading for another chance, despite the situation being completely irreparable.
BIRDEE 王煒 shares, “Best Mistake I Never Made is about a boy who wanted another chance that I never gave. You can call it a diss track, but to me, it’s being selfishly confident in having healthy boundaries. We tend to focus on the mistakes we have made, but we never reflect on the mistakes we narrowly avoided.”
.png)
Six (6) Filipino music acts will be performing at this year’s AXEAN Festival, Southeast Asia’s premier collaborative showcase festival happening in Singapore on October 28 to 29 at Goodman Arts Centre in Singapore!
Filipino alt-rock icons The Itchyworms and critically acclaimed band Oh, Flamingo! will be joining Ena Mori, Alisson Shore, obese.dogma777 and LONER as the country’s representative to the second edition of the music festival.
“I knew Neill would bring a visceral, blood pumping feel to the movie,” says David Harbour, who plays Jack, a washed-up driver who becomes Jann Mardenborough’s chief engineer and teaches him the ins and outs of a real racecar. “What I didn’t really know was how much we were going to be working with actual cars, actual drivers, actual tracks. We’re in the cars, we’re doing pit tire changes and gassing up the cars in real-time with other drivers blazing around the track at 200mph. It’s really me in a helicopter flying 30 feet above racecars. It all plays into the intensity of the experience – which is critical to making a film about people having a very intense experience, risking everything for what they love.”
TCL is elevating your viewing experience with their latest C648 TV, designed for an immersive journey into outstanding image quality. It's like looking into a kaleidoscope, revealing an endless world of colors, thanks to its ability to display up to 93% of the DCI-P3 color standard, allowing for a broader and more vibrant range of colors.
The C648 also features Dolby Vision, allowing you to experience spellbinding scenes right in front of you. You'll feel as if you're in a theater, rather than just watching it at home.
.jpg)
