On this Philippine Independence Day, let’s enjoy the latest release from SB19.
There’s no question SB19 has helped usher in a new era in OPM. They have helped changed the mainstream bias against pop groups in local music. When before, pop boy and girl groups were derided and laughed at, now they are being proudly shared to listeners and fans around the world.
SB19’s Pagtatag is an album that not only shows the group’s own personal growth as artists since their breakout debut, but also the growth of P-pop itself.
The title track “Gento” gets even better with every listen. And little did anyone know, it was only a taste of what the rest of the album had to offer.
Track 2, “I Want You” and its accompanying music video is absolutely a shocker! It’s wild and crazy. In a good way! The R&B love song is a sensual and captivating track. Something I certainly haven’t heard from SB19. Or really in P-pop in general so far. Absolutely stunning track. I only wish there was a bit of Filipino in it too because that would just take it to a whole other level.
The electronic “Crimzone” is a hip-hop-infused track that reminds me a lot of the members’ solo releases in the last year. It has clever lyrics that definitely make for a fun time.
The title of “Raw” definitely suits this acoustic track. A wonderful song that highlights SB19’s powerful vocals and their passionate performance. The tracks starts out quiet until it crescendos with a grand climax.
“Liham” is another great ballad. The group delivers an excellent performance that is full of emotions, perfectly expressing the song’s meaningful lyrics.
Meanwhile, “Freedom” is the perfect closer to the album. It evokes a lot of their debut “Go Up” with its bright, uplifting message. And it’s a positive way to wrap up what is such an excellent album from the P-pop supergroup.
It’s really been wonderful to see how fast P-pop has grown in the last few years. And SB19’s Pagtatag is very much an example of what P-pop can best offer to the world.