Behind the Scenes: Creating Satellite with electrOgourmet

The Davao-based indie band electrOgourmet has finally released their full album, Satellite. After releasing four singles and one older track, the complete album is now available on many platforms.

LISTEN HERE

Satellite is a collection of tracks that chronicle electrOgourmet's journey from its origin to the present. The band began as a pair in 2006, when guitarist Kre requested that vocalist NeP-C add melodies and lyrics to his instrumental tracks. They lived in the same city and met on weekends to trade physical writable compact disks.

The majority of the songs were composed during the band's active independent music journey, which included performances with a variety of bands. They first performed as Planeta from 2009 to 2013, then as Electric Gourmet from 2017 to 2018. When the pandemic hit in 2021, they rebranded as electrOgourmet and recorded the album at home.

After Kre completed the first production, Jerome Velasco of Teeth and Pupil mixed and mastered the album. electrOgourmet draws inspiration from 90s and early 2000s music genres such as bubblegum pop, indie, alternative, riot grrrl, indie OPM, and Britpop. These influences are evident in each song's structure.

OFFSET is an angst-ridden song that flows through the waves of angry girl music Kat Stratford (of 10 Things I Hate About You) would listen to, but with hints of classic rock reminiscent of bands like Kansas and The Beatles, making the piece cohesive. Despite its punky nature, the melodic structure is established, distinguishing it from the typical arrangements of pop punk and riot grrrl songs.

One of the songs that received fan plays on the now-defunct social networking site MySpace was Fleeing Prickles, a funny wordplay that tries to hide one's disdain for persistent suitors. It sounds extremely European, according to many, with vocals that evoke the genius of Blur and Gorillaz, Damon Albarn. The song's general arrangement suggests indie and OPM influences.

NeP-C's new synthesizer inspired the experiment You Dare, which made reference to her early 2000s addiction to bands like Tame Impala and MGMT. The song's feminist and obscene lyrics, which are composed in the C-major scale, create a contradiction that permeates both a dark and light air.

The tune that adds the electro to electrOgourmet is sakuretu. The subtle vibes of bands like Sneaker Pimps of Massive Attack are evident, even if the current recording falls within the alternative rock genre. It is one of the album's two Bisaya tracks.

Satellite, one of the band's most recent compositions, focuses on a more adult theme: the tense or ominous atmosphere in relationships that are about to explode. This song reflects electrOgourmet's love of pop and alternative music legends like The Sundays, Michelle Branch, and Lisa Loeb.

FSTED (From Seascapes to El Dorado) begins with the oxymoron, "Your lovely instability." It's the ideal tune for an anti-romcom film that takes place in a sunny, cheerful setting yet features opposing "lovers." Its tense, bittersweet, and longing words, coupled with its cheerful and peppy melody, perfectly capture the tumultuous experience of courting.

NeP-C wrote the acoustic song "DAKS" in 2005, when he was still in high school. She still doesn't understand why it's on the CD. She believes the recording is embarrassing because it was recorded spontaneously and live without any rehearsal. But in the era of artificial intelligence, it serves as evidence of the enduring power of authenticity in music creation and composition.

Perfect Goodnight, written by Kre, is another song that would work well in a romantic comedy film. Kre sings it during one of his enigmatic but unforgettable encounters. The song is progressive, shifting through each segment in multiple ways, despite its beautiful lyrics and ringing guitar lines. All in all, the song is still endearing, romantic, and reflective.

The slow electronic song "Wandering in Downtown" was inspired by 90s classics Mono, Zero 7, and Portishead. The poetic lyrics of the song convey a sluggishness or trance-like mood, encapsulating the complexities and challenges of life.

Satellite, a compilation of songs that marks the band's 19th year together, incorporates the influences, life experiences, and development of the three members as individuals navigating both their personal and professional lives in addition to their roles as musicians.

electrOgourmet - Satellite tracklist:

1. OFFSET

2. Fleeing Prickles

3. You Dare

4. DAKS (Lo-Fi)

5. sekuretu

6. Satellite

7. FSTED

8. DAKS

9. Perfect Goodnight

10.Wandering in Downtown

11. Satellite (Downbeat Remix)