August may be regarded as the “ghost month,” but not for homegrown indie rock.
The first two weeks of the month has seen new releases by both veteran and young acts, including the first full-length album by longtime indie popsters Cinéma Lumière, the debut single by Cebu’s Novocrane, and a surprisingly ferocious new track by Izzy Mariano, among others. Here’s a guide to some of the more notable indie releases of the first half of the month, and give each one a spin if you’ve missed any of them.
Cinéma Lumière – Wishing It Was Sunday
Cinéma Lumière photographed by Janlor Encarnacion
Choosing to pursue such a singular sound as indie pop — itself very niche and potentially formulaic — is a brave and risky thing to do, but fortunately Mow’s mainstays Cinéma Lumière are so well-versed in the genre’s best practices that they’re able to create an entire album that maximizes what they’re capable of within its limitations. Wishing It Was Sunday follows a well-received 2020 EP (Will You Catch Me?) — its ten tracks brimming with fluid and melodic basslines, sublime guitar work, infectious boy-girl harmonies, and an overall confidence that’s almost atypical of this most introverted of subgenres. If you enjoyed the band’s last three singles, they’re all here, plus seven more tracks that are just as good.
10 a.m. Departure – Fantastic Phantasmic
10 a.m. Departure photographed by Ennuh Tiu
Fantastic Phantasmic, the second EP by 10 a.m. Departure, compiles recent single “Meet Me” with three other songs and a couple of filler tracks for a more fully-formed body of work by the young rock group. The charming and catchy “Barcode-Scanning Girl” — whose intro resembles Billy Joel’s “Sometimes A Fantasy” — makes an easy choice for a next single, while the rest of the record is replete with neo-psychedelic breakdowns and elaborate lead guitar work that just falls short of overdoing it. While not quite perfect (particularly in the vocal department), 10 a.m. Departure’s maiden EP is a welcome listen for those who miss honest-to-goodness guitar rock.
Izzy Mariano – “IM GONNA RUIN YR LIFE!”
Izzy Mariano photographed by Aya Dionisio & Phoenix Cabuay, assisted by CADSI. Creative direction by Claire Salonga.
Izzy Mariano’s latest release is a two-and-a-half-minute blast of riot grrrl-esque fury, in which the young singer-songwriter bares their teeth over the thickest slab of guitar fuzz I’ve heard all year. It’s quite a departure from the lo-fi pop of their previous two singles, but the song’s angrier sound still fits them like a glove.
Novocrane – “Imaginary Party”
Novocrane photographed by Lorenz Torres
On this debut single by Cebuano indie rock outfit Novocrane, singer Kai Sevillano intones like a young Phoebe Bridgers over a bed of thick, modulated synths, lo-fi guitars, and distorted drums. Produced by The Sundown’s Luigi Balazo, “Imaginary Party” sounds like a female-fronted Flaming Lips (or an unearthed Sneaker Pimps demo) in the best possible way, and leaves a very strong first impression.
Oz Kabuhat – “Angel”
Oz Kabuhat photographed by Jaime Morados
One of the newer additions to LockedDown Entertainment’s diverse and growing roster of acts, the young Oz Kabuhat demonstrates an apparent love for Radiohead, Muse, and Massive Attack on his third and latest single, “Angel.” The b-side, “Her” — a collaboration with singer/producer POT — follows a similar sonic blueprint, but with her ethereal vocals at the forefront. Fans of late ‘90s UK indie will surely enjoy this pair of tracks, and given Kabuhat’s output so far, an EP or a full-length release from him will be very interesting.