After a few months hiatus i am back at doing this blog again. I am starting off by promoting Move Up Hi-Fi’s Manila Standard Time happening at The Bar 1951 in Malate, Manila.
Move Up Hi-Fi will be headed by Joseph Minister playing the finest ska and reggae 45s alongside a DJ crew composed of Rocket Punch band members and two bands The Steady Movin’ Beat and Singkopado Sound System. If you’re wondering who the latter band is then let me introduce the man behind the band by telling you a bit of a story.
Last night I was deleting past messages on my email when i chanced upon an old email that was sent to me when i was in Africa. It was a bunch of MP3s of a newly recorded album of a band that i fully supported and promoted in this blog from way back. I decided to listen to it again. I remember how I enjoyed the interplay between the two singers each of them with a distinctive voice and style. I remember me and the guitarist of Rocket Punch talked about the band during a DJ gig we did a few months ago describing them as sort of The Clash style of vocal attack it's sacrilegious to describe them to the only band that matters but they do wear their hearts on their sleeves and it is obvious that they love the band. Listening to their songs and hearing them simultaneously flattering my ears ala Mick Jones and the other bashing my head ala Joe Strummer is what got me interested in the first place and started championing their ska punk sound.
The singer's slurred wails perfectly compliment the edgy punk rock while the other clearly singing with a charged guitar skank is anthemic. In that emailed recording i noticed while they are sharing similar headspace, they seem to be two entirely different artist. The way the other singers voice seems to be stacked on top of the other works to highlight their differences is interesting because it works to show how much each artist has progressed each person is so different now than before but unfortunately the guy who complimented the angst of the other singer had left the band and decided to take another musical path in the guise of Singkopado Sound System. There are rumors floating around why he left the band at the peak of their career but let us not wander to that side of the story.
On November 21, Saturday they will be bringing in all original new music so i suggest to go out and be the first one to hear them live. They will be playing together with the only 2tone band in Manila The Steady Movin' Beat.
