Until recently, I had no previous knowledge of any kind of Filipino indiepop movement, let alone any decent music coming out of the Philippines to begin with. This was all unbeknownst to me until very recently, when I first heard this five-piece Moscow Olympics. They hail from the Philippines, but i’m not sure exactly where. After I heard the two demo tracks “Still” and “Safe” on their myspace page, I completely fell in love. Being Filipino myself, I couldn’t be anymore excited and proud to know that this kind of beautiful noise could come from there.
Named after an Orange Juice b-side, which you shouldn’t compare to at all in terms of sound, Moscow Olympic’s dreamy pop harkens back to bands of decades past like My Bloody Valentine, New Order and Blueboy. I’ve spent numerous nights trying to find out as much information as possible, but of course it’s very scarce. I couldn’t find anything to download or purchase, but thankfully later this year, Sweden’s Fraction Discs announced that they will release the band’s debut 7″ which will feature “Still” that can be heard on their myspace and b-side “Talk Like This.”
Since I couldn’t find any songs for you to download, I did come across this blurry video of live performance. I’m not sure what the song is, but it’s sparkling dreampop as you can expect. Hopefully, we’ll be hearing a lot more from this group soon. Go listen to those myspace songs! Thanks to Skatterbrain also for introducing me to this amazing band!
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Good stuff! Too bad there’s no download option on their myspace page.
hey there, i’ve been checking your blog pretty regularly for a few months now and was kind of excited to see this post on moscow olympics. i’m from manila (but currently CA-based) and thought they put on a pretty good show the one time i got to see them. if you’re interested in more bands from manila’s indie “scene,” i recommend checking out narda, pedicab, cambio, taken by cars, sandwich, and the dorques — i’m pretty sure they all have myspace pages that are easily google-able.
Thanks for these recommendations! I will definitely check these out as I would love to discover more Filipino bands.
I’m from the Philippines and while I’ve never seen Moscow Olympics before those other bands mentioned above are just typical mainstream rock fare that get a lot of radio airplay. Hardly “indie” and hardly any good (unless you like The Killers, Sum 41 and the like) Sorry, man. It’s just the way popular music is here – sad to say.
man these guys are good! but they are too conceited. They wont take gigs if they know that bands playing arent good enough to compare.
hi badong,
im a huge fan of moscow olympics. how come u said they’re conceited? are you in a band with less substance? were you snobbed by these kids? or just a personal attack? i hope it isnt.
if you’re in a band, i believe you can also choose the bands you’re playing with unless it’s your bread and butter or your livelihood which gives you no choice, yeah? they may have their own respective reasons so lets just leave it to them. its all about music anyway.
they play great music and that’s all that matters.
yeah. they are somewhat conceited. i know them. i used to. now, i’m not sure.
but regardless, when it comes to their songs/performances, they’re actually good.
this link will give you a background of the indiepop scene in the philippines:
http://www.twee.net/countries/philippines.html
enjoy!
welcome to the Philippines
the commenters are confused with the meaning of conceited. they’re kind of reclusive and anti-MTV. its nice to see they’re not attention hungry like most bands who spam or publicize any chance they get.
“True genius doesn’t fulfill expectations, it shatters them”.
- Arlene Croce
there still more filipino indiepop here pls. do check and also some downloadable goodies:
http://www.myspace.com/filipinoindiepopscene
We’re Pinoys who love indiepop, twee, shoegaze, dream pop, lo-fi pop, electropop, synth pop, slowcore, sadcore, anorak, shambling, C81, C86, Dorothy pop, slacker pop, bedroom pop, guitar pop, jangle pop, some more p!o!p!, corduroys, cardigans, sweaters, ringer shirts, stripey shirts, librarian skirts, bowlie haircuts, barrettes, badges, library cards, pop zines, tape hiss, free mp3 compilations, mixtapes, 3″ cds, 7″ singles, 10″ EPs, 12″ EPs, LPs, cassingles, Sarah, Postcard, Creation, Factory, Caff Corporation, Cherry Red, 53rd & 3rd, Rough Trade, Slumberland, Matinee, Shelflife, El, Radio Khartoum, Sunday, Library, Cloudberry, Shinkansen, Siesta, Elefant, Secret Crush, Labrador, Marsh-Marigold, Firestation, K, Clairecords, Apricot, Marina, Candle, Le Grand Magistery, Clarendon, Shoeshine, Minty Fresh, Fabulous Friends, Harriet, Drive-In, Bobsled, Fortuna Pop, Bring On Bull, Benno, Friendly Noise, Fantastic, Popgun, Blackbean And Placenta Tape Club, Flying Nun, Subway, A Turntable Friend, Bus Stop, Vinyl Japan, Twee Kitten, Tricatel, Plastilina, Skipping Stones, Félicité Singles Club, Domino, Happy Robots, Foxyboy, Magic Marker, Kindercore, Happy Happy Birthday To Me, Planting Seeds, Clover, Damaged Goods, Twentyseven, Wiiija, This Happy Feeling, Paris Caramel, Wee Pop!, Yay!, Double Agent, Best Kept Secret, Humblebee, Waaaah, Elephant 6, Apple Crumble, Quince, Lost Sound Tapes, Where It’s At Is Where You Are, Series Two, Factory Girl, Subterranean Romance, Mutual Admiration Society, mid-nineties Awakenings and No Zones, late-nineties (even 21st century) Buzz nights, Strange Geometries and namedropping obscure Filipino bands:
Carnival Park. Sodajerk. The Haircuts. The Fantasy Lights. Girl At The Bus Stop. So What?. Sunday Picnic Love Affair. Balloon Derby. TV Guide. Wadaiko. Apple Orchard. Spring Boutique. Under Shooting Stars. Soft Pillow Kisses. Sadstar. Candyaudioline. Populardays. Archaster. Farewell Isobel. Love In Athens. Slumbook. Kid Auto Races At Venice. A Painted September. Envelope And Seabirds. Happy Showers. Citrusphere. Virginia Aeroplane. In Between Blue And Green. Mono Workshop. The Camerawalls. Outerhope. Blue Stereo. The It Boy. Ciao. Tetsumi Atom. Ear Candy. Sarah Sitting. Her Handwriting. Supergloo. Leslie’s Biscuits. Amy Racecar. Eulluvye. Utterly. Smile Plenty. Plaster Caster. Uranus. Aspirin. Go Figure. Shiver Fest. Fingernail Cocktail. Theresa’s Hi-Fi. Choking Brownies. Down Boy Down. Aurora Borealis. Lazy Lorelei. Some Gorgeous Accident. Avalyn. Melody Wrench. The Slave Drum. Fairydust. On Petals. Superminty. My Science Project. Through The Lens. Blinded By Love. Skies Of Ember. The Cake Shop Collection. Eliminator Jr. Wentletraps. Melody Style Apartment. Dewdrop Fountain. Camera Shy. Grace Period. Arigato Hato!. Radiomanila. National Express. That Lingering Feeling. Adorable Adorations. Set Ashore. Aurora’s Beating Heart. Nocturnal We. Lovely Days And Loud Hurrays. Scattered Pearls. Golden Teardrops. The Jealous Sea. Goodbye Dakota. Phantom Sizemore. Self-Portrait. Slow Hello. The Gentle Isolation. Dress. Your Imaginary Friends… and tons more!
If you’re twee as fuck, if you’re not scared to get happy, if you think C is the Heavenly option, in the words of Saint Etienne, join our club. And please remember, DON’T STOP INDIEPOP!
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