Seiri by Seiri

sEIRI i r o n y

This is a teaser copy. If you wish to devour the whole issue, please do not hesitate to email us at seirimag@gmail.com to receive a pdf for free.

SEIRI issue 9

issue 9 06 EDITOR’S NOTE 09 THE CUT 10 CONTRIBUTORS

IT COMES IN THREES 12 ART Illusions Underwater Observed Soft Stab 22 FILM

Every Path is the Right Path

Silent Screams Litfolio IV: Ironclad A Night in February

24 LITERATURE

40 MUSIC

Playlist IX Fresh Local Meat – Sound Architects – BP Valenzuela

BIPOLAR HARMONY | c a p t i v a page 48

CAPTIVA

CONFABULATION

48 BIPOLAR HARMONY

64 CECI N’EST PAS MOI

56 FROM CONCRETE A ROSE GREW

66 ELSEWHERE

l i t e r a t u r e | SILENT SCREAMS page 30

SPECIALS 68 ANATOMY OF ROOTS 76 WHEN THE KING WEARS HIS CROWN

ISSUE 9 editor’s note

COURTESY OF APPOLONIA SAINTCLAIR | appoloniasaintclair.tumblr.com

It’s the same way we have a knack for hot coffee on a hot summer’s day or ice cream in the zenith of winter, there is a fascination for the unexpected, a contradiction, a paradox. An irony about the life we live, or the world we live in. Once we spot one, we feel so giddy and proud of how immensely intelligent we are for seeing that. That in a world suspended by the strings of a freedom, there are prisons, violence, and bloody distrust, that in the boiling protest against the Kardashians, there is an equal love and an unkillable patronage for them. We are both limited and unlimited, in harmony there is

diversity, and the most gentle can also hurt. That list may only go on. Life is the greatest paradox, and if one has not seen that yet, let it not be a bother, for we merely suggest that life is filled to the hilt with nonsense that makes sense, like this issue, maybe. Enjoy the taste of irony.

Ishka Mejia

a passage from Muriel Barbery’s L’Élégance du Hérisson

SEIRI masthead

EDITOR IN CHIEF

DEPUTY EDITOR

Julian Occe単a

ART EDITOR

Nina Martinez

LITERARY EDITOR

MUSIC EDITOR

Lian Kyla Dyogi

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Ishka Mejia

Christine Imperial

Jade Katherine Emily Castro

EDITOR AT LARGE

Jonathan Baldoza ILLUSTRATORS

Kirsten Raposas, Erika Morales CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Tiny Chung, Matthew Estrella

seirimag@gmail.com

facebook.com/seirimagazine @seirimag

THE CUT words of wisdom

“

It will be strange Knowing at last it couldn’t go on forever, The certain voice telling us over and over That nothing would change .... And somehow trying, But still unable, to know just what it was That went so completely wrong, or why it is We are dying. – Mark Strand

ISSUE 9

CONTRIBUTORS

make-up artist Our constant ally along the dark alleys of make-up artistry, Inna Valera (far left) once again reveals her capacity to transform our muses into beings of both raw and idyllic wonder. Having had worked in several of our past issues, she remains a vital catalyst of Seiriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion editorials. With her felicitous vibe and solid vision, our fashion editorials never cease to be more insightful, fun, and our photographs absolutely stunning. She shall be holding a Personal Make-Up Workshop, from basic skin essentials to all around looks, on the 10th of April 2015.

DISCOVER MORE facebook.com/makeupbyinna @innavalera #makeupbyinna

afar Make Up by Inna in Issue 7

IT COMES IN THREES

ART illusions under water TEXT AND ART BY ISHKA MEJIA

You’re 20 feet below the surface and your head starts to spin. Your lungs are about to disintegrate, eardrums about to shatter, head already bursting. Yet the eyes are wide, stronger than was ever consciously expected of it. The burdened retinae transmit to the throbbing brain that there is more here, there is more to see. Keep them open. Paddle those blistered feet, stay a minute longer, and you’ll see a few more things not everyone may be able to. Keep yourself high underwater.

