rating: 10/10

This is real News, far more concerning than Charter change or the recent disarray in Ultra.

After making a mountain out of a molehill, I own now what could have been Pedro's answer to Uncle Sam's rapidly growing "urban-alternative" landscape. I don't know if it's a diss or genuine love but I think it's more of an easy-go salute. Congratulations! "Up dharma Down have already revealed they're one closet hippie band."

If one finds it libelous, feel free to sue me. I have Fragmented as a strong suit of evidence. In true indie fashion - Fragmented is enigmatically diverse, genres intertwined to capture a distinct sound. But the main reference here is Armi Millare's soulful voice, which is unmistakably reminiscent of Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott or Erykah Badu. It's like a time warp in the mid90's, where coined genre "neosoul" or new soul spawned a new, American subculture, take tracks "lazy daisy" "we give in sometimes" "Oo" "june." And "sleep talk."

Let the instruments talk. It's overkill shit to generalize the sound as neosoul. The breakbeats, the loops and samples, the effects (delay, contrast, layering, reverb, distortions, etc.) sturdily opens for total mash-up and experimentations.

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Track 1 – Layag (4:09)

It's no tagalog track. Don't say you haven't been warned. Armi here sings like she's claustrophobic; lots of echoes and delaying aesthetics…

Track 2 – Maybe (2:52)

The teaser single "maybe" is one of the best songs ever made last year. Textures, and shifts in the pace are very much abundant you hardly notice it's a short track.

Track 3 – Lazy daisy (3:55)

The orientation is very Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Sylphlike vocals. Soothing chill-out song that suggests an ero mood and a sensuous aroma. Daisy's lazy, so what? She's too much of a pretty chick to get lots of attention.

Track 4 – We give in sometimes (4:47)

The foursome dharmas do have a weakness for writing balance and "in between" themes. "We give in sometimes" is over-the-top sweet, portraying a love-relationship between two contrasting personalities. "Sand and the sea / meet in between / Fire and ice / you and I."

Track 5 – Oo (3:59)

Personal favorite and probably the crθme-of-the-crop in the album.

You wont expect lines like "malas mo, ikaw ang natipuhan ko" and "sana nakinig na lang ako sa nanay ko" to be versed in the UdD repertoire. This is confession ode of mutual love for a friend. I love how Armi phrases every line in this particular song, she really reminds me of an authentic black soul-singer.

Wonder why "Oo"? I don't know. Metaphor? But I remember Armi using "Oo" as vocal filler in this track.

Track 6 – Fragmented (1:08)

An instrumental, electronica track that gives a defining cinema of dancing pogos. Hehe!

Cool breakbeats.

Track 7 – June (4:34)

Ok, Terno-friend/member of triphop band Drip Caliph8 guests on "June."  It's bleachy extro and atonal keyboard intros are spanking good and that's all I could tell.

Track 8 – Sleeptalk (7:04)

Dramatically insane! I love the tremolo guitars, the colorful vibratos and the way the textures meld; it's sinking me! Armi's a nagging girlfriend. She weeps, chants, and shouts like her boyfriend is the biggest thing next to hell. So to all the guys out there, don't sleeptalk. You might be caught by your words. Or vice versa? Hehe!

If you're compiling potential psycho-thriller soundtracks, "sleeptalk" is for you.

Track 9 – Pag-agos (3:22)

Have you seen the video? If not, then just listen to the song. IMHO, the video of "pag-agos" is probably one of the cheesiest videos out there. Swear.

Despite such, "pag-agos" I think is one of the well-written tracks in Fragmented. Trust me.

Track 10 – Broken mirrors and Screaming Turtles (1:39)

Another instrumental track. This one reminds me of Daydream cycle's instrumental ditty, "midnight eyes" from the album Underwater kite.

Track 11 – Malikmata (5:07)

Paul's groovy basslines and the ever-changing slabs of funky, dizzying guitars from thin to thick, and the unoccasional tempo-shifts gave this split-of-the-eye song a heavier, edgier twist.

Track 12 – The world is our playground and we will always be home (6:28)

The last two minutes of this song is a revelation. It's the same feeling I experienced when I play Morcheeba's crossover hit "Rome wasn't build in a day." POWER POP TRIPPING!

Bonus tracks:

Oo (fragmented mix) – sounds like a Bronx-street mixtape. It just proves that hiphop is really triphop's long-lost cousin.

Hiwaga – A lonely, Christmas song about hopes and dreams.

Lazy daisy (ascalto verson) – more upbeat than the original version.

Ok, let's make things clear. Neosoul constitutes the half fragments of the whole UdD sound, but the other half is divided into more mini fragments – triphop, post-rock, funk, drum n bass, jazz, indiepop. You name it. This album confirms Up dharma Down's fluid and expansive musical route.