Anak Ko by Jay Som
by Lana Fleischli
I have liked the song “Tenderness” by Jay Som for a while now. It’s pretty and calming. It’s a weird intro, I know. Here’s the thing, I’ve liked that ONE song for a while, and since I haven’t been told to listen to the whole album, I didn’t plan on it. Then I had a conversation with a friend about music, where I once again had to face the fact that I don’t listen to all of the albums by artists I like (which I should do). It’s because I’m always on a constant search for different artists, and I never spend too much time with artists that I genuinely love.
The conversation made me think of the multitude of times my mom has said that if you like one song, you should listen to the whole art piece to really get it (the album). So, while I was thinking of what to listen to and write about, I decided to try Anak Ko, because why not?!
Another reason I chose Anak Ko was because a while back I interviewed Lawrence Azeraad, Spencer Tweedy, and Daniel Topete for their book Mirror Sound. Mirror Sound focuses on the processes and the art of self- recording and producing. There is a collection of interviews and spotlights on artists like this in the book, one of which is Melina Duterte, A.K.A Jay Som.
Knowing that she self-produced the album adds a whole other layer to the whole listening experience. While the songs are pretty chill and an easy listen, if you take the time to really hear the music, all the work that was put into it reveals itself. From the way she layers the vocals, to the instruments, some of which I can’t even place (What I mean is that she disguises some of the instruments, and uses effects to add different sounds), it is evident that a lot of energy went into crafting this album. I also like that at times, she leans into the idea of the “made at home off of my computer” vibe, and makes it sound a little rougher.
This album was really nice to listen to this week. I think it’s just a good lesson for me and anyone that needs to hear it that it’s important to just explore music. If you like a song, listen to the album. It’s advice that I need to take more often.