aespa, It All Started in May, Jason Dhakal, and All the Songs You Need to Know

Manila Sound takes over Cavite 

For the longest time, It All Started in May has caught the attention of listeners both young and old with their classic stylings and vocal baritone brought by their frontman Red Asis and the rest of the talented band. In “Di Ko Man Masambit,” the single is amped up by string synths and guitar solos that don’t overstay their welcome.

The bandcurrently has a string of hits with their strong melodies and vocal presence call back to Manila Sound greats like The Boyfriends, Rico J. Puno, Rey Valera, and many more. But this is the kind of Manila Sound that is still refreshingly new with its blend of bedroom pop and modern-day pop rock. This band isn’t necessarily “old school.” They pull it off with their own Gen Z twist.  —Elijah Pareño

In the backrooms with some electronic music

Seeing American producer Instupendo spinning in the empty yellow hallway in the movie Backrooms is sort of a dream come true. The single “Six Forty Seven,” originally released in 2016, was used in Kane Parsons’ Backrooms trailer. The track was never the same after. Back when it was released as a standalone debut, it was a downtempo cut with ethereal synths, a rhythm akin to a clock ticking down, and a lo-fi chopped vocal as if it were recorded in a bathroom stall.

But in the context of Backrooms, everything changes. “Six Forty Seven” by Instupendo has now been immortalized in creepypasta history. Now, you think of empty hallways, chairs and tables noclipped into walls, and creatures lurking in the darkest corners of Parsons’ expansive imagination.  —Elijah Pareño

Begging for reciprocation through synth pop

Shanni Silonga, stylistically known as SHANNi, doubles down on the tropes of the titular TV dramas in h34 romantic new single. After delving into the confidently catchy city-pop sound of “Siketro Tayo Lang May Alam” and the more electronically inclined bedroom-pop charm of “Kdrama,” the latest single dives deeper into a synth-pop direction, expanding the skill set SHANNi can pull off as a standalone singer-songwriter.

In “Teleserye,” she asks, “Bakit ka pa ganyan? Hindi kita maintindihan?” but follows it with a yearning offer to stay and watch without reciprocation. She then wonders if the love interest would rather remain vague. Unrequited love is the new character unlocked in her lore as an artist. SHANNi can make great love songs, but she can also make love songs with the saddest endings. —Elijah Pareño

Gossamer bubblegum pop for girls who know their worth

“Camouflage” might just be my favorite track from aespa’s LEMONADE, and if it had come out earlier, it would have easily made the top five on our list of the Best aespa Tracks so Far. It’s unlike anything else we’ve heard from the hit K-pop girl group, best known for its metallic, industrial pop sound, yet it also feels like a natural sonic direction for aespa to take. Produced by Swedish duo ACT SOCIAL (who previously worked with Zara Larsson), the song is rife with buoyant melodies (“Don’t need your ‘maybes,’ all of your lies”), zingy synth pads, and an electronic beat that all draw on Charli xcx’s Pop 2. —Pie Gonzaga

The R&B-pop artist flirts with grunge

Ravyn Lenae found a hit in her hands when her song “Love Me Not” went viral on TikTok in 2025 and was mashed-up with Solange’s “Losing You.” And while American singer-songwriter’s always done acoustic-driven alternative R&B, Lenae leans a little further into guitars in “Handle,” the first single leading up to the release of her upcoming album, Blue Island. “Handle” is a little grungy, a chorus-laden guitar riff injecting the track with a raw energy. The grit is balanced out with a percussive, mechanical drum pattern, which provides equal amounts of gloss and texture to a track that doesn’t lose Lenae’s candy-sweet vocals. —Pie Gonzaga

An R&B track as breezy and sparkly as a beach

Jason Dhakal has always sat comfortably in the realm of R&B, but in his latest track, “Play,” the Filipino-Nepali singer ventures into the genre’s older forms. There’s an analog quality to the track that reminds one of Clairo’s “Terrapin,” off an album that was itself inspired by the breezy soul and jazz of the 1970s. In “Play,” Dhakal croons over twinkling electronic pianos, swingy drums, and an impressive, stank-face-inducing but soft bassline. It’s the perfect song for hot summer days — and Pride month. —Pie Gonzaga