It’s been more than a year since the whole country was locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Everyone was and continues to be affected, including musicians. While some were forced into indefinite hiatus, others used the downtime to create new material like San Pablo City, Laguna-based indie singer/songwriter Mark Dela Cruz.
“Because of the pandemic and lockdowns, I had sufficient time to record, write new songs, and rewrite old songs that became materials for my new EP. My creative juice sort of flowed because of time,” said Mark.
Cover art of Mark Dela Cruz’s “Muni-Muni” by EJ Mercado.
Last month, Mark released his new solo EP Muni-Muni on digital platforms. The EP, under independent label Body Clock Records and Distro, includes four original Tagalog songs which are reminiscent of melodic alternative indie rock from the 1990s to early 2000s.
According to Mark, the songs in Muni-Muni “talks about my deep thoughts on different circumstances in life like coming home, missing a lost loved one, and even the current pandemic”—more personal and introspective than the usual material in his other recent bands.
Mark wrote and recorded his EP in his family’s bedroom. Using only GarageBand and his iPhone, he tracked almost everything from his vocals to overdriven guitars to playful keyboards. Helping him complete the songs in the EP were some of his notable musician friends who recorded their instrument parts in the comfort of their respective homes as well: Diego Mapa (Pedicab, Cambio, Eggboy) and Dedek Mongalo (WeeFee) on guitars, Jahri Adajar (Oniichan) on bass, Tim De Ramos (Monster Turned Machine) on drums and Jezi Matias (Sasaya, Sleepersecond) on cello.
Muni-Muni starts off with SLEX, a song about coming home to south of the metro. The song is reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World’s “23,” but not as depressing. Tanong Mo sa Buwan has a catchy synth melody; a light song you can pop in your car stereo on an easy drive. Maginhawa talks about what could have been if a certain loved one hadn’t left. It incorporates some ‘80s new wave elements but still sounds fresh and current. Ikot ng Mundo concludes the EP with a hopeful note that current challenges will eventually be overcome.
Mark Dela Cruz
Overall Muni-Muni takes us back to the ‘90s, the heyday of Pinoy alternative rock when the likes of Rivermaya and Parokya ni Edgar dominated the airwaves, which is not surprising since Mark has been part of the local indie music scene for two decades now, being associated with acts such as Boymeatsgirl, Oblong, Driveway To Driveway, and Life Less Ordinary to name a few. He had played, wrote songs and recorded with these outfits for the last 20 years, always incorporating his pop sensibilities in the music he creates.
Raw, honest, and real, Muni-Muni is a great companion if one wants to have some quiet time to ponder on life. ALT
