semilucent: a review.
...the sun sets in paradise too.
Iāve been following the 88rising roster when it was just only Rich Brian carrying it on his back. As the lineup grew with Niki, Joji, and Keith Ape, I always wondered, āWhere are the Filipinos?ā Especially with the prevalent stereotype that all Filipinos are good at singing (thanks to American Idol and our fondness for karaoke or whatever), I found it weird that 88rising hadnāt taken one talent under their wing. But again, I realized that they didnāt need a token Pinoy artist for the sake of diversity.
So you can imagine my surprise when they dropped the news about Paradise Rising, semilucent, and its lineup. They launched the label with a bang by collaborating with known names in the industry, singers with pre-existing followings (me included)! It was guaranteed to be hyped up by a huge audience that itād be far from flopping.
Paradise Rising did a good job in showcasing what Filipino-grown and made music is: Ā the type that can bleed seamlessly into R&B and pop scenes. Itās evidence that our acts can definitely ride alongside the western acts taking over mainstream music, fully capable of making songs that can have everyone vibe and dance and fall in love all at the same time. The EP cements the name of the label, because Filipino talent is taking over.
Jason Dhakal opens semilucent with Endlessly+Tenderly, a single that is very much the embodiment of his own brand of love songs: lowkey but still so passionate. You hear it in the slow beats, whole basslines, and his ardent crooning. The combination has you longing to slow dance to it with the love of your life. Itās a sensual surrender--an intimate confession of him giving his everything, tenderly, with Jasonās voice lulling you into a sense of security.
Itās followed by Leila Alcasid and Moophsā Clouds, with her cool voice feeling like a breeze on a summer day. It completely contrasts against the lyrics she sings āneeding the sun on my back,ā her voice lulling us into a headspace. She speaks about dealing with her own things while using images of swimming, drowning, and the lack of the sun. The wait for the right time is much like the expectation of a clear day.
Massiah offers something beyond the delicate, hazy mood set by the first two tracks with On God, but he doesnāt stray from it completely. The song starts airy and light before breaking into trap beats and straightforward lyrics about how itās just him and his girl against the world. On Godās a welcome divergence from the flowery confessions and vivid metaphors, much like taking a dip in a cold pool in the hot weather.
KAORI is the fourth track off the EP, with Fern. bringing us down to somewhere bittersweet, akin to the ending of a nice day out. We're snapped back into reality, brought crashing down where the honeymoon phase is over. The acoustic strumming leading to R&B sounds make the lyrics more painful, every request sounding more like an imploration for his girl to stay: āOh, whyād you have to go so soon, You said youād follow to the moon.ā
Kiana V ends the EP with Safe Place, where her comfort is brought by person rather than being somewhere secure. Now that sheās dealing with the aftermath of separation, sheās the one doing the haggling just to win him back, asking all the āwhat-ifsā. Regret mingles with each request, each question. Soft piano notes make each plea for a return to their rose-colored haze a lot heavier.
An arching narrative about a love story in paradise is seen in semilucent. It covers everything from infatuation, doubt, passion, fallout, and bargaining--the whole life cycle of a relationship and falling in love. The EP gives us a glimpse that love isnāt always sweet and all encompassing. Sometimes itās emptying and painful, forming a hole in your heart when the honeymoon magic wears off and reality sinks in. It reminds us that the sun sets in paradise too.
