MANILA, Philippines - On the heels of the LP-Playgirls fiasco, the apparent farce of the UAAP Cheer Dance results, not to mention Gilas Pilipinas’s loss to China (they’re really out to take everything from us), you’d think the only way to cope is to mope. We at Supreme think otherwise and have compiled a mini-mixtape for your cathartic iyak-sayaw needs. Besides, it’s your party — you can pop, grind, lap dance, and lick your wounds under the strobe lights if you want to.
Saosin’s Seven Years remix by Mark Redito
Remember the day when listening to emo meant social suicide? The San Francisco-based Filipino electropop artist, formerly known as Spazzkid, shows us he still has a few tricks up his sleeve and in his CDJ deck despite the moniker change. It’s basically a case of a different brand name but same great taste, or at least many of his fans would like to think so as he retains his signature warm aural aesthetic. Wipe the dust off your Soundcloud account when you get home and you’ll find yourself undulating in bed to this updated scream classic with a tear-drenched pillow in one arm. It’s light years better than Typecast’s Breathe Through the Glass, if you know what we mean.
Justin Bieber’s What Do You Mean cover by Chvrches
To answer the question, we’re not so sure either. All we know is that the Scottish synthpop triumvirate loves to nod their heads to (and possibly flip their middle fingers at) various hip artists, but not without improving their creations. Vocalist Lauren Mayberry may come off as pitchy at certain points, but the desperate uncertainty that forms the core of Bieber’s latest hit was definitely not lost on the former’s icy vocals. If anything, the pulsating synth beats in this rendition have complemented the nuances he had intended to highlight. Don’t we all wish Chvrches could cover the anthems of our wretched existence?
Wonder Why by Burn the Negative
Impress your friends by squeezing this barely-known defunct band into your playlist. It’s always a gray day when you play the catchiest track in this British disco-punk act’s debut album. Never mind Mark Baker’s dragging vocals — the real gem of this track is the melancholic bassline that can tug at the sturdiest of heartstrings, leaving you wondering what went wrong with your life recently.
Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol
The bass. The guitar riffs. The distinctive voice soaked in cheap beer. Billy Idol was already pop punk before the advent of such bands as New Found Glory, The Offspring, and even Green Day. It’s great that we’re living in a time when the ‘80s revival is finally socially acceptable, when what used to be mere #TBT tokens have been reincarnated into the pop icon du jour’s next chart-toppers. Therefore, you might want to consider dancing with yourself while everybody else is dancing on their own to Robyn.
Indestructible by Robyn
Speaking of Robyn, nearly all of her albums contain at least one iyak-sayaw single. Leave Dancing On My Own to Today X Future regulars as we’ve decided to conclude this mini-mixtape on a more optimistic note. Check the BPM and how every second pulsates with bittersweet sincerity, manifesting a fearless declaration that the rest of one’s life begins where maudlin heartbreaks end. The track itself may never pick up the pace, but it certainly is the best cue to pick yourself up from the floor.
Bonus track: Not in Love by Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith
The dark electro/synthpop duo teaming up with The Cure’s well-loved frontman. Nothing else could possibly hike up your goth cred. Need we say more?