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Draft:Isapuso

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Isapuso
Studio album
ReleasedNovember 3, 2023 (2023-11-03)
StudioStudio Z (Dagundong, Dayang, Day and Night)
Genre
Length26:15
Language
LabelViva
Producer
Singles from Isapuso
  1. "Day and Night"
    Released: June 14, 2023
  2. "Walang Hanggan"
  3. "Dagundong"
  4. "Dayang"

Isapuso (lit. 'Take to Heart'; stylized as IsaPuso[a]) is the first studio album by the Filipino boy band Alamat. It comes after their first extended play, Pasulong (transl. Forward), in 2022. Isapuso encompasses various musical genres, including ones that the group have used before (e.g. pop and R&B), but also sounds that are newer to the group, like disco. The album also features several Philippine languages, reinforcing the group's advocacy of cultural and linguistic diversity.

Viva Records released the album on November 3, 2023. Isapuso received critical acclaim, and most of the songs placed on year-end and "best of" lists. It also earned some nods from award-giving bodies, including nominations for Best Original Theme Song at the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival ("Dagundong"), Best Dance/Electronic Recording at the 37th Awit Awards ("Day and Night"), and Album of the Year at the 9th P-pop Music Awards.

Background and production

[edit]

The Philippine pop boy band Alamat underwent nine months of training by Viva Records, with creative direction by Ninuno Media. The group released the music video for their debut single, "Kbye" (stylized in all lowercase), on February 14, 2021. In a press release, Ninuno Media emphasized the group's commitment to representing the Philippines' cultural and linguistic diversity.[1]

Following the premiere of a few more singles in 2021 and 2022,[2][3] Alamat released Pasulong (transl. Forward), their first extended play, in October 2022.[4] It included tracks such as "Maharani" (transl. Queen), the commercial success of which Nylon Manila described as "career-defining".[5] It is their most-streamed single so far.[5][6] In July 2023, Alamat announced at the PPOPCON that they would release their first full-length album, Isapuso (transl. Take to Heart or One Heart) in November.[4][6] Jason Paul Laxamana, the group's creative director, explained that the album's title was wordplay between the Tagalog[b] words "isapuso", meaning "take to heart", and "isa(ng) puso", meaning "one heart".[7]

Production for the eight songs of Isapuso took place within the span of a year altogether. There was no standard procedure for the production of each track on the album. For example, producer Thyro Alfaro sent the demo for "Dagundong" (transl. Rumbling) to the group. Later, the members simply studied their parts and recorded the song. However, the other tracks entailed different production processes.[8]

For instance, the group had total creative freedom on "Noli" (transl. Do Not). In an interview with Mega magazine, Alamat member Alas shared, "On our [song] 'Noli', they allowed us to do whatever we wanted with the music because Alamat has been active for a few years and I suppose they said, 'They can do it now.'"[9] The Isapuso track was written and arranged by Mo as well as produced, mixed, and mastered by Alas and R-Ji, all of whom are members of Alamat.[10][11]

Music and lyrics

[edit]

Isapuso encompasses a variety of musical genres and Philippine languages. "Dagundong", the album's opening track, is a hip-hop song[12] that heavily incorporates bass and rap.[5] Its choreography has a mix of krumping, the Philippine martial art sikaran, and idaw, an Igorot battle dance.[7] The song narrates the Philippines' struggle against imperialism throughout history, from the Spanish occupation to the United States of America's so-called benevolent assimilation of the country.[13] The second track, "Dayang" (transl. Princess), is a mellow pop song[5] featuring a mix of Tausūg and Tagalog lyrics. It is about finding love again after experiencing heartbreak.[14] To honor the song's Tausūg essence, the choreography for "Dayang" incorporates dances and martial arts that are native to or commonly practiced in the southern Philippines, such as the pangasik (the male equivalent of the pangalay dance), kuntaw, silat, and tariray.[7]

