JAY SOM
Anak Ko
(Polyvinyl)
On the follow-up to Jay Som’s 2017 debut, Melina Duterte takes her bedroom pop in dizzying and dreamy directions. From the rhythmic opener, “If You Want It,” to the warm and mellow title track, she creates atmospheric arrangements and grooves kept smooth. A blended balance of fuzzed-out guitars, ambient layers, and hazy vocals gives the album a decidedly shoegaze sound and feel, but Duterte maintains a unique focus, often highlighting melody over beats or shifting between simple and structured soundscapes. Even on more straightforward tunes like the sweet “Nighttime Drive,” she adds texture with a rising, strings-touched outro. In full, Anak Ko feels like a lush, lulling wave that will completely wash over you and sweep you away. (5/5)
By Cindy Yogmas
Anak Ko was realeased August 23, 2019. This article originally appeared in the September/October 2019 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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