Nicole Laurel Asensio is all set to celebrate her birth month with CHANGES OVER TIME, a brand-new collection of original music in tandem with producer Gabe Dandan, as well as a series of shows across the metro.
CHANGES OVER TIME is a four-track EP that lures the listener into a labyrinth of sound that traverses through themes of time. Orchestral elements and intoxicating rhythms are delicately coalesced into the electronic components of the songs to compliment artist Nicole Asensio’s poetic propensity and meandering melodies. All the tracks were mixed and mastered in Dolby Atmos by Waxiefied Sound Production.
“This EP is a cocktail of different styles from me and Nicole’s favorite eras of music. There are elements from the 80s, acid jazz influences from the early 90s, neo-soul influences from the mid-90s and a melding of 70s disco and modern house/electronic. The Dilla swing feel is present throughout the EP but expressed through the different sonic platforms each of these eras of music have,” Gabe explained.
“We wrote the initial demos during a lock-in session in my place, and later brought them into the Dolby Atmos-equipped production suite of Waxiefied Sound Production. It was a tireless three-day process of writing and producing on the fly, but the spontaneity of our process for this EP is what gave these songs their unique charm and sound,” shared Nicole Laurel Asensio.
Welcome to the dream . . . nothing is what it seems.
“Amused” is a tune reminiscent of a smooth cocktail served over the plush velvet seats of a swanky bar. The instrumentation is robust yet laid back, opening with a full orchestra sound and slipping into a slow groove, full horns section. Much of the style is inspired by 80s soul-R&B. Nicole’s uniquely textured vocal and a section of female backups garnish the track with sensual subtleties.
“Hours into our session, Gabe continued to stack tracks as I was simultaneously writing words to match them. I already had a melody in my head for the next song, but our first couple attempts to match ideas weren’t jiving just yet. After an ear-break we decided to jump into the next song ‘Where We’re Meant to Be,’ a track that is inspired by accepting our circumstances because we cannot chase, change or turn back time. Despite the heavy connotation of this topic, I wanted to keep the vibe light, warm, and summery. Lyrically, the song is about accepting that everything happens at the right time and there is nothing one can do to alter that, after all, We still can choose to count the blessings and live in the moment when everything else seems out of sync,” Nicole elaborates.
The second track “Where We’re Meant to Be” blends hints of acid jazz and soul into a spirited and upbeat brew. Percussive elements and classic jazz melodies meld into modern elements and production styles creating a bounty of musical flavors.
“The third track ‘Mirages’ was inspired by a recent experience we had in Siargao island. While skimming the streets, driving a dusty motorbike on a sweltering hot day, the roads began to fade into a silver haze, mirages of water shone on the path and as we got closer they would disappear. The track opens with exotic string and wind instruments such as a koto and lute, as the arrangement rises to a hilt, it suddenly plunges into a dark beat reminiscent of trudging footsteps on desert sand. I kept the low and slow on this track, to give the ear a different place to go. I was thrilled to have Gabe finally share a little bit of his vocals on this track too! It took quite a bit of coaxing as he can be extremely shy about singing, but I am glad he finally decided to come out of his shell and share it on this EP,” recalled Nicole.
Time in motion it won’t stop for no one . . .
“The message of this EP is about how ephemeral our lives are. We cannot escape the movement of time and the fact that everything and everyone around us changes as well. These four songs are our way of expressing how we should grow and evolve without losing what it truly good and beautiful about us. I feel the music reflects the changes over time because of how unconventional the song forms are with the combination of different genres plus all the abrupt sonic changes that would intentionally throw listeners off yet reel them in again a few seconds later,” Gabe introspected.
The fourth and final track which is also the EP title “Changes over Time” is comprised of four parts or “seasons” within itself. As the title suggests, the track has multiple shifts in tempo and feel. The song opens with 2000s influenced house beats, string elements and effervescent vocals, then descends into slow, intimate musings of sadness over a sultry groove, it then picks up again and shape-shifts with the help of electronic elements such as vocoders and synths, the cycle repeats before fading into a gospel choir influenced outro. Truly a sonic experiment reminiscent of the many changes that come as we sift through the sands of time.
“We retained a lot of elements from our first writing session such as the bass, keys and some of the synths. We then headed to onQ studios where we got to work with music stalwart Mr. Marvin Querido who tracked our live sessions with drummer Randall Enriquez and a horn section spearheaded by Michael Guevarra. Nicole and I recorded lead vocals and backup vocals at Waxiefied Sound Production Dolby Atmos suite. We blended in vocals from industry friends Mel Torre, Sarah Holmes, and Dominic Dimagmaliw. After most stems were in place, singer-songwriter Kevin Yadao added some more smooth backups to the mix. One of the highlights of working on this EP is guesting L.A.-based world-renowned trumpet player Aaron Janik, who plays alongside some of the greatest musical acts in the international scene. The entire team was comprised of titans in their own right, and we were honoured to work with each player. Finally, I added guitar as a finishing touch. We brought to Waxie Joaquin to mix and master because of his expertise and understanding for this multi-genre type of music. Waxie, Nicole, and I would stay up everyday till 5 in the morning working on the immersive experience and getting everything to its optimal sound across the board. After Mastering was done, Jiggs Hermano did the quality control and after a couple of hours of careful listening we all agreed it was ready and sent it out for distribution through Warner Music Philippines,” Gabe detailed.
Working on “Changes Over Time” was a refreshing immersive experience. Bringing all the songs to life was such an impressive sonic journey. These songs were truly conceptualized composed and arranged to be heard, listened and “felt” in Dolby Atmos.
According to Waxie Joaquin of Waxiefied Sound Production, “The tandem paints a sonic landscape that is both peculiar and familiar in the same deep breath. Through the shifts in tempo, rhythm and language from English to Filipino, there remains two common threads—homage to soul music and an earnest articulation of words from the soul.”
Changes Over Time will be released on all digital platforms
on July 5, 2024, at 12mn.
There will be a countdown launch gig on July 4, 2024, at 8:30PM in 19EAST, east service road, Sucat, followed by the following tour dates:
July 7 – A birthday show at Salon De Ning, The Peninsula Manila
July 12 – The Astbury, Poblacion (by invite only)
July 19 – 78-45-33 Salcedo Makati
July 26 – The Spirits Library, Poblacion
More Road tour dates across the Philippines to be announced.
The People Behind
CHANGES OVER TIME
Lyrics: Nicole Asensio
Music: Nicole Asensio, Gabe Dandan
Producer: Gabe Dandan
Executive Producer: Nicole Asensio
Musical Director: Gabe Dandan
Drums: Randall Enriquez
Percussion: Migui Bautista
Bass: Gabe Dandan
Guitar: Gabe Dandan
Piano, Synths, Vocoder: Gabe Dandan
Lead Vocals: Nicole Asensio
Horns Arrangement: Michael Guevarra / Aaron Janik
Saxophone and Flute: Michael Guevarra
Trumpet: James Mixto
Trombone: Darius Mendoza
Flugelhorn: Aaron Janik
String and Woodwind Arrangement: Gabe Dandan
Vocal Arrangement: Gabe Dandan, Nicole Asensio
Backup Vocals: Nicole Asensio, Melinda Torre, Sarah Holmes, Gabe Dandan, Kevin Yadao, Dominic Dimagmaliw
Tracking Engineers: Marvin Querido, Gabe Dandan, Isagani Palabyab, Enrique Santamaria
Mixing Engineer: Waxie Joaquin (Waxiefied Sound Production)
Mastering Engineer: Waxie Joaquin (Waxiefied Sound Production)
Distributed by: Warner Music Philippines