The third track, "Noli", is an R&B song with a stop-and-start rhythm, a relaxed tempo, and guitar riffs; its lyrics draw inspiration from the romance between Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra in José Rizal's classic novel Noli Me Tángere. "Manila Dreams", the fourth track, is about people from the provinces pursuing their dreams in Manila, containing elements of retro disco[15][16], funk, and city pop.[10] It uses programmed drums[16] and features lyrics in Cebuano[c], Waray, Ilocano, Kapampangan, and Bicolano.[17] Most of the Alamat members, except for Mo and Jao, contributed lyrics to the song.[18]

The fifth track, "Day and Night", is a tropical-themed dance-pop[15] song about a summer crush. In an interview with the American teen magazine Sweety High, Alamat member Taneo shared, "For 'Day and Night', we wanted to capture that feeling you get when you start getting that butterfly, fuzzy feeling and have that summery crush."[19] "Day and Night" tells the story of a fisherman who forms a connection with a magindara, a mermaid-like sea deity in Bicolano and Visayan mythology.[20][19] Its lyrics heavily use Cebuano[21] and were co-written by Therese Langit, a famous Visayan pop songwriter.[20] The song incorporates traditional Southeast Asian instruments, such as the kudyapi, the two-stringed Philippine boat-lute, and the angklung and bamblong, types of bamboo-based idiophones found across the Southeast Asian region.[20][22] The "Woohoo!" in the chorus was intended to evoke the mesmerizing voice of the magindara.[19] Alamat member Jao created the song's choreography, incorporating dances from Davao and Bicol.[22]

"Multo" (transl. Ghost), the sixth track, is about falling in love with someone who engages in "ghosting"; layers of violin and bass add a macabre touch to the song.[16] The seventh track on the album, "Walang Hanggan" (transl. No End), is a mid-tempo pop ballad about trying to save a romantic relationship,[4] with lyrics in Tagalog. It incorporates the bandurria in its instrumentals.[15] Isapuso's closing track, "Dong-Dong-Ay"[d], is an acoustic rendition of a Kalinga folk song, aimed towards the Filipino youth.[16]

Release and artwork

[edit]

On June 14, 2023, Alamat released Isapuso's first pre-release single, "Day and Night". Cielo Meneses of The Beat Manila reported that the song "undeniably" became one of P-pop's standout summer hits, noting that it quickly amassed more than 800,000 streams on Spotify.[6] In its music video, Filipino actress Jane de Leon portrays a mermaid-like magindara who charms the members of Alamat, with both de Leon and the members wearing sustainable indigenous Philippine textiles and items, such as Tboli brass accessories sourced from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)'s Philippine Textile Research Institute.[22][23]

Following their album announcement at the PPOPCON in July, the group released "Walang Hanggan" as the next pre-release single.[4] The music video shows the members going through loss, heartbreak, and other personal or social challenges.[5] They later posted a series of colorful teasers for the album, which featured illustrations of various things found in Filipino culture, such as the Rizal Monument.[8] The music video for the album's lead single "Dagundong", containing both lyrical and visual references to the Philippine struggle against injustice and oppression,[5] as well as the full Isapuso album, were both released on November 3.[24]

To promote Isapuso, Alamat performed on Rappler Live Jam on November 11, their second appearance on the news publication's music show that year. On December 31, Rappler reported that both of the group's performances in 2023 were among the year's most-viewed Live Jam performances. This also made them the fastest musical act to return to Live Jam and the only P-pop group to perform twice on the show within the same year.[25] In March 2024, the group released a music video for "Dayang" starring Kyosu Guinto and Jaja Disuangco, who had previously gone viral for their participation on the It's Showtime segment EXpecially For You. It came with a single album, containing two new versions of "Dayang" (acoustic and R&B).[14] All three versions of "Dayang" simultaneously occupied the top three spots on iTunes Philippines, and the song peaked at number two on Indonesia's version of the chart.[26]