UGLY FEET maybe a mermaid’s tail would prove more fitting

A CORAL FLOWER dead corals arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feast for the eyes, so the mind creates an ideal, a coral flower; vibrant, colorful, and blossoming

ART

SOFT STAB don‘t be too hard on yourself WITH KATRINA RIVERA CROCHET KNIFE BY KIRSTEN RAPOSAS

IT COMES IN THREES

LITERATURE silent screams TEXT AND ART BY TINY CHUNG ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY ISHKA MEJIA

LITERATURE

Ironclad a litfolio TEXT BY LIAN KYLA DYOGI & ISHKA MEJIA ILLUSTRATION BY TINY CHUNG

The Sun Also Lives For a Day That the faintest light blares a spectra of peach, lavender, and lemon with an abeyance of smoke, stark white would awaken a dizzy dozen Just two hours ago they were of intoxicated madness eyes burned by the dancing sea of salt, the moving stars of dust by loud, blistering laughs, forgetful kisses (under the haloed crystal ball) now, it peeps, the faint light hiding but ready to shine, ready to die but why chase it at the process of its rise and fall when at noon, the dozen cowers, detests its scorching gall That attention is paid to this beginning and end one blink, then the dozen looks away for the light has revealed the sand on their knees for the darkness has left them hanging, searching for a faint light to chase, then bypass all day

The Rain Scene It was the perfect rain scene: her Notebook dives into a puddle her umbrella rolls is rolling rolling rolling crushed by the jeep. wet leaves fall like her Crazy, Stupid, Heart. thunder claps, probably laughs, rain begins to pour. she yelps, slips, falls is falling falling falling and then drops her bag. Then he picks her up in his arms and he saves her-the Noah to her Allie, her leading man, Her Gosling of a Ryan, Mr. Photoshopped abs. CUT TO CUT TO Her Gosling of a Ryan, Mr. Photoshopped abs, the Noah to her Allie, her leading man. he saves her, picks her up in his arms and drops her bag. Then he slips, falls is falling falling falling and then she yelps, thunder claps, probably laughs, rain begins to pour. wet leaves fall like her Crazy, Stupid, Heart crushed. By the jeep. her umbrella rolls is rolling rolling rolling. her Notebook dives into a puddle. It was the perfect rain scene.

IT COMES IN THREES

MUSIC playlist

TEXT BY JADE EMILY KATHERINE CASTRO MIX BY FRANCO BROBIO

What does it mean to be ironic? It’s like rain on your wedding day. It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid. It’s the good advice that you just didn’t take. Well, no, it’s none of the above, though we’re sure Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard (the writers of the 90s hit Ironic) tried. Irony is when something appears different from the actual case, when something is opposite of what is expected. This occurs a lot in music as there’s a certain scrutiny we, as listeners, place on tracks we hadn’t heard before. We base our opinion on the title, the artist, the genre, etc. But when we get past our prejudice, we can find that we actually like what we hear—and that’s the irony of it.

8tracks.com/seirimag

fresh local m

freshest on the indie music market

INTERVIEWS BY JADE KATHERINE EMILY CASTRO PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF SOUND ARCHITECTS AND BP VALENZUELA

MUSIC

by design

The discovery of something is rarely out of pure luck— serendipity. Most of the time one has to work toward the creation of something. The craft lies in the process, and Sound Architects show us just how skilled they are in the creation of their music. Composed of Felix Cordova, Rjay Concepcion, Patrick Roxas, and Johann Mendoza, this post-rock band has been sharing their instrumental compositions since 2013. How did the band come together? Sound Architects started out as a solo project around late 2013, but we eventually came together after a while. We basically met in UP, except for Felix, who was a schoolmate of Johann back in High School in Davao. We’d occasionally talk about forming a band, especially after Patrick and Johann watched Caspian live together. But nothing really happened until Johann found out that Felix was moving to Manila for college. We started jamming back in the summer of 2014 but with Patrick out of the picture. When we decided to do Sound Architects stuff, we decided to ask Patrick to join the band. And he did, so here we are now. Was everyone inclined to play post-rock since the beginning?

