The Dawn celebrate their 40th anniversary with the release of Tulad ng Dati — the band’s 20th anniversary album — on a special test pressing double vinyl for the first time by Backspacer Records.
Originally released in 2006, Tulad ng Dati is the band’s commemorative album and a tribute to their late guitarist, Teddy Diaz, who was brutally murdered in August 1988 at the height of the band’s popularity.
Backspacer Records has stated that they are frequently asked by collectors about the availability of test pressings. Test pressings are rare and unique, as they represent the first glimpse of how an album sounds on vinyl. Produced in very limited quantities, these pressings have become highly prized by fans and collectors alike.
The intricacies of record production often go unnoticed, with potential issues such as pops, distortion, or skips sometimes arising. Test pressings play a pivotal role in the production process, helping identify and resolve these problems before records are mass-produced and released to the public.
In the spirit of the Dawn’s milestone celebration of four decades in the local music scene, Backspacer Records joins in with the release of the double LP is hand-numbered and signed by the band themselves — as a fitting tribute.
Checkout the tracklist for the Tulad ng Dati test pressing double vinyl below:
Side A
- “Tulad Ng Dati”
- “Alam Ko, Alam Nyo”
- “Babaeng Mahiwaga”
- “Love (Will Set Us Free)”
- “Little Paradise”
Side B
- “Abot Kamay”
- “Beyond The Bend”
- “lisang Bangka Tayo”
- “Salimpusa”
- “Dreams”
Side C
- “Talaga Naman”
- “Run Away”
- “Enveloped Ideas”
- “Salamat”
- “I Stand with You”
Side D
- “Ang lyong Paalam”
- “Difference”
- “Kasama Sa Tagumpay”
- “Abot Kamay (Acoustic)” (Bonus Track)
- “Salamat (Acoustic)” (Bonus Track)
The record will ship starting in April 2026 and is priced at PHP 5,500 for the test pressing and PHP 3,900 for the regular 2 LP vinyl only on Backspacer Records.
The album shares its title with an independent film directed by Mike Sandejas. A docu-fiction that follows the band, the film received critical acclaim and won Best Film, Best Sound, and Best Editing at the 2006 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. That same year, it also competed at Korea’s Pusan International Film Festival and was an official selection of the Hawaii International Film Festival.