2016 has come and gone, during the year we anticipated videogame releases like Uncharted and Final Fantasy XV, and Superhero movies like BvS, Deadpool, X-men, and of course Captain America: Civil War!
But what about music? Well, 2016 was good with music as well! I am not much a "what's trending" kind of guy but this year tho, I anticipated album releases for the first time in my life. So here are MY favorite 2016 albums/EPs
1. Eden - I think you think too much of me ( https://open.spotify.com/album/69UxOX12PC4ukcyTigpNhD )
I personally never heard of Eden before until one day on my Spotify radio, his song End Credits was on. I was hooked then checked his songs out. This dude is one talented dude and he's only 20 years old!
Listen to: Rock + Roll, sex
2. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book
( https://open.spotify.com/album/71QyofYesSsRMwFOTafnhB )
The first time I've heard of chance was on one of Childish Gambino's song, The Worst Guys (awesome song, check it out). Checked his then latest album Acid Rap and loved it. I heard that his upcoming album (Coloring Book) would have a gospel vibe on it and would include a choir or gospel singers. I was curious on how will that play out, and boy did he pulled it off. Chano is nominated for 7 on this year's Grammy, and he's only 23 and without a label! How cool is that?
Listen to: Finish Line, How Great, Blessings, All We Got
3. Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love!
( https://open.spotify.com/album/0jR6E4KQGrVLbnG6Fw3pe9 )
Aahhhwww Yiiiis it's mah boy Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino. 2016 is his year, this year he made his own hit TV show called Atlanta, his Pharos concert was a huge success, and the most important news... It was announced that he'll play Lando Calrissian for the upcoming solo Han Solo film (see what I did there?) but enough on that, how was his album? Well it's kinda of a mixed bag for me (in a good way) Awaken, My Love is a lot LOT different than his previous albums like Camp and Because of the Internet, tho Kauai is different as well from his previous releases but Awaken, My Love is far too different. Gone are the "are you eating tho" and in are the "my peanut butter chocolate cake with Kool-aid". So basically it's a switch of genre, from Hip-hop/R&B to what I think is called Psychedelic Funk. I dunno if it's the fanboy in me but I actually welcome the change and enjoyed the album. I'm still hoping for an Atlanta official soundtrack, that black Justine Beiber song was catchy as hell. Do it Donald, be the Donald that'll make America great again
Listen to: Me and Your Mama, Redbone
4. The 1975 - I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It
( https://open.spotify.com/album/12zl1WmHPFCSyKYbL4vBZn )
2014 I only know of their name until a friend told me tongice them a try. I loved Girls and Chocolate. I anticipated their 2016 album and I loved it. It sounded a bit like their previous work with more electro synths kind of sound. It's a perfect fit.
Listen to: The Sound, She's American, Please be Naked
5. Dance Gavin Dance - Mothership
( https://open.spotify.com/album/1FSVYIieMIpJCWjucTjrao )
DGD is not your typical post-hardcore band! For a metal band they have this kind of funk that is hard to explan. The screams are clean which is always a plus for me.
Listen to: Young Robot, Flossy Dickie Bounce
6. The Weeknd - Starboy
( https://open.spotify.com/album/09fggMHib4YkOtwQNXEBII )
I don't listen to mainstream pop that much and at first I thought the Weeknd was a rapper (because his stage name is kinda like those names from Def Jam fight for NY). One day I was talking to a colleague about music and she told me that she likes old songs like Kenny Rogers (she's only 20!) but there's one pop dude he liked, the Weeknd. I liked this girl so I gave The Weeknd a shot and the rest is history. Around October he released the music video for Starboy and False Alarm (directed by the guy who made Hardcore Henry), my hype level was so high when I heard Starboy and I'm glad that the album is as great as Starboy.
Listen to: Starboy, A lonely night
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Friday, October 7, 2016
8 reasons why you need to be excited for the remastered Crash Bandicoot
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| (photo credit: facebook.com/crashbandicootsite) |
Sony was the new kid in the game console business then, and they needed a mascot to rival Nintendo's Mario and Sega's Sonic. Naughty Dog was successful on making Sony a new mascot, Crash took the world by storm and was the first western dev made game that the Japanese went crazy for.