"Dagundong" was the official theme song of the 2023 superhero film Penduko.[24] In 2024, the Viva One romantic comedy series Chasing in the Wild featured "Day and Night" on its soundtrack.[27]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rappler[15]

Isapuso received highly favorable reviews from critics, as recognized by CNN Philippines ("the multilingual and multi-ethnic boy band excels in incorporating regional culture with modern hip-hop, electronic, and pop sensibilities as showcased on their critically acclaimed debut album, Isapuso").[28]

Joey Dizon of Rappler gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars. In his review, he described Isapuso as a stronger, more focused release than Pasulong. In his opinion, some of the tracks offered "nothing new[...] sound-wise", such as "Day and Night", the chorus of which reminded him of NSYNC. However, he noted that even when the songs on Isapuso treaded familiar territory, they were still well-executed. Dizon called "Noli"'s cadence "infectious" and praised "Walang Hanggan" in particular, lauding its "inventive" production and lyrics. He said that the song's melodies and chord structure boasted "sophistication" rarely seen in P-pop. Dizon concluded that the album broadened P-pop's appeal, indicating Alamat's potential to break the mold and capture the attention of listeners who are not fans of the genre.[15]

On the other hand, Kurt Alec Mira criticized "Walang Hanggan" for being "formulaic" in his album review, published by Tomasino Web. Mira added that it fell short of its potential emotional depth, unlike "Sa Panaginip Na Lang" (transl. Only In Dreams), another melancholic ballad that the group had previously released. He found "Day and Night" to be "dazzling" and commended its blend of pop and poetry. He also praised Mo, Tomas, and R-Ji's melismatic vocals in "Dayang", which he regarded as a sequel to "Maharani", deemed "Manila Dreams" effortlessly delightful, and called the simplicity of the final song, "Dong-Dong-Ay", charming. His review of Isapuso was overall favorable, declaring that "all of the tracks flow logically". Mira concluded that the album was cohesive while being musically diverse.[16]

Joshua Gerona, writing for Republic Asia, and Nica Glorioso, writing for Nylon Manila, both regarded "Walang Hanggan" as a showcase for the members' vocal abilities.[4][5] Acer Batislaong praised "Day and Night" in a separate feature for Nylon Manila. He wrote that it "embraces the beauty of the Cebuano language", adding that the use of Cebuano provided "an extra touch of romance and allure to the song".[22]

CNN Philippines included "Dayang" in their "24 best Filipino songs of 2023" list, with writer Ian Urrutia hailing the track as "pop perfection" and "a distillation of everything sonically exciting about P-pop in 2023".[28] The team of One Music Philippines included almost all of the Isapuso tracks, except for "Multo", in their top ten ranking of Alamat's discography, ranging from "Manila Dreams" at number ten to "Day and Night" at number three.[29]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Organization Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2024 Awit Awards Best Dance/Electronic Recording "Day and Night" Nominated [30]
P-pop Music Awards Album of the Year Isapuso Nominated [31][32]

Track listing

[edit]

Credits are adapted from Apple Music.[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dagundong"Thyro Alfaro2:30
2."Dayang"Sean Cedro3:51
3."Noli"Mo Mitchell2:51
4."Manila Dreams"Johan Gusaffson, Hugo Andersson, Teodor Dahlbom, Jason Paul Laxamana, Alas Alvarez, R-Ji Lim, Taneo Uyam, Tomas Rodriguez3:38
5."Day and Night"Thyro Alfaro, Therese Langit3:24
6."Multo (feat. Cursebox)"Blvckroom3:31
7."Walang Hanggan"Sean Cedro3:35
8."Dong-Dong-Ay"Sean Cedro2:52
Total length:26:15

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from Apple Music[34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] and official listings on YouTube.[42][43][11][17][44][45][46][47]

