“This is the album that resurrected my career.”

It’s hard to imagine Ebe Dancel’s career going nowhere, especially after an incredible introductory stint with Sugar Free and Cambio and his solo career that has made him one of this generation’s brightest songwriters and most in-demand performers. But it’s true.

Dancel was referring to his second solo album, “Bawat Daan” that was recently released on vinyl by Star Records and Backspacer Records. Like Dancel’s “Baliktanaw” album (where he re-recorded songs from Sugar Free with “string and things”, as he put it) that was released in September 2020 and went through 2 pressings because of sales and demand, the interest in “Bawat Daan” has been incredible.

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“ ‘Bawat Daan’ has this sentimental value,” explains Ebe. “Sugar Free was done, and after my first solo album ‘Dalawang Mukha ng Pag-Ibig,’ I was dropped by my label (Warner Music Philippines). I was struggling and unsure about some things when I received a call from Jonathan Manalo of Star Records who invited me to record an album with them. Nagkaroon ng resurgence ang career ko after ‘Bawat Daan.’”

• Ebe Dancel's “Bawat Daan” album to be released on vinyl

Released in 2015, the album featured the title track, a live-show favorite, and “Dapithapon.”

It also featured four collaborations — “Prom” with Yeng Constantino, “Wag Ka Na Umiyak” with KZ Tandingan, “Makita Kita Muli” with Regine Velasquez, and “Ang Probinsyano” with Gloc-9.

The latter was huge, more so since it was the theme song of the long-running television drama by the same name. If Dancel wasn’t a household name before with Sugar Free winning in the NU Rock Awards, as well as the Awit Awards, the television show broadcast his music to viewers all over the archipelago.

Now, with its vinyl treatment, “Bawat Daan” is being introduced to a new generation of fans.

“It is gratifying to see some young fans who know my music. It is heartwarming I was on the list for the album to be pressed on vinyl,” thinks Dancel. “Sa dami ng artists ng Star Records, I got my album put out on vinyl. Jonathan Manalo called me and told me the news na nag-uusap sila ng Backspacer Records and now it’s here.”

“Bawat Daan” is released in gatefold format with new layouts by Ryan de Jesus. The original album photos, which show Dancel walking around his high school campus of UP Los Baños, look even better in the enlarged format.

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“I was looking for an excuse to go back home to Los Baños,” recounts Ebe of the album photo shoot. “For the album art, I told Star Records, ‘Get me a van and a photographer to take me to Los Baños.’ We took all the photos guerilla-style as we had no time to ask permission.”

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“I suggested the album cover, which is one of the most memorable places in UPLB. I wanted to show that Los Baños isn’t just a town for buko pie and chocolate cake, but it is a lovely town.”

And it makes for a great package with great music within.

Music fans can order their vinyl copies of “Bawat Daan” on backspacerrecords.com.

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