Jay Som – Anak Ko

Melina Duterte's bedroom-pop stylings as Jay Som have highlighted her talent as a singer, songwriter and producer for the past four years. While the Los Angeles-based singer is usually one to record her music within the private confines of her bedroom, on Anak Ko she invites talented friends to contribute additional vocals and instrumentation, and it's all the better for it, adding a spice of entertainment.

Although Duterte's vocal dexterity is a delight to the ears on the majority of the album, it's the instrumentals that take the win on If You Want It and Crown, while her vocal dexterity can be enjoyed on most of the other singles. On Nighttime Drive, Peace Out, Tenderness and Devotion, listeners get to enjoy the richness of her vocals. The latter is one unique track on this project – unlike most of the other tunes (which are based on smooth guitar riffs), Devotion comes with an exciting twist: a jazzy feel that would be best suited alongside your favourite tipple.

With lo-fi music, it’s easy to lose the audience because the vocals are usually in the shadow, but fortunately, this isn’t the case with Jay Som. 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.

Listen to: Devotion, Crown, Peace Out