Indie Rock Roundup: New Music By Nanay Mo, Noa Mal, emma bot, And More

The first few months of the year are typically slow in terms of new releases, but we’re fortunate to have heard some fresh sounds from the indie rock side of the scene — not just from Manila, but also from a number of notable Cebu- and Bacolod-based acts. In case any of these have fallen under your radar, here are some new records that have caught our attention in January and February — including &ND‘s long-awaited debut EP, new singles by Nanay Mo, and album number 15 by Noa Mal.

Check out our picks for the top new music from the indie rock scene below!

&ND – quarters EP

Shoegaze records aren’t supposed to sound good — the guitars are too loud, the snare drum is almost lifeless, and the vocals are incomprehensible, etc. But even within those standards, there are great shoegaze records, and quarters — the debut EP by Bacolod’s &ND — is one of them. While it’s replete with gorgeous melodies (“Forrest”) and ethereal soundscapes (“2nd Room”), what really gives the EP its edge is the excellent mix by Kevin Ingco (Megumi Acorda, Memory Drawers), which gives every sonic layer and instrument clarity and the occasional chance to shine.

The Braille Flowers – “The Magician Was Shot Dead (Scarlet Rivers)”

On their latest single, self-described “pop-gaze” quartet The Braille Flowers veer away from the dream pop and indie pop of their first two singles and take on a more straightforward alt-rock sound a la early Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction, complete with actual lead guitar. The less pretentious approach actually suits singer Francis Masangkay’s voice better; the chugging, mid-tempo power chords give him more room to stretch his notes, in contrast to the introverted drawl on their earlier recordings.

emma bot – Radio Emma

Fans of late ‘90s emo like The Promise Ring and Jets To Brazil (or of Weezer’s first two records) will no doubt find something to love in Radio Emma, the first full-length album by emma bot, the solo project of Warpten bassist and singer Sab Morado. Sonically the music isn’t that much different from their other band, but the existence of Radio Emma is far from pointless, as it’s a record filled with infectious hooks and sing-alongs that hark back to a time when emo wasn’t a bad word.

The Midnight Greetings – “Fishnets”

Surprise, surprise — it’s another shoegaze single. While it’s not anything groundbreaking, The Midnight Greetings’ “Fishnets” is textbook shoegaze done right — a Beach House-inspired vocal melody, wall-of-fuzz guitars, loud-quiet-loud dynamics — and that’s something that not a lot of bands can do. Signed to Clem Castro’s Lilystars Records, this Cebu-based quartet has a lot going for them, and I await their next release with much curiosity.

Nanay Mo – “Ribbit” and “Ripping”

In January, seasoned garage rock quintet Nanay Mo released a new EP entitled Animal Friends in a nifty NFC tag format, but the whole record isn’t available on streaming yet, save for several tracks. “Ripping” and “Ribbit” are the band’s latest uploads, showcasing an evolution and (gasp!) maturity that was first evident on their 2023 single “Stupid.” While they haven’t garnered anything bigger than a cult following thus far, Nanay Mo deserves love and attention like the person they’re named after.

Noa Mal – I’m the outsider, looking in

After releasing four (!!!) records in 2023, Noa Mal is back with her first (?) album of 2025 and her fifteenth (!!!) overall. I’m the outsider, looking in expands the prolific singer-songwriter’s sonic and stylistic palette as she incorporates more electronics (“Brainworn”), bluesy riffs (“Keep It On”), trip-hop (“Someone Like Me”), and more, resulting in a record that’s more PJ Harvey than the Garbage-esque grunge-pop of her earlier material.

Same Girl – “In Case You Come Home”

Same Girl is ex-Run Dorothy vocalist Dee Cruz, who eschews the math rock of her previous band in favor of a more conventional 4/4 beat and distorted guitars on her debut single. It’s a compelling solo debut in which she maximizes her vocal prowess, but at four-and-a-half minutes long, the track meanders a bit towards the end, sacrificing its immediacy. Still, I look forward to hearing what else she has up her sleeves, and her performing those songs live.