A 'hug' from The CompanY

The CompanY and Gerard Salonga with his orchestra, FILharmoniKA embark on a musical adventure in the album titled Group Hug (Viva Records).

Group Hug is The CompanY’s tribute to the legendary groups that have left their indelible mark on the history of popular music. They are Abba, The Beatles, The Carpenters, Nirvana, Earth, Wind and Fire, The Jacksons, Spiral Starecase, Average White Band, David Foster’s Airplay and Queen.

The album showcases the versatility of The CompanY as the album delves into multiple and disparate music genres. From mainstream pop to classic rock, from old school rhythm and blues to fiery mambo, from smooth jazz to pseudo classical postulations; from contemporary a cappella to electronica — Group Hug runs the spectrum of music styles and influences. The CompanY unleashes a cast of a thousand voices from within to try on different sounds, styles, textures and rhythms.

Album producers Moy Ortiz and Gerard have made a deliberate and conscious decision not to utilize and apply the FILharmoniKA orchestra in predictable and traditional ways. They pushed the vocalists and instrumentalists to their limit in seeking uncharted musical territories where experimentation was the norm.

Music, like most things, is arguably Darwinian in nature. It is evolutionary in the sense that every style, trend or movement has brought music to its current state. Each music artist builds on top of what has gone before him. Here lies the spirit of Group Hug. On the album are Magical Mystery Tour (The Beatles), Blame It On The Boogie (The Jacksons), You’re The One/I Just Fall In Love Again (The Carpenters), Play That Funky Music/Superstition (Wild Cherry), Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen), Should We Carry On (Airplay), More Today Than Yesterday (Spiral Starecase), Take A Chance On Me (Abba), Boggie Wonderland (Earth, Wind and Fire), Walk In Love (The Manhattan Transfer) and All Apologies (Nirvana).

The Group Hug album is also supported by Viva Records, Ambient Music, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ayala Malls, SM Supermalls, Solar Entertainment (etc and Second Avenue), 105.1 Crossover, 92.3 XFM, 106.7 Dream FM, RJ100, Wave 89.1, Jam 88.3, 96.3 WRock, Business Mirror, The Philippine STAR, Manila Bulletin, TJmaxmusiclab, Eric de los Santos, Hat Momma, Rocks by Ana Rocha, Brainchild Creative Solutions and Information Gateway, Secret Recipe and Danilo Franco.