Jay R molds Kley
It's quite possible you have heard the song on pop stations. If you missed the title (why don’t most pop stations announce artists and song titles anymore?), you may have seen the video on MYX.
The song is called "Hintayin" and Jay R, garbed in military gear, makes a cameo in which he neither sings nor busts out his signature dance movies. In fact, he acts mean in the video in stark contrast to the mellowness of the song.
Is the local Prince of R&B changing stripes?
Mostly in the family
Not exactly. His cameo in camouflage is an extension of his duties as producer for the pop-rock band Kley, featuring his niece Deejay Poblete on vocals.
Kley recently released their 12-track—15 if you include three brief interstitials—self-titled album and launched the video for "Hintayin" in Off The Grill along Timog in Quezon City.
Most of the songs in the album were written by the band's acoustic guitarist Noah Zuñiga. The catchy first single (and video) "Tsismosa" is only a hint of Zuñiga's hooky songwriting.
Poblete herself admits to being influenced by the likes of Kitchie Nadal and Moonstar88 (and, thankfully, avoids being a clone).
Blurring genre lines
For a young band, there is a surprising amount of sophistication in their musical arrangements that sometimes blur genre lines.
In "Kami Lang Ang Meron Nyan" (featuring Gloc-9), a funky shuffle rhythm eases into a jazzy stride without shouting, “style shift!”
On the upbeat "Injanan" (when, by the way, will we stop using racist epithets?), there is a quasi-reggae treatment of a verse in the middle of the tune.
Jay R himself is on a tune called "Family."
Jay R uses a ‘different set of ears’
The result is a polished album filled with potential hits played by a wickedly talented group of musicians. There are hints of R&B but, overall, the album is firmly in melodic pop territory punctuated by rock guitar solos.
As album producer, Jay R says, "Yes, for sure I have to have a different set of ears. But, ultimately, I rely on my first instinct. I still rely on music that I like.
“If there's a song of Kley's I don't like, I'm honest with them and we try to meet halfway."
Getting love from Guam and the US
Kley is also on “international radio,” says Jay R. “They are currently getting a lot of love in Guam and the US."
Meanwhile, niece Poblete is one of 60 finalists in the upcoming fourth annual 7101 Music Nation Elements Songwriting camp.
Time to play with Kley.
Like Kley on Facebook.
You might also like:
Young Pinoy bluesmen reap second international triumph