meat courtesy of Sound Architects

When we started jamming, we were just jamming music from the bands we liked. We did some stuff from Deftones, Franco, Foo Fighters, and Muse. Johann raised the idea of doing Sound Architects stuff, and everyone went with it. We tried it and we were comfortable with it. We decided to keep it up and see where it goes. Who are your greatest influences? We listen to a lot of different genres and we are influenced by a lot of artists and bands individually, so we can’t just say that we have on greatest influence as a whole. But notable bands and artists would be Caspian, Earthmover, Toe, American Football, Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You, Mogwai, even metal bands like Deftones, Abigail Williams, Deafheaven, Sunn O)))…the list goes on and on. They don’t necessarily seep into our music all the time, but these are some of the bands we look up to.

IT COMES IN THREES Others think that the core of the song is in its lyrics, its spoken message—but you (or the genre as a whole) prove that a soul can exist without words. How do you find a way to layer emotions and atmosphere in your songs? We just jam. We lay out a foundation, like a backbone, through a riff or a certain atmosphere we want to achieve. Then we just jam afterwards. Inspirationwise, we don’t really take much inspiration from external things, only when we come up with something we know. What has been your favorite gig so far? So far, we’ve had two really great gig experiences. We had two gigs last February. We played at the UP Fair as well as a fundraiser event in Ateneo called Musika Alay sa Dagat. Those gigs felt almost identical. We didn’t expect that a sizeable crowd like that would give us a warm reception, and our sound felt on point. That made us feel so honored and our performances on both nights felt so humbling. More or less, everyone knows each other in the indie scene here in Manila. Who do you guys love? We all look up to the instrumental bands that came before us in the scene – Earthmover, Tom’s Story, tide/edit, and Anton and the Salvadors especially. Another band that made us feel like we belong in the scene despite us being a relatively new band is Dissonänce. We all regard them as brothers and sisters, and we hope to play a gig with them, or even collaborate with them soon. We also owe a lot to certain people, especially those in the UP Underground Music Community. They helped us get ourselves going, and we’ll always return the favor by helping them in any way we can. You’ve released a few songs on different platforms. Which one of those is your favorite? Johann: Among what we’ve released, I’ve always loved playing Night Lights. I personally like the melody, and I love how ambient it is during one-half of the song and what I feel is very emotional during the other half. Like a cluster of different emotions being let out all at the same time. And how it all calms down after.

We lay out a foundation, like a backbone, through a riff or a certain atmosphere we want to achieve. Then we just jam afterwards.

Patrick: I like Kismet the most. It has so much feels and I can really feel it being expressed in the song. It gives rest to my soul, it makes me feel calm. Rjay: Night Lights. Kasi masarap. (‘Cause it’s delicious) Felix: Aurora! Everyone’s having fun at every impending moment. I can even feel it from the crowd too, sometimes. And what does the band have in store for everyone? We’re writing new material, and we have a couple of new ones already out being played in gigs. We’ll try to write as much as we can, as well as save up as much money as we can for recording. When we have the funds, we’ll begin recording an EP or a fulllength album, depending on the amount of material we have. We’ll try our best to do it as soon as possible. Our goal is to at least finish writing material by the next UP Academic Year.

