Rico Blanco’s new solo album is ‘fantastamatic’
As a solo artist, you can do two things: collaborate with as many people as possible or do everything yourself.
In the first, the payoff comes in the thrill of musical and artistic promiscuity.
In the second case, or when you go D.I.Y., you may have full control over your ideas but sometimes you become your worst enemy. You can procrastinate, be plagued by self-doubt or be paralyzed into inaction by a menu of options.
The thing is, overcoming all that could lead to either the most self-indulgent piece of music, or the purest.
In the case of Rico Blanco's second solo outing, "Galactic Fiestamatik," he achieves both.
And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
An electronic playpen of beats
Four years after the release of his solo debut, "My Universe," Blanco's follow-up album is an electronic playpen of beats, bleeps, and synths.
This is not the usual—neither mainstream rock nor mainstream pop.
The first single, "Amats," sets the tone for the album. Lyrically, the song could be a schmaltzy love ditty. But by slapping on a dark assortment of industrial beats and minor synthesizer progressions, Blanco turns "Amats" into a stalker song.
So, ladies, if a guy dedicates this song to you, I say run.
Turning small stuff into big-sounding songs
"Burado" shows another Blanco strength—writing about the small stuff and then turning them into the biggest-sounding songs ever.
"Lipat Bahay" is what could happen if you threw Joey Ayala, Ben Gibbard, and Ciudad together in one room...the result of which is a bittersweet musing on departures, recollections, and moving on.
In "When the Wheels Turn," Blanco channels David Bowie and Depeche Mode.
"Sayaw" is the inevitable dance tune in an all-electronic album.
"Hours and Days" strays into trademark introspective Rico territory.
Be here now
And "Chismis" and "What It Is" are probably the most 80s-sounding tracks on the album, reminiscent of OMD and New Order.
The album ends with a quiet rearrangement of Blanco's Tanduay song, "Ngayon." A good closer, possibly a statement. In a journey through the electronic playfulness of Rico Blanco's mind, he says it all: "Ang kahapon ay ala-ala, bukas ay wala, buhay natin ay nagaganap ngayon."
Therefore let's just enjoy the ride. A difficult one for a lot of people, but the album is worth it.