To celebrate his 20th birthday, Sony announced during E3 2016 that a remastered version of the first three games is in the works! So here are 8 reasons why you need to be excited:
8. It has been 18 years since the Crash Bandicoot warped.
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| (photo credit: crashbandicoot.wikia.com) |
"But sir, there were several Crash game since Warped" I hear you ask. Yes it's true but Warped was the last main Crash game that Naughty dog made, after Crash Team Racing, Naughty Dog gave up the rights to Crash to Universal Interactive Studios (Naughty Dog was under Universal studios then, making Crash Universal's property). Currently Activision has the rights.
7. We need more platforming games.
This genre is where you jump from one platform to another. It usually has an overworld where you can select levels.Today, there are three genre of games that dominates the Filipino gaming scene and the following are:
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| (photo credit: neogaf.com) |
B. First Person Shooters, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Battlefield.
C. Basketball games, Filipinos loves Basketball and that is why NBA 2k is the game to have if you have your own cafe.
We need the thrill that only platforming games can provide.
6. We need a game with a fun jolly vibe.
Games today are too serious, we need that fun vibe again. Something that reminds us that we play to have fun and escape reality.
5. A great game to introduce gaming to the next generation.
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| (photo credit: vizzed.com) |
4. A great way to bond with your friends.
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| (photo credit: wallpapercave.com) |
Nostalgia feels here. It'll be like the good ol times, picking up the phone and calling your friends telling them to come over.
You can do that again with your pals. Time to beat Cortex again while munching on some chips.
You can do that again with your pals. Time to beat Cortex again while munching on some chips.
3. It's HD and 60 fps.
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| (photo credit: elatably.com) |
HIGH DEFINITION AND SIXTY FRAMES PER SECOND. It'll cure your cancer.
MMMMMMMMHHHHHH ME GUSTA
2. You miss Crash.
I miss Crash, that's why I'm excited for his arrival and this time I get to see him in HD! We had a good run together. Being a kid and you find that one level difficult so you try and try again until you beat that level. You kind of form a bond together when you try to beat an adversary.
1. Simply because it's Crash Bandicoot.
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| (photo credit: crashbandicoot.wikia.com) |
I'm going to raise the nostalgia card here, most of us grew up playing Crash Bandicoot and playing it again in glorious HD (I can't stress this enough) reminds us of a much simpler time.
Crash was part of our lives and I'm excited that he's coming back!
Crash was part of our lives and I'm excited that he's coming back!
So these are the reasons why you need to be excited for the Bandicoot's arrival. Are you just as excited as I am? What are your favorite Crash Bandicoot moment? Write it down in the comments below :)
6 Things Modern Manila Warriors Hate about Commuting
Metro Manila is great; it has everything you need.
Looking for good [job] opportunities? There are Ortigas and Makati. Want education? There are a lot of good universities around the metro. there is even a place where several universities are situated. Need a place to chill with friends? There is Timog Avenue. where you can find a place that suits your vibe. Love to eat? There is Maginhawa Street where you would find numerous restaurants to satisfy your palate. Need something? Metro Manila is also know for its malls. In Quezon City alone you would already find two of the biggest malls, one across the other.
But with that, Metro Manila cultivates something that every modern manila warrior hates: COMMUTES. Here, you are dubbed a "Warrior" if you survive through the daily war.
What do these warriors hate?
1. Forever Traffic
Of course this is a no-brainer. Every person who lives in the metro is aware of this everyday battle. You go to work, BAM! Traffic. You go home, BAM! Traffic. Once, I had an 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday class and my professor then was always late because of the traffic. To quote him on this matter he said "You'll never know when and where the traffic is". It is a battle that no one can avoid. It is like random encounters in RPG videogames where you walk around a dungeon finding your way from point A to point B then BAM! A monster named TRAFFIC wants to battle you, delaying you of your quest and when you finally arrive your destination your full HP (Health Points) had become 50 HP, draining your life out before you can even finish the main quest (Work or School). What a jerk.