  • Alamat – vocals (all tracks)
    • Alas Alvarez – producing (3), mixing (3, 8), mastering (3, 8), musical arranging (3)
    • Mo Mitchell – vocal arranging (3)
    • R-Ji Lim – producing (3)
  • Thyro Alfaro – composing (1, 2, 5), producing (1, 2, 5), mixing (1, 2, 7), musical arranging (2, 5), recording (1, 2, 5)
  • Blvckroom – composing (6)
  • Sean Cedro – composing (2, 7, 8), producing (1), mixing (2)
  • Jan Fuertez – mastering (1, 2, 5, 7)
  • Martin Andrew Guevara – recording (1, 2, 5)
  • The Kennel AB (Hugo Andersson, Teodor Dahlbom, Johan Gusaffson) – composing (4)
    • Teodor Dahlbom – musical arranging (4), mastering (4)
    • Johan Gustaffson – producing (4), musical arranging (4), mixing (4), mastering (4)
  • Jason Paul Laxamana – producing (7, 8)
  • Cursebox (Michael Negapatan) – producing (1, 6), musical arranging (6), mixing (6), mastering (6)
  • Therese Langit – composing (5)
  • Paulo Protacio – musical arranging (7, 8)
  • Zebedee Zuñiga – vocal arranging (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ This gives the title a dual meaning. While "isapuso" is a verb meaning "take to heart" in Tagalog, the phrase "isa puso" means "one heart".
  2. ^ Tagalog is mutually intelligible with its standardized, official variety called "Filipino", and the terms are often used interchangeably.
  3. ^ also known by its endonym, "Bisaya"
  4. ^ a melodic phrase with no meaning

