ALBUM REVIEW: THE STRANGE CREATURES - PHANTASMS
After a while of not getting on my desktop to actually write something, the Strange Creatures was about to release their long overdue debut album titled “Phantasms”. My midterms at the time was compressing my ambition to write about the album but the ever present spirit of twee and my penchant for pop music made me finally write about their material at long last.
The six-piece dream-pop outfit from the Philippines became the apple of the eye for many dream-pop/trad indie-pop enthusiasts, releasing one decent single after another under Philippine-based indie label Terno Recordings for more than half a decade. The sought-after record label then went on to help the band to release their album through CD format while the vinyl pressing on the other was released under a Chinese-run label, Boring Productions.
Given that the band’s aura exudes glasgownian pop, or to an extent, just completely sounds like a modern day Sarah Records band, The Strange Creature’s “Phantasms” starts off (and ended the second half of the year) with a bang with all of the material they have to produce for the entire project. With that in mind, I have got to research on my local twee pop very soon because the band just reminds me highly of that kind of music at the time.
The first track, “Moonstruck”, opens the album with a clear character. The timeliness of the sound just shows and production can detect a good chord, or maybe, some good twinkly keys similar to Camera Obscura. “Palipad Hangin” however brings back the older sound while the lyrics chime in like a Manila Sound-era song. The presence of the female vocals here needed to be executed well here but the instrumentals however adds to the charm of the twee of the past. Both contrasting at a decent level.
“Stargazer”, one of my personal favorites from the band, ups the ante with production shedding more into the dream-pop affair. “Into Serenity” plays a little bit on the guitar tones, both pitting an acoustic and hypnotic guitar effects together in which both didn’t pair up really nicely. “I Feel Like I’m On Drugs” becomes the redeeming track in the album both lyrically and instrumentally, having a New Order-like influence throughout. Both of their vocals, Jon and Megumi, do the vocal duties smoothly all the way.
“Mananatili”, which is my second favourite track in the album, drives on familiar roads in the older indie-pop territory. The track glamourizes on that particular era of “pinoy” pop and then revitalized for sentimentality. “Nostalgia Blues” has this beautiful guitar riff and a consistent groove to it. “Dreamy Blues” doesn’t really bring something new in the table of terms of lyrics. “Ocean Child” has beautiful harmonies, almost like a lullaby sitting over these plucky acoustic guitars and ambient production. The final track, “Azure Sky”, is a long track but it’s worth the journey. With lengthy verses, blissful textures of sound, almost coming to a shoegaze-y state, and a fitting closer.
Overall, “Phantasms” is a crowning achievement for the Strange Creature’s small discography. Sometimes the sentimentality can be seen through more than just one lens and the band did it incredibly with splendour from their masterful production, vocal charm, and guitar work. Mostly pinning on warmth of the past of Pop Sounds Manila compilations, they then traverse to the modern 2010’s flare of dream-pop’s ever growing South East Asian community. The Strange Creatures’ bright take on the genre is soul cleansing but the project also has a handful of bumps in the songwriting. Nonetheless, the album was fun ride to listen to from start to finish. [Written by Lugaw]
Now what do you folks think of their new project? Do you like it or not? What is your opinion about it? Let me know in the comments below. Always leave a reaction below if you feel like it..
SUPPORT THE ART AND THE ARTIST: https://boringproductions.bandcamp.com/album/phantasms