2. Jeepneys not going through its point A to point B route.
Fun Fact: Jeepneys were made from leftover US Military jeeps and were made to what it is now. 'Why was it called Jeepney?' I hear you ask. The vehicle is a General Purpose Vehicle or G.P. and when you read G.P. as a word it is pronounce as "Jeep". That's a good ice breaker for your blind dates.
Admit it, if there was a much cheaper or easier option you'd choose it over dreadful jeepneys. In my 8 years of stay here in Metro Manila, I have experienced every negative experience while riding a jeepney. I've been mugged, experienced a 2-hour ride instead of a 1-hour ride because the driver kept on stopping on every corner and waiting for a passenger; the driver arguing about the newly imposed P0.50 increase that was implemented and that we should already comply; and had to run to the jeep because the driver has his own stops. Trust me, I have experienced it all but of all the negative things what I hate the most is when the driver decided not to continue his route and asked to ride another jeep. This usually happens when you are the only remaining passenger and the trip is not even halfway. I would love to complain but it might take a day for me to finish so to sum it all up, Jeepney drivers are douchebags. Yes I know there are those who are not but most are douchebags.
3. The LRT/MRT rides.
If you watched the Korean Zombie flick Train to Busan then you have an idea of what it is like to ride the LRT or MRT. Zombie-less but equally horrifying. Trains are old, older than my 5 year old niece! I think some of the trains are the same ones when I was 12. Some are so old that the white trains are now yellow, even the windows are yellow, heck, EVERYTHING IS YELLOW! It was so yellow that Coldplay wrote a song about it.
The trains here is famous for its long lines, how long? I once saw a line in the MRT North station that filled up half of the huge overpass that intersects the whole North EDSA and it was 6 in the MORNING!
In LRT 1 (Roosevelt to Baclaran),they have several types of trains: the short, medium, and long trains. The shorts one are the older ones whereas the longer ones are the latest ones but still older than my niece. So it sucks if you waited on a bad lane because chances are, the train is short and your lane is not covered. They have the audacity to increase their rates without improving the service. Let's say by divine intervention you were able to ride the train, the joke's on you because you'll still have an unpleasant ride because the train is crammed, heck it's more crammed than a can of sardines. You came in a boy, you come out as a man. This is where the meme "Warrior" was born.
PRO TIP: When entering the train with eager people, don't force yourself in, let the people help you in and just go with the flow. Trust me it works.
4. Sardine Bus
Yep, just like the LRTs, buses are crammed as well. There are two types, the "Ordinary" which is the bus without air-conditioning and next one is the one with. During rush hour you're so going to experience this life changing event. The funny thing is, we still get to have a conductor on our public bus and surely enough they would squeeze their way in, to and fro, for your fair. Talk about invading your personal space.
5. King-like Cab drivers
Let's say you're tired because of work and just want to go home without battling your way in the train or bus, prolly you'd go for a cab. Well, well, well, jokes on you because cab drivers are one of the worst things here in Manila. It's hard to get a cab because they'll dictate on whether or not you get to ride in their luxurious 12 year old Toyota Vios. They'll decide if you're worth the trip. Reasons why they won't take you? Traffic. Uhm Kuya, the reason why we opted for a cab was because of the traffic. Destination. I thought you drive for a living? Don't complain if it's far.
The worst thing is, they'd ask you for an additional fee because they took you in during traffic. I guess we should be grateful because they were so generous. If your destination is far and at the same time has bad traffic, they'd ask you for a fixed rate which is usually around P500-P1000. Trust me, if they keep on doing this, in 5 years Uber and Grab would render their service obsolete.
6. Sheldon Cooper compulsiveness
If you watch the TV show The Big Bang Theory then you know how Sheldon can be cranky when he sits on a different chair (or spot) in their apartment. He doesn't want to give up his spot, oddly enough you'd encounter this type of passenger on one of your bus ride. So what am I talking about? These passengers are the ones sitting on one end (the one near the lane) of a 3-seat chair who would not stand to give way, what they would do is they are going to face their whole body to the side so you could go through. They would rather do that instead of the easy way. You can find them in planes as well. To further explain this, I, with my God-given sketching talent, had provided an illustration:
In sum, commuting is really life draining here in Manila and is something that can ruin your day. Here's a PRO TIP for you, if you're running late, don't let Traffic know that you're going to be late because he will pop-up in an INSTANT. Works most of the time.
