101 Songs of My Third Year (Part 9)

Please bear with me. This list runs for almost 7 months! I missed updating this 101 songs because—guess what—I'm busy doing what has to be done this 4th year. I told it on my past post.

But speaking of school...We're already down to the top 20 songs of my third year. These songs are pieces and parts of my past school year. These songs were the songs I got to listen to most of the time.

For this part, we have a new band to be featured—a distinctive band in the Philippines named Up Dharma Down. Also expect some Linkin Park, M83, FTP, and James Blake.

Don't know them yet? Know them here.

20. "Can you feel the rush rush?"

Davenport|Never The Strangers

At 20 we have a synth-filled, dramatic song of Never The Strangers. I don't really know why this is entitled "Davenport". It is either a place or the type of sofa.

But what I liked in this track is that it speaks of going away and being away, and it is spoken thoroughly. 

19. "Iindak na lamang ba sa tibok ng puso mo/At aasahan ko/Hindi mo lamang aapakan ang aking mga paa"

Indak|Up Dharma Down

I really like Up Dharma Down. I like their sound and the sweet vocals of Armi Millare, as well as the lyrics that are poetic and impressive.

This one, written in Filipino, amazes me. The piano notes, and that electronically produced beat before the refrain, and those remarkable lyrics. Wow!

For your information, the song tells me of dance, first of all. Then, it speaks of a person's confusion on who to dance with, on who will she choose. 

It tells me that this person isn't sure of what her decision will be, but she'll choose. And she'll dance, while someone is watching...While someone is sad.

Since it's "Indak", it'll be nice to be played at prom.

Actually, there's an album version of this song, but the one featured here is the first one I've heard, and I like it better.

18. "Nalilito na ako hindi na dapat gan'to"

Sana|Up Dharma Down

Yes. It's UDD again. It's another Filipino song worth hearing. 

From the beating intro to the video game-inspired music video, it's awesome. Here, we get to hear Armi's magnificent vocals in a more dynamic level. Also, we hear those heartfelt lines of wishes, somehow emptying to zero.

17. "Just waiting! Just waiting!"

Steve Mcqueen|M83

We have another M83 song here, which still comes from their recent album. The first seconds are like an entrance to a story-book world, or a different dimension, like Narnia. Then, synths and beats will burst like whirling matter.

It is a combination of the synthetic and the ambient. Of something from synthpop and something from house music and something from rock.

16. "Sana'y nagtanong ka lang kung 'di mo lang alam"

Oo|Up Dharma Down

Back to UDD.

This expressive song focuses on a person's frustration over another and his/her interest. This speaks of a hopeless feeling, or a regret over liking someone. But what I like here is that the lyrics is so clear and direct.

It's another dimension of UDD that is heard here, away from electronica and more of jazz. It's so brilliantly orchestrated.


15. "I tie my hands up to a chair so I don’t fall that way"

Helena Beat|Foster The People

FTP impresses us once again with their upbeat, keyboard-filled sounds, together with lyrics with deeper meanings.

"Helena Beat" is a party-perfect song. It tells us of a fall in humans, a fall they don't care about.

The beats that are heard as the song opens are what I think is the 'Helena Beat". It's an "ear-opener" for me.

14. "Waiting for the end to come/Wishing I had strength to stand"

Waiting For The End|Linkin Park

I felt this song all throughout, because—really—I waited for the end.

I waited for the end of the school year, the end of every tasks, the end of every hardships, the end of every sorrow.

And so this song hums with me.


13. "Is this the way I've always been?"

The Reeling|Passion Pit

The banging and dancing and running of every note and beat makes this Passion Pit single great. Another thing to consider is the additional choir sound care of PS22 Chorus.

Thanks to 99.5 before it became Play FM, I heard this electro-pop piece.

12. "Like a waterfall in slow motion"

Limit To Your Love|James Blake

Let's now slow it down.

I found this out from Live From Abbey Road. It was the first time that I heard something classical fused with something modern. The first time I heard a classical piano contained with drum-pad beats, push-button effects, and sounds coming from a Prophet synthesizer that's better than an Autotune.

But also, the emotions and colors that are conveyed in this track makes it good to hear. The lines travel through your consciousness, and somehow you're already in the vibe of the music.

11. "It doesn't even matter"

In The End|Linkin Park

LP's songs are really heartfelt and emotion-filled, aside from being distinctively rock.

This one is something that I felt anytime. Doing everything that you could, but having its value lost in the end. Having trust, then losing it when it's all over, even when it's not all over yet.


Do they sound good for you? Let's add one more.


Bonus track: "All of my life/In every season/You are still God"

Desert Song|Hillsong

Of course, contemporary Christian music isn't ignored by this blogger. This is my pick because it fits right into what I've gone through the past school year.

Here I was, barren, dry, baffled...But here's my God, who was—and still is—with me. He has a plan. He knows what's best for me—all of us. So there's still a reason to live...and to depend on God each day.


Get ready for the last 10 songs very soon! In case you've missed the songs before these, you may start here. Thank you so much for hanging out!