Welcome to Songs You Need to Know, our weekly rundown of the best music right now. The Rolling Stone Philippines team is constantly sharing things to listen to, and each week, we compile a ragtag playlist of songs that we believe every music fan today needs to know. Whether it’s the hottest new single or an old track that captures the state of the present, our hope is that you discover something for your musical canon.
This week’s songs move back and forth between the past and the future, sometimes within the same track. There’s the surprise of covering her grandfather’s soft-rock song for longtime fans, and a Filipino-British rapper soaking in the heat of a Los Angeles summer. Art-pop trio NEW LORE mourns a “substack girl,” while Chinese Garden lingers around the idea of a sari-sari store to tell their own stories in the present day. With the week of love approaching, these songs arrive at the right moment, offering a fitting soundtrack for those counting down to the biggest day for lovers everywhere.
Trauma dumping and buying candy after
Whether or not it is named after the classic sari-sari store from Eraserheads lore, dream pop band Chinese Garden seems to wish that such a place still existed in their latest single, “Aling Nena.” This time, though, their version zeroes in on chorus-drenched guitars, a hazy atmosphere, and a twee vocal performance. It’s fair to say this take feels sharper around the edges and melodically rich, standing on its own rather than depending on its source material. Here, the sari-sari store becomes a place that listens, taking in stories of being dumped, love coming and going, and guitar solos buried in fuzz. That sense of intimacy is the charm “Aling Nena” holds for the alternative crowd, and it lands naturally. —Elijah Pareño
Yearning feels good in a pop track like this
When you encounter a song titled “substack girl,” expect keywords to be hit. This track calls out to a certain type of college student, whose interests Manila-based pop band NEW LORE generously enumerates in the bridge: “a gig-goer, art fair lover, film enjoyer, thrift store lover, vinyl seeker, poetry reader, soul admirer, joy-baiter.”
The song, NEW LORE’s second of the year and a follow-up to their 2025 debut album grief cake, is a fun one. Beyond lyrics that feel especially crafted for the band’s Gen Z audience, “substack girl” demonstrates NEW LORE’s penchant for playfulness, keeping the beat light even as vocalist Tita Halaman sings about missing an ex. If you’re a thrift store lover or a joy-baiter, as they say, this song’s for you. —Pie Gonzaga
Los Angeles is a city that never sleeps
Filipino-British rapper Feng is drifting away from the dreamy, clouded haze associated with Britain’s rising alternative hip-hop scene. Now spending time in Los Angeles, he taps into the sheen of Rio de Janeiro-style Instagram filters, afterparty excess, and a deadpan delivery laid over hypnotic trap beats. On “J*B,” the slacker-pop sensibility overtakes the faux-Tumblr sleazepop aesthetic that once defined his sound. Feng has a knack for turning casual raps into earworms, and this latest single points toward his upcoming Weekend Rockstar album, blurring past and present through a distinctly sepia-toned lens. —Elijah Pareño
A rocker inherits her grandfather’s pensive slow dance
Ever heard of a nepo-grandfather? In 2025, Rusty Williams, Hayley Williams’s grandfather, released his album Grand Man on Congrats Records, the independent label founded by Paramore drummer Zac Farro. The album was recorded in the 1970s but was revisited only in recent years. In January, Rusty released the album’s deluxe edition, including the song “Friends Or Lovers,” in which Hayley offers her vocals.
With a twelve-string guitar and a flute, played by Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard, the soft rock track sees Hayley treating her grandfather’s songwriting with reverence. Known for her vocal power, the Paramore singer’s performance here is more stripped-back and relaxed against the steady sway of the music. —Pie Gonzaga
An R&B-rock track that merits guitar showboating
It’s been two years since Mk.gee (pronounced McGee), the stage name of New Jersey musician Michael Gordon, released Two Star & The Dream Police in February 2024, but many tracks off the album remain on repeat for me. One of those is “How many miles.”
Gordon’s command of the electric guitar in this track is otherworldly. Sometimes, it sounds as if he’s playing it underwater. Other times, it growls. It mimics horns and melts into the synths. Gordon’s voice, soft and guttural at once, echoes over a production completely washed in reverb. It’s in this fluidity and formlessness that the artist’s star takes shape, and he shines in this blend of R&B and soft rock reminiscent of Genesis and The Police. —Pie Gonzaga
Listen closely and feel the emotions reeling in
The choke enough closing track from French art-pop producer oklou, “blade bird,” has gradually become one of her most lovelorn non-singles to reach cult status. Outside of the album’s formal rollout, the song has remained a fan favorite for its intimate, woody, and almost antiquated feel, placing her voice front and center after an album full of textural exploration. At the intersection of romantic pressure and release, the acoustic guitar acts as a grounding presence, stitching fractured emotions back together. It’s a fitting final note, and a reminder of how fully formed the album feels even a year after its release. —Elijah Pareño
