ACROSS THE MUSICAL (SOUTH) BORDER

Take an enormous help of Davao enthusiasm, add in some Manila spice, and sprinkle a dash of Bohol’s charm. Yes, this is the perfect recipe to the success that is South Border.

Coming into the Manila music scene a good six years ago gave these guys more than enough time to establish a solid following that hunts them down wherever their schedules may take them…just to hear them perform live. Not that the group’s albums aren’t enough to keep anyone content listening to their favorite songs over and over.

There’s just something magical about the way South Border takes the stage. They leave people mesmerized…wanting more. Good strategy. Just the sort of thing that would entice people to look forward to what else the talented bunch has to offer.

Don’t get them wrong. Although it’s the ultimate bonus to be able to earn a mint for something they don’t necessarily consider as work, the members of South Border are true advocates of the real purpose of music. Creativity. Passion. Expression. Vision. Difference. And this is what their latest endeavor embodies. Not too far removed from the sound they started with, yet a lot more experimental. Expect all this from their newest album, The Way We Do.

But why veer away from something tried and tested?

Musicality is not about sticking to what is safe and accepted. It is about knowing what the heart wants and sticking by it…furthering the craft with patience, practice, and continued fervor.

From the start, it was their quest was to stay true to their rhythm and blues roots. With some serious evolution, a little bit of pop-rock injection, and all the hard work necessary to get ahead…in comes a new, more mature sound.

It took them quite a while. "Maganda na rin yung nade-delay ’yung album, because then we have time to develop our skills and grow musically. Kung nagka-album kami kaagad, hindi siguro ganito kaganda," mused chief songwriter Jay Durias.

However, even as their carrier single "Habang Atin Ang Gabi" proved to be a big hit, there still exists the slightest bit of trepidation in the band—never sure if their fans will completely embrace something that goes too far away from the norm.

At the end of the day, the talented members of South Border do realize that it is only to themselves and each other that they owe any explanations. Their music is the way it is because it is what their collective efforts dictate. And, because it is real and heartfelt, they should be assured that only good things are to be expected.