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Published April 2, 2025 11:10am
Sandwich is ready to face a new chapter with their new extended play (EP) “Kaswal.”
With its four tracks dropped ahead of the EP release, Raymund Marasigan recalled how they were just releasing songs with no direction where the music scene would go.
“It was after the pandemic. We didn't know what's gonna happen in the (music) scene. We started releasing singles every few months,” he told GMA News Online in an interview.
At first the band wanted to release an album but later on decided to release an EP to “close the chapter” with two more songs.
“Basically to close lang 'yung chapter na 'yun. In a few days, we'll start working on a full-length album which we haven't made since the pandemic,” he said.
Marasigan describes the sound of “Kaswal” with varying layers from dance music, pop, and hip-hop. The songs also came about from casual and intentional happenings in their lives.
The EP is comprised of six songs, four of which they already released beginning with “Nyare?” in April 2023.
“After recording the music part, I was missing my dog. Nawawala siya overnight, tapos bumalik siya, tapos tinanong ko lang siya, 'Ano'ng nangyari sa 'yo?'," the lead vocalist said.
“Of course he doesn't speak, tinalikuran niya lang ako, 'yung song napalitan ng lyrics, whatever happened the night before,” he added.
Sandwich followed it up with September 2023's “Ibang Araw Na Lang” which drummer Mike Dizon recalled to be from one of their old demos. It talks about how we should not “let the downs we experience ruin the rest of our lives which are filled with ups, friends, and happy experiences.”
“It's an old riff, nahukay ko from the Sandwich demos. Si Diego hina-hum niya 'yung ibang parts resurrect. Sobrang tagal nang demo, nag-resurface. Ang ganda nung kinalabasan,” he said.
The song “Morena,” released in 2024, meanwhile is something of a love letter to the Philippines.
“It's our way of being patriotic and tribute namin sa country. Nagsimula sa title, actually, 'Morena' 'yung mismong kulay ng balat natin. Ni-connect namin sa being comfortable in your own skin, basically, love local," said guitarist Mong Alcaraz.
“We were inspired by Kundiman songs, ni-modernize lang namin na matagal na matagal na process 'yan kasi it's one of the oldest demos ... we just put funky drums on it and it kinda work so it's the version now,” he added.
Finally, “Huwag Ka Na lang Kumagat” released in February 2025 talks about how people should not be triggered with bashing on social media.
“It's about stuff that triggers you like things that people say, something be online on Facebook or TikTok, the things that trigger you and then huwag mo na lang sakyan, huwag ka na lang kumagat. Don't get drawn to any sort of activity na lang. It's for your own good. So, let it go,” bassist Myrene Academia said.
Completing "Kaswal" are two new songs: “Tag-ulan Na Naman,” which Diego Castillo describes as a "cheerier" rainy season song, and “Tag-araw Na,” which was born during a high heat index season last year in Tuguegarao.
“Last summer, mayroon kaming tugtog sa Tuguegarao tapos I think it was one of the hottest days of the year and we were all complaining na masyadong mainit tapos lahat ng sinasabi ni Diego sinulat namin and it ended up in this song. By the time that we got to Tuguegarao, natapos 'yung kanta,” Marasigan.
As they are gearing up for the album comeback, Castillo hopes that “Kaswal” would feel the different vibes you could feel on casual occasions.
“Hopefully, marami siyang different types of music, kahit na maiksi lang siya ... marami siyang representation of all sorts of stuff you're listening to at that time frame ... tsaka maganda,” he said. — LA, GMA Integrated News
