UDD (formerly known as Up Dharma Down) have made their debut as a three-piece with their latest single, “Run Deep.”
Now comprised of singer-bassist Paul Yap, guitarist Carlos Tañada, and drummer Ean Mayor, the track premiered on all streaming platforms on March 31 (Sunday). It is the first single off their upcoming album and their first standalone release since lead singer and chief songwriter Armi Millare’s departure in 2021.
In a series of Facebook posts, the band shared, “We haven’t said much lately, but we’ve been working hard on a new album. After taking a much-needed break, we spent the last two years recording in the studio…The three of us really enjoyed making this album. Aside from our own mothers, we’re probably each other’s biggest fans. So we gave ourselves the freedom to try new things, trusting that it would all sync up in the end.”
In a press statement, Yap shared what it’s been like to now assume the vocal duties in the band. “It’s been a challenge to take on this role, but the band (Tañada and Mayor) have been supportive, and we’ve adjusted our songwriting to accommodate my vocal range.”
There have also been other changes in the band’s new sound, most prominently in their instrumentation. “We didn’t limit ourselves to our main instruments. We played around with synthesizers a lot,” Tañada explains. Mayor continues, saying, “Since our first album, UDD has always been rooted in electronic sounds. With ‘Run Deep,’ we’re embracing our electronic leanings more confidently than ever before.”
UDD are best known for their hit songs, “Tadhana” (Fate), “Indak” (Dance), “Oo” (Yes), and “Unti-unti” (Slowly But Surely). They had intermittently posted videos and pictures in the years following Millare’s departure, such as a video of a rehearsal with the caption, “Here’s a little throwback when we were preparing for our first Japan show. Mga kabado (Scaredycats). We can’t wait to go back to the studio and just have fun with the music that brought us together from the very start.”
In April 2022, they posted a teaser, captioned, “Something old for something new.”
Listen to UDD’s “Run Deep” below.