Photo courtesy of One Click Straight.

Manila-based pop-rock band Once Click Straight recently released a new single called Small Talk. According to guitarist Sam Marquez, the song is about a common situation most people find themselves in when talking to a person they want to get to know. “It depicts the desperation a person is willing to go through for a glimpse of something more,” Sam says.

To those familiar with the band’s sound on their debut EP Nostalgic, Small Talk might come as a bit of a surprise. While Toffer Marquez’s groovy bass lines and Tim Marquez’s danceable drum beats still drive the song, and Sam Marquez’s and Joel Cartera’s signature guitar riffs enrich the song’s flavor, Toffer’s voice is now dreamier, and there is a permeating synth sound throughout the song.

One Click Straight draws influence from bands like The Kooks, Relient K, Oasis, Mutemath and Rooney. “We really love the synth sounds of the ’80s. So we’ve always listened to Daft Punk, Pet Shop Boys, Chromeo, George Duke and other amazing acts,” says Sam. And so incorporating synths came naturally, he says. Small Talk marks the band’s musical shift into a more sophisticated fusion of pop rock/indie rock.

The band’s new musical direction also comes with a visual rebranding. Sam says they have always been influenced by aesthetics and visual art. He says they believe art comes as a package and that music and visual art should compliment each other.

One Click Straight is currently recording new material. They plan to put out a few more singles before releasing a full-length album in mid or late 2018.

Small Talk can be streamed via Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3SmebFltfTPVUCOKnF8KZn

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