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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
Call it chill wave, call it dream pop, call her a bedroom producer - this album’s full of enough variety and adventure to make such generalisations moot. A real triumph.
4mo
85
Anak Ko is a record from an artist whose artistic voice sounds polished and refined, and whose continued growth and greatness will be a joy to witness.
5mo
83
The record and its seamless transitions from one heavily enticing, tender, and softly delivered track to the next paints a captivating and enthralling self-portrait.
4mo
81
This album is representative of continued growth, and there’s no sign of stopping anytime soon.
4mo
80
Refining her skills as a producer (as well as mixer and engineer), Duterte has clearly taken time to give the album a glossy finish, despite being recorded at home, glimmers of guitar shinier than before.
5mo
80
Duterte is not here to ruffle feathers or to blaze a new trail into music’s unseen future. What we have instead is a body of nine songs that ably glide through familiar indie environs.
5mo
80
Duterte showcases her ability to create songs with the illusion of space within a 35-minute record, drawing listeners in yet without overstaying her welcome.
5mo
80
LA’s Melina Duterte strips away the shoegaze of debut album ‘Everybody Works’, revealing a set of stunningly crafted indie-rock songs about self-care and heartbreak.
5mo
80
Thanks to the great production and instrumentation, there's a perfect mix of soft vocals and an entertaining display of instruments. As a whole, Anak Ko is the type of project you listen to while allowing the rhythm of the singer to take you away.
5mo
80
The comforting Anak Ko is more unified in tone than prior releases and benefits from its marriage of immersive sound design with consistently engaging songs.
4mo
80
Like previous Jay Som records, Anak Ko might seem slight at first listen, particularly Duterte’s winsome coo, but the payoff for lingering in her evolving dreamspace is hefty.
4mo
75
Largely avoiding any grand intent or message, the nine-track album is composed of the intimate statements she excels in. Musically speaking, Jay Som has never sounded warmer.
4mo
73
Melina Duterte’s second album as Jay Som sounds exploratory and playful, like a jam session among friends that’s just hit its stride.
4mo
70
Duterte balances the musical warmth of her bedroom-pop influences with some heavy emotional stakes.
5mo
70
This time around, Jay Som has traded in most of its lo-fi pop allure in favour of precision and controlled intensity.
5mo
70
Few artists these days are so good at turning their private worlds into wide-open biospheres of pleasure and discovery.
4mo
Typing this review up on my phone with 13% battery, pray for me. 🙏
Sometimes, you have those days where all you want to do is just rest your shoulders, free your mind and take a step back. Yesterday, I was feeling a little under the weather and spent the time alone, in bed or outside in my backyard and listening to music. Had the chance to listen to this Jay Som album, and it was definitely a comforting experience!
It's not often to have days like this where you free yourself from the ... read more
Sometimes, you have those days where all you want to do is just rest your shoulders, free your mind and take a step back. Yesterday, I was feeling a little under the weather and spent the time alone, in bed or outside in my backyard and listening to music. Had the chance to listen to this Jay Som album, and it was definitely a comforting experience!
It's not often to have days like this where you free yourself from the ... read more
The sophomore record from LA based bedroom pop singer songwriter Melina Duterte features her cover art set in a stone balance beam on arabesque, basking under the sun at various hues of orange that captures the entire aesthetic of the record as a whole: setting path on a new territory with her voice front-and-center with that certain youthful glow, refreshing all the way through with that familiar melody that never out stays its welcome. Her lyricism evokes emotional sincerity and growth, ... read more
Really sweet and soothing little dream pop record. The album sounds incredible and you can tell a lot of effort was put into the production and performances. I was hoping the record would grow on me slightly more with subsequent listens but at the moment it's staying pretty stagnant. But it IS an enjoyable record I recommend easily.
Melina Duterte's second album is smaller and more intimate than her first record. While it may not have the immediacy of her earlier music, Duterte's thoughtful and sun-kissed songwriting sparkles with new wisdom. It's a strikingly tight record that's filled with determined drum machines and sentimental lyrics. The music quivers with warmth, 'Superbike' in particular is incredible.
If you like the album art, check out the rest of Maria Medem's work! She is an incredible contemporary artist ... read more
If you like the album art, check out the rest of Maria Medem's work! She is an incredible contemporary artist ... read more
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Year End Lists
| #13 | / | Under the Radar |
| #25 | / | Treble |
| #35 | / | Consequence of Sound |
| #61 | / | Rough Trade |
| #67 | / | Piccadilly Records |
| #73 | / | The Alternative |
| / | Vinyl Me, Please |
Track List
- If You Want It
- Superbike
- Peace Out
- Devotion
- Nighttime Drive
- Tenderness
- Anak Ko
- Crown
- Get Well
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In Library (58)
stereogum.com
Video: Jay Som – “Nighttime Drive” 
stereogum.com
New Track: Jay Som – “Superbike” 
Added on: June 4, 2019
