For artists Manila Killa and MYRNE, Asian culture has always been in the forefront of their artistic palates. The Filipino, first of the two, cites the city referenced in his namesake as his […]
For artists Manila Killa and MYRNE, Asian culture has always been in the forefront of their artistic palates. The Filipino, first of the two, cites the city referenced in his namesake as his introduction to a persistently blossoming affection for electronic music, while the latter has an ever-growing list of firsts for a Singaporean DJ – first to perform at Tomorrowland, first signed to Ultra Records, and so on.
Yet the two reside on an interesting artistic line: as the Western world warms up to Asian artistry through the likes of newly-anointed Best Picture Parasite or South Korean superstar boy band BTS, it is unclear how the general anonymity of the electronic industry will impact the continual emergence of these cultural intersections.
The collaboration of these fast-rising DJs is thus a monumental moment in the formation of a cultural identity as an extension of their musics. The latest release – a joint-EP titled Florescence through Ultra – is nevertheless brimming with individualism as the pop-electronic sensibilities of both artists converge two tracks of sublime melancholy.
“Fears,” the former track, features vocal performances from both DJs; it layers a perceptive call-and-response lyricism over an eloquently quiet half-step beat and dark, resonant synth tones. The latter – “Where Do We Go From Here?” – fluctuates between mellow-yet-complex harmonic structure and exposing, percussive hooks that are delicately stitched together with contradictory, colorful synths.
While the lyrics are not a 1:1 reflection of the cultural ideas suggested previously, they are symbolically crucial to the formation of a supposed cross-cultural musical identity. Without internalizing such ideals on the individualized scale, the coming-of-age diction leaves us with competing suggestions for the cementing of self and immersion in external identity: “I can’t love you until you start to like yourself” / “we’re in this together.”
There is a lot to love on this collab with more assuredly on the way from both artists. Freshly following debut label releases in 2019, Florescence is sure to keep the spotlight on the continued evolution of Manila Killa and MYRNE for the foreseeable future. Let us know which of the latest tracks you like best in the comments!