DISCOVER MORE facebook.com/soundarchitects @sndarchtcts soundcloud.com/sndarchtcts soundarchitects.bandcamp.com amplify.ph

MUSIC

something sweet

THE NEON HOUR Now legally obtainable through Spotify, iTunes, Amazon... etc. and in selected stores in the future! Keep your eyes and ears and peeled. - bp

One of the Philippines’ indie sweethearts, BP Valenzuela has been burgeoning into fame after the release of her most buzzed-about five-track EP, be/ep. At just 19, this Music Production student from De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde released her full-length album The Neon Hour—something the whole scene’s been piqued about since 2014. How did the whole album come together? The album came together through sheer will. This is something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time, so naturally I wanted it to be good. I wrote most of it during the past year, after Pretty Car was written. It was the first song on the album and it was done with Nick Lazaro (Moonwlk, Birdforms, Twin Lobster), and it set the mood for the rest of the album—in the sense that I wanted it to be mainly an electronic pop record, as opposed to the more experimental be/ep. (continued next page)

The album came together through sheer will. This is something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time, so naturally I wanted it to be good. Three of the songs are collaborations with Nick, where he co-wrote and co-produced them, and you can tell, because he has this sonic style I really love. There’s a j-pop influenced song that I worked on with Paolo Arciga from The Strangeness and a spoken word-rap collaboration with an upcoming rapper named Curtismith, both of them are people I’ve wanted to work with, so I’m really happy about those. Most of it was still produced in my room and a lot of it is still self-funded, but I’m glad I still had a support system somehow—from the art (Ches Gatpayat) to the mixing and mastering ( JP del Mundo). I tend to veer towards friends because they know me well enough to share my vision for the album, and it’s been such a pleasure. Are there any notable influences we can pick out from your songs? Well, most of it was inspired by Manila late night drives and phone calls with exes and basically life, more than music I was listening to at the time. Like the EP, it was more of a mix of things, but a different mix of things ––– hip hop, R&B, ambient/post-rock, j-pop, pop-pop, 80’s music, video game music ––– more of a synthesis than one real thing. It’s just a bit more extroverted in the sense of how the vocals are front and center and I’m really singing my fucking heart out, because that’s Nick’s doing, pushing me to really be heard. It’s an electronic pop record, so naturally you’re going to hear a lot more outwardly pop-ish beats and synths, but more than that, it’s still very much influenced by love, or lack of love. I’d like to think it’s a love letter to pop, people, and Manila, without mentioning how much I love (them). Why is it called The Neon Hour? It’s almost an hour of music and different energies. I mostly wrote it in between work and school, when it’s too early to be morning and too late to be night. The Neon Hour is more of a feeling –– kind of like

walking to the convenience store after a late night, just kind of wanting to be alone. I think a lot of early reviews of the songs picked up on that feeling, which I’m happy about. I didn’t really think of a different title. Which is your favorite track in the album? My favorite is the closer: All of The Noise. It’s a mixture of post-rock and hip hop condensed into a pop song, but it’s really sad, because this album is kind of really sad, and I don’t think anyone expected any less. You’ve come a long way since you started and now you’re one of the most well-known indie acts in the country. How did that sink in? That’s a hard label to own up to. Actually, it never sinks in. I’m actually in a constant state of disbelief every time. I never really had a niche. I just keep writing and playing shows, and basically I rolled with whatever wave came my way. Naturally, I owe a lot to Nick with how the album turned out. I owe a lot to my friends for keeping me sane. I owe most to everyone who’s ever shared or listened or come to a show. I realized that in contrast to the EP (be/ep), which was basically made by me for me, this was a record that showcases how I work with others, how I wrote way more than how I felt (even if that is a big thing). I owe a lot to all the people who believed early on (Amplify, Vandals on The Wall, Radio Republic) ––– and basically I just don’t want to let anyone down. It’s weird, charting the past year, I was basically playing my songs to rooms of less than 10 people when I started, and I’ve got a bunch of big shows lined up this year. There’s a lot riding on this album, and I’m aware of that. But I try not to think about it too much. I’d like to think about the music as simply a byproduct of my life. I’m not going to write about my personal life forever, I feel like sometimes it feels too intimate for public consumption and

I’d like to think about my music as simply a byproduct of my life. I’m not going to write about my personal life forever.

