Playback: Assembly Generals (ALBUM)

1/10/2016 2:48:03 PM

When my friend Ian of Vandals on the Wall once said 2015 was the year of the Philippine hip-hop, I won’t be surprised at all. And I’m not talking about who won FlipTop Isabuhay tournament here or how many chicks were added on Abra’s fans club.

Look: collaborations may have been increasing as well as the number of quality tracks released (those you would like to hear more often than those jeepney-appropriate “reeeeemixxxx!” songs). But moreover, a lot of albums were also out in the circulation, though not having much slots on your favorite record bars.

Besides, there’s Curtissmith, Ninno, BLKD, and even Zaito who just made waves through their songs; be it on physical records or through the likes of Spotify and Soundcloud.

Take the Assembly Generals for example. This aren’t just a crossover collab effort from Team Manila, Flying Ipis, Miscellaneous and andwich/Squid9/Pedicab. These four peeps may sound much better and livelier at their gigs; but hearing their album is worth the price.

The Php400-value Assembly Generals debut record comes with a embroided package and eight of the dopest tracks you will hear on the other side of hip-hop. 

Kontrabida is an obvious favorite with a timely political and societal arguments inserted on the lyrics. But AG had more in store; tackling various talks with other notable hiphop heads collaborating with them like Skarm, and Dash.

Overall, if you’re a legit (and more legit) hip-hop head (not just those who likes digging to those “galawang breezy” tracks), Assembly Generals will get you geared up for action.May not be the very best record for the genre for 2015, but certainly part of the list.

Verdict: 8.5

Author: slickmaster | © 2016 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: The Rest is Noise Yearend

12/20/2015 4:26:48 AM

Well, after hitting the EP launch og Mind Money Circuit, yours truly hit up Route 196 (well, for the second time, actually) that evening for another heavyweight night from Vandals on the Wall.

Two-ish in the morning, and I still managed to catch some awesome live music with Cheats, Assembly Generals, SUD, Lions and Acrobats and Tom’s Story rocking the night -- and the approaching holiday rush. And come to think Vandals on the Wall’s premier event had a 16-band lineup at helm, including Bullet Dumas, Autotelic, Ang Bandang Shirley, BP Valenzuela, and Oh, Flamingo!

I quite overhead the crowd for this event on Route 196 was numbered by around 308, perhaps one of the highly-attended events for 2015 aside from the Love Supreme music video launch and Oh, Flamingo! EP launch.Talk about a packed evening to cap the year, eh?

Kudos, Vandals on the Wall for pulling off such feat. Looking forward for more The Rest is Noise by next year!

Author: slickmaster | © 2015 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: WOWOWOWS SANTA KLAUS

12/27/2015 4:57:24 AM

I remember: going to SaGuijo with barely less than 30 minutes before the show rolls, a taxi wanted to make a one-time flag down fare going there, and it was priced 400 pesos. I kindly refused, though on my mind utters such harsh words: Hey, I don't even spend 200 whenever I go from here to Ayala. Lakas mong manlamang ha?

But anyway, I got a more friendly (and a fair-pricey) one going there at Makati for this heck-of-a-gig-slash-Christmas Party,

Play 4 Serve and Locked Down Entertainment’s Group Study had its one last run for 2015, and it’s not a school tour this time around as SaGuijo was the place for be on that evening of Saturday, 26 December 2015. And it’s called WOWOWOWS SANTA KLAUS.

Ten bands performed during the evening on perhaps one of the wildest yearend gigs to stage by 2015. Us 2 Evil 0 graced the stage, then followed by Squid9 and Flying Ipis--with guitarist Ymi Sy making it to the venue just in the nick of time (well, after coming off from an important gathering).

Assembly Generals also hit SaGuijo despite missing the services of their MPC guy as Raymund Punzalan was attending the soon-to-be-parent duties (Congrats, Mon!). 

The next sequence featured notable names at the local music industry as Chicosci, Imago, Twisted Halo, Sandwich and Pedicab rocked the venue. 

It’s kinda nice when you hear Mayumi doing the vocal chores for what has been a signature song not just from Imago, but also from Aia De Leon too--and I’m talking about Akap. And at the same night, Raiumund sang 2 Trick Pony, Marc Abaya’s last single with the band in mid-2000s from the album Thanks to the Moon’s Gravitational Pull.

Chicosci, Sandwich, and Pedicab turned the bar into a full-house one during their sets, with the heat scorching the audience despite on a cold climate we are having right now. But I must say Pedicab and the last band Cheats tore the house down; making everyone to move with their set of tunes. Damn nice, and damn wild!

Perhaps, another addition to my wildest gigs I have been with for this year! Yeah, kinda late addition, but better be late than never though.

Author: slickmaster | © 2015 september twenty-eight productions