So these are the things Manila Warriors Hate about commuting. Had a similar experience or experienced it all? Do tell in the comments :)
Looking for good [job] opportunities? There are Ortigas and Makati. Want education? There are a lot of good universities around the metro. there is even a place where several universities are situated. Need a place to chill with friends? There is Timog Avenue. where you can find a place that suits your vibe. Love to eat? There is Maginhawa Street where you would find numerous restaurants to satisfy your palate. Need something? Metro Manila is also know for its malls. In Quezon City alone you would already find two of the biggest malls, one across the other.
But with that, Metro Manila cultivates something that every modern manila warrior hates: COMMUTES. Here, you are dubbed a "Warrior" if you survive through the daily war.
What do these warriors hate?
1. Forever Traffic
 |
| (photo credit: eaglenews.ph) |
2. Jeepneys not going through its point A to point B route.
 |
| (photo credit: tenminutes.ph) |
Admit it, if there was a much cheaper or easier option you'd choose it over dreadful jeepneys. In my 8 years of stay here in Metro Manila, I have experienced every negative experience while riding a jeepney. I've been mugged, experienced a 2-hour ride instead of a 1-hour ride because the driver kept on stopping on every corner and waiting for a passenger; the driver arguing about the newly imposed P0.50 increase that was implemented and that we should already comply; and had to run to the jeep because the driver has his own stops. Trust me, I have experienced it all but of all the negative things what I hate the most is when the driver decided not to continue his route and asked to ride another jeep. This usually happens when you are the only remaining passenger and the trip is not even halfway. I would love to complain but it might take a day for me to finish so to sum it all up, Jeepney drivers are douchebags. Yes I know there are those who are not but most are douchebags.
3. The LRT/MRT rides.
 |
| (photo credit: gutterout.files.wordpress.com) |
The trains here is famous for its long lines, how long? I once saw a line in the MRT North station that filled up half of the huge overpass that intersects the whole North EDSA and it was 6 in the MORNING!
In LRT 1 (Roosevelt to Baclaran),they have several types of trains: the short, medium, and long trains. The shorts one are the older ones whereas the longer ones are the latest ones but still older than my niece. So it sucks if you waited on a bad lane because chances are, the train is short and your lane is not covered. They have the audacity to increase their rates without improving the service. Let's say by divine intervention you were able to ride the train, the joke's on you because you'll still have an unpleasant ride because the train is crammed, heck it's more crammed than a can of sardines. You came in a boy, you come out as a man. This is where the meme "Warrior" was born.
PRO TIP: When entering the train with eager people, don't force yourself in, let the people help you in and just go with the flow. Trust me it works.
4. Sardine Bus
Yep, just like the LRTs, buses are crammed as well. There are two types, the "Ordinary" which is the bus without air-conditioning and next one is the one with. During rush hour you're so going to experience this life changing event. The funny thing is, we still get to have a conductor on our public bus and surely enough they would squeeze their way in, to and fro, for your fair. Talk about invading your personal space.
5. King-like Cab drivers
 |
| (photo credit:facebook.com/librengkomiks) |
The worst thing is, they'd ask you for an additional fee because they took you in during traffic. I guess we should be grateful because they were so generous. If your destination is far and at the same time has bad traffic, they'd ask you for a fixed rate which is usually around P500-P1000. Trust me, if they keep on doing this, in 5 years Uber and Grab would render their service obsolete.
6. Sheldon Cooper compulsiveness
 |
| (photo credit: dumpaday.com) |
In sum, commuting is really life draining here in Manila and is something that can ruin your day. Here's a PRO TIP for you, if you're running late, don't let Traffic know that you're going to be late because he will pop-up in an INSTANT. Works most of the time.
So these are the things Manila Warriors Hate about commuting. Had a similar experience or experienced it all? Do tell in the comments :)
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