Deep in the Beat: OPM is gold
To dig deep and go down to the abyss, we discover a treasure in the present, but not all of them are plain silver and gold–some are just irresistibly good songs.
Written by Adrian Earl Taruc
February 28, 2023
For about every 1.4 seconds a new music drops in Spotify, one of the largest streaming platform providers, globally. According to Spotify Co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, over 60,000 new tracks are uploaded each day which translates to almost 22 million tracks uploaded every year resulting in an abundance of music in a singular platform, a treasure trove yet to be discovered.
Some of these songs end up being blasted daily on the radio and used over and over throughout social media platforms, while sadly, some are typically left in the background for a much different reason—buried somewhere in the depths of the internet, unheard by many. So, if you end up questioning yourself if missing out on the current trends and new releases, this article got you covered.
Turn Up the Beat
Curated recommendations from old to fresh releases are always a treat. There is always a reason to look out for curated lists and chart ratings, for driving inspiration to self-discovery, especially delivered by the interests of the people who put it together. However, it can be challenging to follow what is on the radar and grasp various music ranges, textures, and depths, given the market's obvious saturation with releases left and right.
For songs that have not yet been discovered by many and were just casually put fresh on streaming platforms, Original Pinoy Music (OPM) is worthily valuable to give a try because it provides a wide range of classifications from ballads to contemporary music.
In this sense, OPM is like a good quality bargain at the thrift store, where you get to locate a product for half of what it usually costs. With playlists specifically designated to OPM like OPM Favorites, OPM hits of the ’00s, OPM Says Chillax, and OPM Rising—listeners come to the insight that although these playlists seem to be noticeable or within reach, it is frequently overlooked by people normally functioning on the blink.
Scoring better finds in music the same way thrifting requires an open mind and patience. The countless numbers of luminary OPM songs—to snag a good catch is to yield and expand horizons. Some of the recently released OPM songs that showcase a wide array of stories, passion, and artistry worthy of your time are included in the list below.
Ikaw at Sila by Moira Dela Torre
Dela Torre’s soothing voice is rhythmic, beautiful, and euphonious at its best, so fascinating that you would like to hear more once she starts singing in that tuneful vocal of hers. “Ikaw at Sila” relishes soulful qualities, able to capture her listeners with her emotive vocal abilities and storytelling.
The song is good at getting her listeners exactly where she wishes them to be, kind of pretty wild to tame as the song progresses with falsettos even beyond what is expected to come. It brings her listeners to Moira’s demise of time echoing her wretched experience of the past.
Paano by Arthur Miguel
Admit it or not, we all have been in a time where we caught feelings with someone. While some say they fell in love for certain reasons, others were merely confused about how things rapidly went deep. Arthur Miguel’s “Paano” is best described as a blissful moment of falling in love yet wondering at the rawness and skepticism that comes with such a humane experience, a simplistic yet tactile message.
The singer-songwriter’s joyous and quirky song transcends a lot of emotional ground brilliantly, accomplishing a sense of familiarity with people who tune in. A famous phrase once said that love is like rain; it does not choose the grass on which it falls. In the same way, “Paano” encompasses the ability to easily grasp what is being intended to navigate its pristineness. The song’s mid-tempo rhythm also charmingly connects to the audience straightforwardly.
Lemon by Sansette
Sansette is a seven-piece indie pop band that hails from the city of Cebu. With their newest track “Lemon” it presents a graceful enigmatic beauty giving off a conventional go-to song vibe listenable at any time of the day. The song wastes no time in dosing a shot of rhythm that seizes to never hit a dull moment in its core.
Oh Sinta by 3 AM
“Oh Sinta” opens with a melodic synth giving off a funky vibe set to make your head bop to its beat. The vibe is full of warmth ceasing to capture emotions that take the listeners to a route of optimism alluring you to listen to it once again. In some ways, its structure draws dynamism with the tempo gleefully signaling a supernova moment.
The song is pulsating; it fuses you to a comprehensive experience being anchored on its tune and instrumentals. The ear-soothing arrangement makes your head bop, especially since the beat is capable of generating lots of energy wherever you are.
Sagi by Paul Pablo
Pablo’s seventh single addresses his sentiment of precariousness yet still adamant in choosing love to achieve and feel a deep affection wanting to be reciprocated.
“Sagi” manages to wrap an evocative sentiment with the storytelling through a zone of events that takes you in a turn to look at different perspectives. Pablo’s pen game was able to contrive things to ponder while being intuitive. The song’s penetrative thought is a huge contemplation of our actions in life whether we get as immersive as it tends to be emotional.
Dulo by VXON
The five-member group under Cornerstone Entertainment has once again pulled off a concept that suits them well. With VXON previously releasing an original upbeat soundtrack, this time around in “Dulo” they are set to serenade a lot of people with a ballad piece.
The song takes the listeners to a bizarrely different approach contrary to the accustomed hard-hitting song releases of pop groups. “Dulo” takes you in a clear showing of rhythmic and enchanting vocals carrying the mood by escorting listeners to a message: to stay until the end; while substantially elevating the whole listening experience.
The Philippines is a music-loving nation and it cannot be denied that deep in the beat, some of the treasures we find along the way are unnoticed. While its impact and evolution over the years situate compelling stories able to be heard by many, the way it branches out to various genres makes OPM triumphant despite international releases left and right. Its capacity to strengthen social ties forges bonds with the people around that wherever we go, OPM manages to comply with the needs of what is present, and champion the beauty that resides from within.
