One Music PH Top 10: Cigarettes After Sex | ABS-CBN

ADVERTISEMENT

dpo-dps-seal
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!

One Music PH Top 10: Cigarettes After Sex

One Music PH Top 10: Cigarettes After Sex

Cris O. Ramos Jr.,

One Music PH

Clipboard

Love you, guys. See you soon,” were the parting words of Cigarettes After Sex frontman Greg Gonzalez shared to their adoring crowd after a euphoric set at their first-ever Manila show for Karpos Live last November of 2018.


It was a truly spectacular night where lovers swayed their hearts out to the sweet ambient sounds of Cigarettes After Sex; dominating the room was the noticeable heavy romantic atmosphere akin to the band’s name. Truly, there's nothing quite like the sensation that it brings.


Be enthralled once again as KARPOS presents Cigarettes After Sex: Live In Manila on January 14, 2025 as they come back in full and blissful force at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, ready to fill it to the brim with their signature dreamy night-band elegance, with sensual yet sweet lyrics to match.




Cigarettes After Sex’s rise to fame was their outpour of confessional romantic tracks that remained constant over the years, laced with the hushed and ethereal voice of Greg Gonzalez along with the aid of his bandmates Randall Miller on bass and Jacob Tomsky on drums.  

ADVERTISEMENT


Cigarettes After Sex is stopping by the Philippines as part of their X’s World Tour. The American dream pop band makes their way back to Manila after seven years since their last show in Quezon City as part of Karpos Live’s concert series in 2018. Since then, the band had just only grown bigger and bigger with more hits added to their roster: "Motion Picture Soundtrack" (2023), "Tejano Blue" (2024), and their latest release, "Dark Vacay" (2024). Aside from their ever-expanding catalog of amazing musical projects, the band also caught a new kind of notoriety with their song "Cry" (2019) hitting over 155.4K spins on TikTok in a record amount of time, ultimately launching the amorously monochromatic night band into the ears of many in the mainstream. Fall in love again with Cigarettes After Sex’s signature sweet and sensual tune live at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.


 
 


Treat yourself to a sweet and indelible night with one of dream pop’s best guilty pleasures. Made possible by KARPOS. 


Here are our One Music PH Top 10 Cigarettes After Sex picks:


10). Touch (2019)

"Touch" isn't idyllically erotic, it's heartrending, it strikes a primeval chord that brings on the tears.


9). John Wayne (2017)

It’s about loving the concept of having a relationship more than actually wanting to be in one. The song’s persona is so overwhelmed with the idea of her that he doesn’t know what to do, how to express that love, or how to even ask if the feelings are mutually reciprocated. So he figures out that if he lives a life like a John Wayne character- always on the run or in pursuit of a goal that is larger than life.


8). Falling in Love (2019)

This song is a fitting tribute to long, fruitful, and cosmic relationships as Gonzalez remembers how he and his then-girlfriend would go and watch the same film at the same time, even though they were in separate cities with ethereal synthesizers playing out to tranquil drum beats.


7). Heavenly (2019)

Tell me it’s love, tell me it’s real,” Gonzalez implores on the swinging, delicately encompassing “Heavenly,” echoing the longing character of his songwriting.


6). Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby (2012)

While an overwhelming majority of their discography has that same sluggish atmosphere, “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby” from the 2012 EP I., is a highlight reel track in terms of contemporary romanticism lyricism with a stunning, restrained melody. 


5). Sweet (2017)

The premise of sexual happenstances as cannon fodder for still contemplation continues throughout their 2017 eponymous album, but it’s done in such a blasé way that it circumvents banality. “Sweet” begins “Watching the video that you sent me/The one where you’re showering with wet hair dripping,” before morphing into a song about aching to feel a loved one’s skin in person.


4). Cry (2019)

The title track of their 2019 album Cry is overflowing with heartfelt and ornate electronica and lethargic, swanky guitar chords as Gonzalez tells the story of a dude who can’t fully make a commitment. His sincerity is poignant as he sings: “But I need to tell you something/I just can’t be faithful for long/I swear I will only make you cry” making an indifferent assertion come off quite sensible. Even the guitars sound grief-stricken as they cry with Gonzalez’s downhearted vocal.


