Listen to the mix here:
The roar of motorcycles against the sound of rooster calls in the morning. Crashing waves on the beach. Bouts of laughter and the smell of freshly baked pandesal. Daily rituals I’ll miss as we depart the Philippines again.
I’ve been blessed to come here four times now. My wife’s family is Filipino, so traveling here has become almost a ritual in itself — something we try to make happen as often as we can.
Getting to be a part of this family has opened my world in so many ways. It’s taken me to places I truly would’ve never guessed. I’ve fallen in love with the country, and I’m so grateful to get to experience it.
Every time I come here, I love to crate-dig and discover new OPM (Original Pilipino Music) records. Steadily, I’ve been building an OPM section on our record shelf. I can’t claim any expertise on the genre. Whenever I dig through records, I realize more and more how much I don’t know — which is exciting. There are so many different pathways to go down, and I’m trying to dip my toes into all of them: the traditional Kundiman love songs and balladeers; the icons like Apo Hiking Society and Hotdog; jazz experimentalists; ’90s hip-hop provocateurs; and a whole wave of indie music that’s thriving today.
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This short mix does not capture the full breadth of OPM and even colors outside the lines a bit. The last song is, quite obviously, not from here. But every time I travel north into the provinces where our family lives, I inevitably hear John Denver’s voice and the melodious nostalgia of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” It’s a surreal thing, because I remember hearing that song so much growing up too. My grandparents kept a steady soundtrack of country-western music murmuring from their boombox when I was a kid. It’s one of those things that reminds you how close we all are, no matter the geographic distance. A little cliché? Maybe. But also very true.
As we take off again, I’ll carry these sounds with me — both the music and the sounds of the Philippines itself.
You can listen to the mix above, or on Mixcloud here.
Tracklist
Hot Dog — “Ikaw Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko”
Eggboy — “Nagsasawa Ka Na Ba?”
Bee Eyes — “Dasma Girl”
Bong Peñera — “Imee”
Evelyn Mandac — “O mio babbino caro”
Derek Tunala & Mario Consunji — “The Sound of Burning”
MastaPlann — “Check Your Bass”
Yoyoy Villame — “Magellan”
Vex Ruffin — “What Matters Most”
John Denver — “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
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