Filipino musician Zild reinvents himself yet again with his latest album. Superpower, his 4th solo LP, is a loved-up and warts-and-all snapshot of Zild’s life since the release of his last album. After delving into pop on his 2020 debut Homework Machine, traditional acoustic on his sophomore outing Huminga, and indie rock / emo on his 3rd record Medisina - Superpower find Zild harkening back to 1990s, specifically to that decade’s wave of Pinoy alternative rock.
Oh this album, he uses cheeky lyrics, playful instrumentals and a visual direction reminiscent of songbooks and variety shows to tackle stories about youth, nostalgia, frustration, and love. Thematically, this record finds Zild at his softest - we see him pining, waiting for the right time, trying to move on, and promising commitment. The fuzz and distortion used providing a lush background to the straightforward yet heartfelt feelings conveyed.
'Superpower'
A fast-paced track that starts the album with high energy. As Zild sings the lines, “superpower, super girlfriend,” he sets the theme of the rest of the album: this is Zild in love, and he’s embracing its highs and lows. After all, he credits his loved ones as his source of power.
'Lia'
Released as a single ahead of the album, this is a guitar-heavy song that’s reminiscent of Britpop and love songs from the 90s' OPM rock scene. It’s one of the sweetest songs in the album, as Zild admits his devotion to his lover and thanks the circumstances that brought them together, singing, “salamat nga sa musika, nakilala ka bigla.” Zild describes Lia as a straightforward love song, following the writing style of 'Kyusi' from his Huminga album.
“The childlike direct storytelling of the lyrics is a breath of fresh air for me for straying away from hiding in metaphors,” he explains. “It’s a writing style that I unlocked when I wrote 'Kyusi' in 2022. The song talks about a person being reminded of someone during his vacation in Japan. The person believed in feeling something special again, after a long time of resenting love.”
'Ewan kO !!!'
'Ewan kO !!!' talks about that infatuated stage when you’re in disbelief at your feelings, especially when you haven’t felt love in a while, as Zild sings “Ayoko ngang nagpapa-halata, gustong-gusto na kasama kita.” Zild shares that the track is heavily influenced by ‘90s bands like Blur, Rivermaya, and Eraserheads.
“The track is only two minutes short, and it starts energetic right away,” he expounds. “Lyrically, it’s just about how you miss a person, written in the most non-poetic and mundane way. As the line “mula Katip hanggang sa Cubao, palaging hanap ko ay ikaw” says, the song is an example that longing for someone can be dealt with with humor. We don’t have to take everything too seriously.”
'Matalino Street'
This is about the stage when you’re sure of your feelings, but timing isn’t on your side. “The song is about a person waiting for someone to be single— someone who is trapped in an abusive relationship,” Zild details. “It’s another straightforward track in the album that narrates a specific story. It’s slapstick-ish and cheeky.”
'I.N.A.S. (or I’m Not A Superman)'
'In I.N.A.S. (or I’m Not A Superman)', Zild experiments with a rap-like delivery. The backing beat is earworm material, sounding like a 90s video game that you can’t get out of your head.
“I.N.A.S. is about a person saying that he can’t save his object of affection since he himself is not yet fully healed,” Zild explains. The track is an exercise in self-awareness: Zild knows that he’s already fallen, but he’s trying to set boundaries since he knows that he’s not ready for a relationship yet.
'Segurista'
Another single released prior to the album, this is a fun and cheeky song backed by fuzz, distortion, and lush backbeat drums.
“It’s about ‘almost’ relationships. It’s about when you meet a certain person that checks your list of things that you look for in a partner, but you still end up wrong,” Zild describes the track. “It’s about an expectation-free dynamic that always doesn’t go right.”
'Huwag Nang Ipilit'
One of the more mellow songs on the album, a guitar-forward ballad that captures the bittersweet topic of the song: a relationship that isn’t meant to be.
“'Huwag Nang Ipilit' talks about not wanting to see a person that you deeply loved from the past,” reveals Zild. “It’s about the frustration of not wanting to see this person again, which made him realize that it is time to look for someone new. The lyrics also means acceptance—accepting that you shouldn’t force things and just let things be.”
'Dilim'
Described as an “exaggerated confession of love,” 'Zild' is rooted in the emo-rock genre. It employs guitar riffs to amplify its declaration of love and promise of complete devotion, as Zild belts: “Kung sakali nga na gumuho ang mundo, sana malaman mo, ikaw nasa puso ko.”
'Kahit Saan'
'Kahit Saan' with its alternative rock sound, is one of Superpower’s more subdued tracks. The song tackles the pain of remembering, when everything reminds you of a lost loved one. No matter how hard you try to forget, the places around you always remind you of this person, which makes moving on even harder.
'Kaibigan 2023'
While most of Superpower talks about romantic love, the album takes an unexpected yet welcomed direction with its closer, 'Kaibigan 2023'.
An anthem to his friends and platonic relationships, the track perfectly encapsulates how Zild’s Superpower is borne out of his loved ones. Throughout his tumultuous journey with romantic love, his friends have supported him. 'Kaibigan 2023' is his rightful ode to them, his own declaration of love for the times they picked him up.
“My friends rescued me during the deepest and darkest time of my life. It narrates different things that friends do together to help another friend move on. For example, drinking serbesa (beer) helps us to just laugh about our problems for a while,” Zild expounds.
“The line, ‘Di ko kailangan magmadali sa pag-ibig, pag may kaibigan,’ says that romantic relationships shouldn’t be rushed if you have genuine friends that fill up the void of loneliness. The track also talks about the reality of friendships: some of it won’t last forever, but you will make the most of it with the time you have left together.”
Follow Zild on his social media accounts to stay updated on his future releases.
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