3). Sunsetz (2017)

The track is about the wistfulness and yearning the song’s persona feels after a relationship is over. When the sunset strikes, the persona has a mental picture of his or her impending ex, with sunlight on their faces as they drive away.


2). K. (2017)

A heartbreak story that will make you yearn for Kristen to come back to our persona's arms. Take note also that the title of the song - Kristen’s initial - is also the final nail in the coffin that is of modern romantic communication, the dreaded acronym for “OK,” the text message counterpart of refutation by dedma and apathy. 


1). Apocalypse (2017)



This song shows this band’s supernatural aptitude for crafting vast power from sprawling, moaning lightness. It tosses Gonzalez’s undertones against otherworldly guitar arpeggios and a slow-burn rhythm section, transposing something like an indie R&B number to slowcore. “Feel the helicopters crashing in the ocean from way above,” he sings, but no sound on this song is approximately so belligerent. It’s a relentlessly delightful track.

ADVERTISEMENT

EXCLUSIVE: Ron Henley on returning to the hip-hop scene after a break: ‘Nag-focus muna ako sa pagiging ama’

EXCLUSIVE: Ron Henley on returning to the hip-hop scene after a break: ‘Nag-focus muna ako sa pagiging ama’

Push Team

Clipboard

Filipino hip-hop artist Ron Henley was part of the artist lineup at the recently concluded OPM Series: Hip Hop Fest, held at the SM North Edsa Sky Dome on February 22.


In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, he shared that his break in the past months was due to him focusing on becoming a father.





“Sa bahay lang kasi nag-aalaga din ako ng anak. Nag-focus muna ako sa pagiging ama. Kababalik ko lang magtanghalulit. Ito nandon pa rin yung kaba, yung excitement,” Ron Henley shared.


The hip-hop star is now a proud father to his eight-month-old daughter, Shira Haza Nirvana, whom he happily brought along during his recent music fest stint.

ADVERTISEMENT


Just last December, Ron Henley also shared his first Christmas with Shira on Instagram.





On back to performing live, the rapper-songwriter admitted that it was refreshing to have a different set of audiences, stepping away from their usual gigs with a more intimate setting.


“Parang na-expose kami sa ibang set naman ng audience. At nakaka-tuwa din na may bago kang tagapakinig. Para sa kanila fresh pa yung kinakanta mo years ago, nakakabigay ng gana ulit.” he shared.





The "Hagdan" hitmaker, along with fellow rapper, Loonie, also offered advice to emerging artists in the hip-hop scene, noting that it's okay to make mistakes and learn from them along the way.


“Gawin mo lang nang gawin, wag kang matakot magkamali. Habang maaga pa, maitatama yung mga mali. Saka siyempre, kung talagang passion mo, lahat gagawin mo para maitawid yung passion mo na 'yon. Kumbaga, gawin mo lang yung nasa puso mo, mahalin mo lang yung ginagawa mo, ‘yun lang,” he added.



The hip-hop artist also shared that in songwriting, inspiration can be found in the simplest things you encounter or experience daily.


He even revealed that his love for plants, as a self-proclaimed "plantito," served as the main inspiration for his song "Ilandasanwakan," a reversed word for "Nakaw Na Sandali.” The song featured words such as flowers, gumamela, and santan.


"Mahilig kasi ako sa mga halaman eh plantito. One time naging, ano, plantito. Kaya, isa sa mga, ano, mga naging inspirasyon ko, yung mga halaman na alaga ko,” he explained.



Fans can also expect more songs and collaborations from the rapper-songwriter.


“Sulat-sulat lang din ako, collab-collab. Last na collaboration na nagawa ko is yung with Skusta (Clee) and Yuridope,” Ron Henley shared, referencing their song "La Luna."


—By Jemuel Tandoc

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

It looks like you’re using an ad blocker

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.