MUSIC

PLAYING AT MALASIMBO | courtesy of BP Valenzuela these songs are about real people in my life, even though I don’t really talk about them, I don’t want that to be a cloud looming over my head either. I put my personal life on hold largely to finish the record, so they’re past experiences. I don’t want people I like to be so wary a la Taylor Swift about songs I’m going to write, or I’m not even sure if I want the addressees to listen to the album. It’s so weird. But you know, everyone’s been so nice and receptive, and I always wonder if all of this is something I deserve, and a lot of the album is also about me coming to terms with that, because I have shitty self-esteem, and I’m way more introverted than people probably think (not bullshitting you guys, really)! I kind of transform into stage mode when I have to, no lie, I have to pretend no one’s in front of me, and a lot of the new songs rely on me really bringing it vocal-wise, so I get very, very nervous. I still get nervous. I’m constantly nervous, I’m a ball of nerves 24/7. And it’s something you can hear when you listen to my music, usually pop songs are about very concrete, black and white emotions. Most of my songs fall somewhere in the grey area, there’s a lot of inner conflict, anxiety, the like, and it’s something I can’t separate from myself.

What are you planning to do now that you’ve launched your album?

more food. I keep forgetting who I am beyond all the things I want to do ––– and I really miss my family and friends. Beyond being a musician, or a student, or even a barista –– I’m still nineteen! So. Yeah. I’m gonna enjoy my last teenage months! I’m now also signed to Party Bear Records, so that’s a new chapter too. I’m going to play all the shows lined up for me this year (I’ve played Malasimbo, and later on: Wanderland, Satchmi Vinyl Day, Closeup Forever Summer, EMEX ––– crazy!) So the launch is only really the beginning!

DISCOVER MORE facebook.com/beepyvalenzuela @valenzuelabp soundcloud.com/bpvalenzuela bpvalenzuela.bandcamp.com

I’m going to be a teenager, play with my dog, play more video games, read more books, watch more movies, hang out with my friends, eat my 47

BIPOLAR HARMONY Black and white has always been in contrast, always against each other, yet in their dichotonomy, harmony is perenially achieved.

WITH DOMINIQUE FABREGAS MAKE UP BY INNA VALERA

From Concrete a Flower Grew Under the scorching tropical sun, and amidst the concrete and the dusty rubble and a gentle rose blooms, tucked in pastel

WITH CARMELA FORTUNA MAKE UP BY INNA VALERA

OURSELVES THE ELVES PLAYING ONSTAGE

ANATOMY OF ROOTS more seeds were sown TEXT BY LIAN KYLA DYOGI AND ISHKA MEJIA

SPECIALS

From a distance Roots, a music festival initiated by the UP Underground Music Community with the help of the UP Economics Society, is possibly one of the most successful days of the UP Fair. In its first year, held on Valentine’s Day 2013, eleven thousand tickets were sold. This year, on the 11th of February, high above the fair grounds, one could see that Roots indeed attracted a lot of people. Trunk: On the Ground The ridiculously fast ferris wheel ride slowed to a stop and, rejoining the crowd, one could see that the cluster of people around the stage, now no longer little specks but a mass of people, seemed to be enjoying themselves as they jumped up and down to the music of Kamikaze. As one goes closer to the stage, one can also see the number of student organizers milling around backstage making sure the event runs smoothly.

Crown: A Bird’s Eye View Being suspended some feet above the UP Fair in a carriage on the ferris wheel (of highly probable death) gives one an interesting perspective of the fair grounds. There were a number of people that seemed like specks on the field. Some were lining up outside to get in, others were heading towards the smoke that rose from the concessionaire’s grills, and others were moving in groups, enjoying each other’s company. There was also a stream of colorful lights, drum beats, and a variety of music that drew a considerable crowd of people to the stage, where Roots 2015 was taking place.

