Jay Som

Anak Ko

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.

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.

This album is representative of continued growth, and there’s no sign of stopping anytime soon.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Anak Ko isn't a showy record, nor does it radically differ from Jay Som's previous efforts. But the intricacies of the instrumentation, and especially the subtle power of Duterte's songwriting, prove her polish as a musician.

There’s little apparent by way of concept, lyrical wit, and aesthetic quirk — qualities that illuminate the work of many of Duterte’s colleagues — but ambience, style, and ingenuity are well at work, making the album a vibe-y classic worth hanging onto.

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.

Melina Duterte’s second album as Jay Som sounds exploratory and playful, like a jam session among friends that’s just hit its stride.