Entering 2025, Cup of Joe are excited to fully embrace a new, deeply emotional era with Silakbo.

Serving as the title for both the band’s forthcoming debut studio album and sold-out 2-day solo concert, Silakbo perfectly encapsulates the next chapter of the Baguio alt-pop band’s flourishing journey.

On January 13, 2025 (Monday), the quintet held a press conference at The Astbury in Makati City ahead of the album’s release this January 17, 2025 (Friday), discussing the stories, overarching themes, and creation of the full-length release, as well as providing insight into the upcoming concert.

After introducing themselves one by one and thanking the Philippine media for attending, Cup of Joe started off the press conference by taking everyone present through a personal track-by-track guide of their album. Consisting of a total of 10 deeply personal tracks, Silakbo, shares co-lead vocalist Gian Bernardino, is divided into five parts, each one based on the five stages of grief from Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.

Denial

The album starts off with the Denial stage, consisting of “Bagyo” and “Wine.” According to co-lead vocalist Rapha Ridao, “Bagyo” (Storm) explores the idea of or clinging onto a memory or holding onto something one already knows is broken and can’t be fixed.

Meanwhile, “Wine,” shares guitarist Gab Fernandez, was created during a time where he and Rapha were doing a “wine-tasting night” and suddenly decided to try writing a new song. What resulted, according to Gian is “Wine” – a track that he describes as the most “experimental” on the album, which makes them excited to share it with their listeners.

Anger

Following this, the album moves into a more emotionally aggressive stage with Anger. The first of the tracks of this stage is the “heavier” “Kanelang Mata” (Cinnamon Eyes) which, Rapha shares, explores an anger directed towards one’s self, written during a time where he was self-reflecting about how his actions have negatively affected those around him.

Quickly following this track is “Bubog” (Shard) – a track written by Gian last 2024 about some deeply personal experiences, making it the “most vulnerable song” he has ever written. Similar to “Kanelang Mata,” it describes a certain kind of self-directed anger, exploring the pain of deeply hating one’s self to the point thagt you find it difficult to look at yourself in the mirror. According to Gian, he personally considers this as the “sister song” to one of their older songs he wrote, “Sagada.”

Bargaining

As anger settles, then comes the Bargaining stage of grief. According to guitarist CJ Fernandez, it is in this stage that the band explores the struggle of accepting reality, burdened by countless “what-if’s” and “if-only’s.” He describes it as one of the most “crucial” stages of grief.

The first of the songs in this stage is “Siping” (Filipino for “to lie down beside”) – one of the oldest songs on the album, The track was written during the pandemic and explores the desire to simply lie down beside an estranged special someone, even for just one night, evoking a deep sense of desperation to be with them again.

After this is “Pahina,” another track written years prior inspired by a “hearbreak rant by CJ.” Gian describes it as a dedication to a former lover that one views as “the most remarkable chapter of your life.” Described as “movie soundtrack-like,” It involves pleading to that special person about holding onto the love they once had. CJ describes it as a “bittersweet” song due to the nature of its inspiration that eventually led a song they’re proud of to have created.

Depression

Perhaps the darkest part of grief, Depression, according to Gab, is the stage everything that has happened so far finally begins sinking in, where one truly feels the hurt and how deep the resulting wounds are.

The first song during this stage is “Multo,” the first single released by the band from the album. Rapha reveals that it was written by him and his older brother during the pandemic, where they went through a self-reflective stage after they both experienced losing someone important to them. It explores the state of continuing through life while being constantly haunted by the memory of lost love, where one learns to sit with their grief and confront the pain.

Following this introspective track is “Di Maaari” (Cannot Be). The oldest song on the album, “Di Maaari” is described by keyboardist Xen Gareza a a sort of culmination of the entire album’s themes, relating the track to the death of a close relative who was one of the reasons why he became a musician. He further states that “Di Maaari” is the “most honest and straightforward” track on the album, with the band pouring out all their regrets to help create song.

Acceptance

Following the gloom of Depression, there comes the hope found in Acceptance. In this final stage, according to Xen, after confronting everything in the past stages, it is here where one comes to terms with what has happened. Here, there’s no longer a struggle but rather, a willingness to face the present and live with it, and turn what happened into a lesson for the future. Here, one finally begins to embrace self-growth.

The first track of this last stage is “Hinga” (Breathe). Tackling themes of finally letting go of the past, the band shares that this track is special as it was conceptualize during the middle of production for the album, fueled by a rush of ideas and emotions from the members.

Finally, closing out the album is the aptly named title track “Silakbo” (Filipino for “an outburst of emotions). A “meaningful and motivational” track, the band intentionally chose this track to conclude the album run on a more positive, inspirational, and hopeful note that is both fitting and cathartic.

Cup of Joe’s debut studio album Silakbo is set to be released this January 17, 2025. Their second solo concert of the same name will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City this February 8-9, 2025. Both dates are officially sold-out.

Cup of Joe are the cover stars of Billboard Philippines‘ December 2024 issue, where they look back on their origins in and rise from Baguio, discuss their career milestones since then, talk about the creation of Silakbo, and more. Get your copies now available via SariSari Shopping.

In anticipation of Cup of Joe’s “Silakbo,” revisit its first single “Multo” below: