Premiere vocal group and multiple Awit Award winner, The CompanY, has now released its 18th album dubbed as Group Hug. The CompanY, composed of Annie Quintos, Moy Ortiz, Cecile Bautista, Sweet Plantado and Jay Marquez, has collaborated with Gerard Salonga and his orchestra, FILharmoniKA to embark on a new kind of musical adventure. The 14-track album is now available courtesy of Viva Records.
Group Hug is The CompanY's earnest tribute to the iconic and legendary groups that have left their indelible mark on the history of popular music. These are the international music titans who have changed and influenced the sound, feel and look of today's sonic landscape; Phenomenal groups like: Abba, Beatles, The Carpenters, Nirvana, Earth, Wind and Fire, The Jacksons, Spiral Starecase, Average White Band, David Foster's Airplay and Queen.
Group Hug showcases the versatility of The CompanY as this album delves into multiple and disparate music genres. From mainstream pop to classic rock, from old school rhythm and blues to fiery mambo, from smooth jazz to pseudo classical populations; from contemporary a cappella to electronica—the album runs the spectrum of music styles and influences. The CompanY, a pliable vocal quintet, unleashes a cast of a thousand voices from within to try on different sounds, styles, textures and rhythms.
Album producers, Moy Ortiz and Gerard Salonga, have made a deliberate and conscious decision not to utilize and apply the FILharmoniKa orchestra in predictable and traditional ways. The record producers pushed the vocalists and instrumentalists to their limit in seeking uncharted musical territories where experimentation was the norm.
The end result is a highly entertaining and innovative musical romp into the 20th century's pop music canon. Strangely familiar yet surprisingly fresh in attack and interpretation, Group Hug is a 14-track album that offers an original composition titled, "Nandito Pa Rin Tayo." Written by multi-awarded tunesmith, Moy Ortiz, the new song speaks of relationships that remain constant and secure in an ever-changing and disposable world. These are bonds anchored in love and trust like those seen between a parent and child, amongst best friends, faithful married couples, dedicated lovers and even between a performing artist and his loyal audience.
A beautiful music video of this song was directed by Chuck Gutierrez and shot by cinematographer Bernard Dacanay (both from Brainchild Creative Solutions). The music video is also included in the Group Hug album (video-audio compact disc). In addition, the minus one/ karaoke track of "Nandito Pa Rin Tayo" is also included in the album.
TRACK LISTING.
1. Nandito Pa Rin Tayo (Music Video)
2. Magical Mystery Tour (The Beatles)
3. Blame It On The Boogie (The Jacksons)
4. You're The One/I Just Fall In Love Again (Carpenters)
5. Play That Funky Music/Superstition (Wild Cherry)
6. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
7. Should We Carry On (Airplay)
8. More Today Than Yesterday (Spiral Staircase)
9. Take A Chance On Me (Abba)
10. Boogie Wonderland (Earth, Wind And Fire)
11. Walk In Love (The Manhattan Transfer)
12. All Apologies (Nirvana)
13. Nandito Pa Rin Tayo
14. Nandito Pa Rin Tayo (Minus One)
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