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Requintana, Robert (February 14, 2021). "ALAMAT: When modern pop music merges with PH cultural heritage". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Policarpio, Allan (November 13, 2021). "Alamat revisits hit Chavacano tune with electronic flourishes". The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Mundo Mo Ito: Alamat's ABKD Era Is All About Believing In Yourself And Championing Diversity". Nylon Manila. March 23, 2022. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e Gerona, Joshua (October 26, 2023). "Championing Philippine culture: a guide to Alamat discography". Republic Asia. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Glorioso, Nica (April 22, 2024). "Eager To Become A Magiliw? Begin Your Journey With ALAMAT With These 9 Songs". Nylon Manila. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Meneses, Cielo (November 12, 2023). "Legendary: How Alamat is Making P-Pop History One Song at a Time". The Beat Manila. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Marfori, MJ (September 23, 2024). "Alamat is sealing the deal for P-pop success". Philstar. Archived from the original on February 22, 2025.
  8. ^ a b San Juan, Ratziel (November 9, 2023). "Alamat Journey With Modern-Day Filipino Anthems On The Road To A 'Bayang Magiliw'". Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Gianan, Chlarine (November 24, 2023). "P-Pop Group ALAMAT is Taking Their Identity and Journey to Heart". Mega. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Alas points out, "Sa ginawa naming single na 'Noli,' hinayaan din naman kami na gawin kung anong gusto namin sa music kasi [ilang years na rin kami sa ALAMAT] and siguro [nasasabi] nila na, 'Kaya na nila.'" [Alas points out, "On our single 'Noli', they allowed us to do whatever we wanted with the music because Alamat has been active for a few years and I suppose they said, 'They can do it now.'"]
  10. ^ a b ""Isapuso" by ALAMAT". Viva Records. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  11. ^ a b ALAMAT - 'Noli' Lyric Video. Alamat. November 21, 2023. Archived from the original on February 20, 2025 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "WATCH: P-pop group Alamat performs 'Dagundong' on 'ASAP Natin 'To'". ABS-CBN News. November 19, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  13. ^ San Juan, Ratziel; Saulog, Gabriel; Angan, Kara; Fernandez, Jenny; Jackson, Bret (June 18, 2024). "24 Standout Songs Of 2024 (So Far) — Staff Picks". Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on December 19, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Benjamin, April Anne (March 27, 2024). "Alamat's 'Dayang' music video stars viral exes from 'Showtime'". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on February 23, 2025.
  15. ^ a b c d e Dizon, Joey (Nov 14, 2023). "ALAMAT's 'Isapuso' review: Musical evolution that's hard to ignore". Rappler. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d e Mira, Kurt Alec (November 12, 2023). "Alamat narrates the tales of love and freedom in 'IsaPuso'". Tomasino Web. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024.
  17. ^ a b ALAMAT HANDA 'RAP: 'Manila Dreams' (A Christmas Special). Alamat. December 25, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ "Manila Dreams - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  19. ^ a b c Ray, Laurianne (August 14, 2023). "Alamat on Immortalizing Filipino Culture, Their Single 'Day & Night' and Their Upcoming Album". Sweety High. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c Ledesma, Sam (October 16, 2023). "How Alamat's P-pop career is a love letter to Filipino culture". Adobo Magazine. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024.
  21. ^ Carbonilla, Hans (September 27, 2023). "All the essential Alamat songs that show their multilingual identity". The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  22. ^ a b c d Batislaong, Acer (June 20, 2023). "Jane De Leon And Other Pinoy Culture References in ALAMAT's 'Day and Night' Music Video". Nylon Manila. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024.
  23. ^ Mallorca, Hannah (June 15, 2023). "WATCH: Jane De Leon charms P-pop group Alamat in 'Day and Night' music video". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024.
  24. ^ a b "P-pop group Alamat embraces 'mandirigma' roots in 'Dagundong' MV teaser". GMA News. October 31, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  25. ^ "The top 10 most viewed Rappler Live Jam episodes of 2023". Rappler. December 31, 2023. Archived from the original on February 23, 2025.
  26. ^ Viva Records [@viva_records] (March 27, 2024). "Dominating iTunes chart! Philippines and Indonesia 🤎" – via Instagram.
  27. ^ "Chasing In The Wild (A Viva One Original Series Soundtrack) - EP". Apple Music. August 16, 2024. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Gloria, Gaby; Reodica, Mariah; Urrutia, Ian; Pascual, Jam; Pareño, Elijah (December 29, 2023). "The 24 Best Filipino Songs of 2023". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023.
  29. ^ "One Music PH Top 10: Alamat". One Music Philippines. December 1, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  30. ^ "SB19, BINI, Lola Amour lead 2024 Awit Awards nominees". Philstar.
  31. ^ "PPOP Music Awards 2024: Here's the list of official nominees". GMA News. December 3, 2024. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  32. ^ "Ppop Music Awards 2024: Here's the complete list of winners". GMA News Online. 2024-12-29. Archived from the original on 2024-12-29. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  33. ^ "Isapuso - Album by Alamat". Apple Music. November 3, 2023. Archived from the original on February 23, 2025.
  34. ^ a b "Dagundong - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  35. ^ a b "Dayang - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  36. ^ a b "Noli - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025.
  37. ^ a b "Manila Dreams - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  38. ^ a b "Day and Night - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  39. ^ a b "Multo (feat. Cursebox) - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  40. ^ a b "Walang Hanggan - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
  41. ^ a b "Dong-Dong-Ay - Song by Alamat". Apple Music. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025.
  42. ^ ALAMAT - 'Dagundong' (Official M/V). Alamat. November 3, 2023. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025 – via YouTube.
  43. ^ ALAMAT - 'Dayang' (Official M/V). Alamat. March 26, 2024. Archived from the original on November 18, 2024 – via YouTube.
  44. ^ Alamat - 'Day And Night' (Official M/V). Alamat. June 14, 2023. Archived from the original on June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023 – via YouTube.
  45. ^ ALAMAT - 'Multo' Lyric Video. Alamat. December 12, 2023. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025 – via YouTube.
  46. ^ ALAMAT - 'Walang Hanggan' (Official M/V). Alamat. August 11, 2023. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025 – via YouTube.
  47. ^ ALAMAT - 'Dong-Dong-Ay' Lyric Video. Alamat. November 26, 2023. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025 – via YouTube.
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