Roots is hosted by the UP Underground Music Community, a non-profit student organization in UP Diliman founded in 2002. According to their biography on Amplify.ph, the organization’s aim is to help promote and encourage Filipino musicians by creating avenues for these musicians to perform and promote their art. This is evident through Roots as the festival features a wide range of musical acts in various genres and styles. Aside from Kamikazee, this year’s lineup included: The After School Special, With Fingers Crossed, Specterull, Extrapolation, Shirebound and Busking, Pastillan Dong, Ourselves the Elves, The Sun Manager, Itchyworms, Ebe Dancel, Bullet Dumas, Ang Bandang Shirley, Typecast, Franco, Pupil, and Urbandub. Those of the new, the claps were sparse but earnest, whilst those of legendary status, with the likes of Ebe Dancel, Bullet Dumas, Urbandub, and Kamikaze, the inexistent roofs of the field were raised. Nonetheless, these artists paid no mind for this stratification of patronage. They solemnified the stage with their very presence, moreover when their art was fully exposed. Each strum, each pound, each note sung was a revelation of years of growth, hard work, and inspiration; they were lovingly watering the seeds of a throng who were spectating and experiencing this. Hearts were moved, hands were raised, eyes were closed, and feet were flying. This was more than a concert, this was celebrating elders who have much to enrich the young.

SPECIALS

WHEN THE KING WEARS HIS CROWN a conversation with King Puentespina BY ISHKA MEJIA ART BY ERIKA MORALES

His insignia may already be known to you, and his rich, velvety, and lofty music, so distinct and enrapturing, may have already reached your ears, but as he sat on a wooden chair before we conversed, King Puentespina was just talking about how he had been out of it earlier that day. “I almost fell on the MRT rail today… Like I thought the train was already there, when in fact, it was the train on the other side, the one opposite where I was going that was already there. I was just out of it.’’ Although a wee dazed, King Puentespina was chirpy, and he was more weirded out by the event rather than being happy he was alive. Nonetheless, aside from being dazed and a little confused, the drummer of local band She’s Only Sixteen has ultimately ushered in his personal project, CRWN, that has been gradually propelling itself into universal dominion. His music is not only for the ears, but for the whole soul that ignites bones to sway and shimmy; for the body to flow. When he wears his crown, whether in Route 196, 12 Monkeys or just in his personal haven of a studio, the world begins to cascade. With timeless sounds so beautifully weaved with the capricious beats of today, it’s a wonder what kind of being is at the helm of such deep work. And to no surprise, a passionate and visionary man sits on one of Manila’s independent music scene’s thrones.

So when did it all begin? This individual shift from drumming for She’s Only Sixteen to overlapping it with CRWN? We were all starting out, getting to know each other, and for some reason JP, who I met in a gig back in high school, invited everyone to a Buwan Buwan (collective) event. And I’ve never been to a Buwan Buwan event, never heard of Buwan Buwan. This was back in 2012/2013. It was at the Fort (BGC) in this Arts in the City event, when it was still there, and it was just packed with all these electronic producers. I was introduced to Bakunawa. First time I was introduced to this sort of thing. There were visuals while they were playing, and they were playing all original songs. Electronic. And I was blown away. What is happening? I was so confused, but I loved it. It was a breath of fresh air. So overwhelming, I was amazed. These are people from Manila, these are local artists that are doing this. No one’s ever really done it before, or sobrang konti lang ng mga taong gumagawa nito. (only a few people do this).There were only fifty… less than a hundred people there. It was crazy. Like off the record, I was super stoned.

These are people from Manila, these are local artists that are doing this.

ART, FOR ME, IS BEING LOST. I FEEL MORE HUMAN WHEN I AM LOST IN ART.

SEIRI issue 9

This is a teaser copy. If you wish to devour the whole issue, please do not hesitate to email us at seirimag@gmail.com to receive a pdf for free.