The rise of bedroom artists in the mid-2010s changed the music scene dramatically. Websites like SoundCloud, Tumblr, and BandCamp made streaming music more accessible, encouraging more people to experiment with music from the comfort of their own homes.
Born out of this era of bedroom artists is King Puentespina, better known as crwn. His journey into electronic music began during a night out with friends when he stumbled upon similarobjects (now known as obesedogma), a member of the BuwanBuwan Collective. This experience inspired crwn and his friends to start their own musical venture, launching LOGICLUB soon after. This move made sense because he’d already played in multiple bands during high school and college and had a deep love for music in general.
And since then, this bedroom artist has become one of Manila’s most sought after producers.
Curating A Séance
As a DJ, crwn understands the art of music curation. This is apparent when you look into his Spotify profile which reveals a bunch of playlists, each with its own theme. crwn explains that music production is largely about listening—immersing oneself in different sounds to understand what resonates.
It’s through this deep dive into his Spotify profile that we noticed a playlist titled “Séance,” which also happens to be the name of his debut album. crwn shared that the album was greatly influenced by dance music, with tracks from the playlist forming its core. His “Séance” playlist was the DNA of his first album. Initially slated for release in 2020, the album faced delays.
“Pangit pag-pilit, I always think about that when making music.” crwn remarks, emphasizing the importance of timing in music production. With over 200 tracks to choose from, he took his time to explore and refine his vision for “Séance.”’
Ghosts and Grooves
Hearing the album title “Séance” evokes thoughts of spirituality and the supernatural. True to form, crwn, a horror movie enthusiast, infused his love for spooky stories into his music. He researched Filipino folklore and 70s seances, drawing inspiration even from the horror books of his childhood.
“Summoning the love and the energy of dance and music,” crwn describes Séance. The album is an invitation to express and feel—crwn wants listeners to be moved, to dance, and to connect with the music emotionally.
A quick look at the tracklist reveals collaborations with Jason Dhakal, Curtismith, Jess Connelly, LONER, Jolianne, Olympia, Six the Northstar, August Wahh, Nadine Lustre, and TALA. This impressive roster of collaborators makes the album feel like a house party with friends, with each artist bringing their own unique perspective and a story to tell.
Since the album just came out we’re still digesting its message but as of writing, we’ve been listening to Séance religiously and we have to say it’s easy to get into it.
For the latest on crwn, including his upcoming tours in the Philippines and potential dates for an Asia tour, follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
