Listen to Over
October’s EP, Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow: https://overoctober.lnk.to/MTMT
Filipino alternative rock quartet Over
October has spent a good chunk of their early days making a definitive bid
for legitimacy with their brand of melodic and transcendent music. They started
building their cred by playing for small gigs in bars such as Route 196 and
Saguijo, before eventually headlining bigger venues and releasing two
critically acclaimed records within the last 7 years: the delightful EP Free
and the sonically arresting full-length album Press Play, both released
under MCA Music Inc. in 2019.
Fast forward to 2021, Over October returns with a brand-new EP helmed during a time when everyone is navigating the pandemic with an uncertain future. Their latest EP, Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow is their answer to the ongoing crisis: a collection of songs that reflect their feelings, frustrations, and hopes during a tumultuous period in their respective lives.
“At the same time, we wrote the songs
during the well-known, often-cliche, but still heavy-hitting quarter life
crisis happening in our personal lives,” Josh Buizon (lead vocalist, rhythm
guitarist) shares in a statement. “It speaks about the journey of loss,
self-reflection, emotional and mental struggles, perseverance, and wanton joy
despite things turning to shit. Some of these are in the context of love songs,
but ultimately the message that we want to get across is that even though the
world we live in is in chaos and the future seems so bleak, there is hope.”
The bulk of songwriting in the album was
done by Josh Buizon and Joshua Lua (lead guitarist), but all the members have a
hand in writing lyrics one way or another. Over October also took part in
arranging the tracks off Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow, with guidance from
their producer Jazz Nicolas and sound engineer Peavey Nicolas. This also marks
the group’s most collaborative and experimental work to date, harnessing new
sounds and arrangement styles to elevate the material into what it is now: a
more eclectic sonic brew that’s more open to possibilities, without letting go
of the accessibility that defines most of their releases in the past.
“In these songs, we were able to try
arrangements and instruments that we haven’t used before,” Lua admits. “It’s honestly
amazing how the songs transformed from the first day of the recording to how
they are now.”
To start the recording process for the EP, the members of
Over October holed up on a house in La Union for five days to write and arrange
their material and spent another two weeks in Manila-based Big Baby Studios
with Jazz Nicolas and Peavy Nicolas for recording. Because of the current state
of the pandemic, they stayed together for two weeks under a bubble, and the
experience somehow gave the band a deeper perspective on the music-making side,
and tested their friendship along the way.
“Chemistry-wise, since we’ve been
working with the Nicolas brothers for the past few releases, it was also easier
to come up with ideas during the recording itself,” Buizon says. “They’re very
chill and cool people, actually. Outside of recording, we’d watch Netflix documentaries
about spicy food. They have a lot of different chili sauces in their studio and
we’d get to try them all.”
Other than the fact that it has some Tagalog
songs—a first in Over October’s repertoire, their brand-new EP, Maybe Today,
Maybe Tomorrow is a lot more introspective as compared to their other
releases. The songwriting is more sophisticated and subdued, with lovely
moments where you can picture the emotions as if it were speaking to you in the
dark. And most importantly, the new EP is musically cohesive, flowing neatly
without sounding too curated or rehearsed. “That’s probably the best part— when
you get in the studio and don't know what to expect,” Janessa Geronimo (drummer)
points out. “We surprised ourselves a lot during this project. The most
conscious effort we put in was probably writing in Filipino and trying to come
up with new and refreshing sounds that still retain our music style.”
Joric Canlas (bassist) also shares that
the album reflects how they’ve grown as individuals. “The EP’s a new feel
because of being able to collaborate more with Sir Jazz and Sir Peavey and even
amongst ourselves. You can cry, laugh, or even dance to these songs but the
whole EP is meant to be a release and an encouragement to everyone who’s
currently in a hard place.”
Over October’s new EP, Maybe
Today, Maybe Tomorrow is out now on streaming platforms worldwide through
Island Records Philippines and MCA Music Inc.
Over October is an alternative pop/rock
band from Manila, Philippines. The band consists of Josh Buizon (lead vocals
and rhythm guitar), Josh Lua (lead guitar), Janessa Geronimo (drums), and Joric
Canlas (bass). They are known for their EP Free (2016) and their singles 'Never
Stop' (2017), and 'Wait' (2018). In 2019, they released three more singles 'Mr.
Sun,' 'Alive,' and 'Without Your Love,' and their debut album Press Play.
In 2020, the band signed with Island Records Philippines.
Over October is a group of friends bursting
in the seams with personalities that translate coming-of-age experiences and
life lessons through an easy-listening sound with cleverly crafted lyrics.
Through their songs, Over October invites their audience to go through life
with them: a never-ending road trip that is best enjoyed with your friends.
Follow
Over October: Facebook | Instagram | Website | YouTube
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