Sandwich, the beloved alternative rock band known for their distinctive sound and energetic performances, is excited to announce the release of their brand new EP titled “Kaswal.” This marks the first EP since its critically acclaimed release, “No Goodbyes,” in 2022. The upcoming EP, Kaswal, seems to have that added atmosphere of filtering it through a conscious lens of accessibility. While No Goodbyes captured a raw and unfiltered burst of creative energy, Kaswal reflects a more refined and conscious approach to songwriting, emphasizing accessibility while maintaining its signature style.
The EP was officially launched on March 26 at Apotheka Manila in Makati, featuring unforgettable performances from the band along with SUYEN, Ozo, Gloryen, and The Diegos. Additionally, PolyEast Records has renewed its contract with one of Pinoy rock’s enduring bands this year, solidifying a partnership that has withstood the test of time.
Track #1 is “Nyare?” released in April 2023. The song was borne out of guitarist Diego Castillo’s broken guitar riff he absent-mindedly recorded on an iPhone. The song has that crunchy electric guitar goodness that Sandwich that we have come to love from them since time immemorial, but with a little groovy funk thrown it. You can practically mosh and groove to it at the same time. The song is about experiencing a somewhat personal traumatic experience and keeping yourself from blowing it out of proportion.
“Ibang Araw Na Lang” is a song that reflects on how we should not let the downs we experience ruin the rest of our lives which are filled with ups, friends, and happy experiences. A track that once again came from a bunch of broken demos that drummer Mike Dizon took from Castillo when he asked for instrumental stuff he could use as a musical bed for his YouTube videos. Dizon, who has written lyrics for hit rock songs such as “Laklak”, for starters, started writing over it with the rest of the band (Myrene Academia on bass, Mong Alcaraz on guitar) adding their musical influence flourishes into the mix.
The third track is the critically acclaimed “Morena”, which frontman Raimund Marasigan always describes as their love song for the Filipino people and the Filipina color, “Ang pinakamagandang kulay sa balat ng lupa…” To paraphrase Castillo in a social media post he made in recent memory, while the song mainly has that harana, traditional folk song and rondalla elements at the forefront, modern elements and influences from James Brown, to the fuzz guitar of Os Mutantes and the tropicalia movement of Brazil to the spaghetti Western motif of Ennio Morricone while still channeling Maestros Abelardo, Santiago, and Molina. It is also an ode to our past, our present, and most importantly, our future.
Their most recent release, “Wag Ka Na Lang Kumagat” turns the inherent funk of this album even further with its dark turn and confrontational lyrics.
Key single “Tag-ulan na naman” has that slick, funky 70’s disco vibe. The song is about waking up on a rainy morning and wishing you didn’t have to get up and face the dread of a mundane daily life. The final cut, “Tag-araw” has that sinister clubby vibe to it that also tackles the dreariness of daily life, but from the perspective of a hot day.
The band has captured the counterculture sensitivities of alt-rock with cult favorites such as “Butterfly Carnival”, “Two-Trick Pony”, “Sugod”, “DVDx”, “Sunburn”, “Procrastinator”, “Betamax”, and “Selos”, among many others has struck again with Kaswal.
To learn more about SANDWICH, you may also follow their official social media accounts:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sandwichmanila
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sandwichtheband/#
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@sandwichmanila
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandwichband
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6baezjDaGyBqrW8xGqw3a5?si=E7NSKzRVQ42Wo6akYkcWTA
