The year 2021 will go down as not only the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic where the world began its vaccination and moving towards a sense of normalcy.

On a musical note, it is also the year where the resurgence of Original Pilipino Music on vinyl is at a huge number, the likes not seen since the early 1990s.

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The resurgence of vinyl records is nothing new. It has been on an upward trajectory since 2012 and shows no signs of abating pandemic or no pandemic.

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Here in the Philippines, the sheer number of local releases this 2021 is staggering, and we’ve seen more than a cartload of titles released and rereleased on wax.

This 2021, at least 18 records originally pressed during the 1970s and 1980s were re-released. This includes the popular “Bagets” soundtrack, “Pinoy Jazz” from Eddie Munji III, “Batucada sa Calesa” from Bong Penera, VST&Co., Maria Cafra, Mike Hanopol, and many others.

Many fans welcomed the rerelease of these titles because, for one, it made them available again and, two, it is more affordable than the prices commanded in the resellers’ market where the first pressings fetch for anywhere from P1,500 to P45,000 considering records were priced at P24 in the late 70s and P125 during its last legs in the early 1990s.

“Collectors are lucky because the old OPM catalogue is rather rare,” said Sherileen Cruz of Stereofiles Audio, which was named by Universal Records as the official distributor of the rerelease of Aiza Seguerra’s “Araw Gabi: Mga Awit ni Maestro Ryan” that originally came out on compact disc in 2015.

“This is one reason why na-engganyo mag-collect ang mga tao. Imagine from P5,000 to P10,000 and more ang prices, ngayon mabibili mo ng P1,200 to P1,900, with sometimes better audio quality.”

Businessman Bernie Marquez shared his story: “I got back into collecting vinyl in 2013 and got second hand but original pressings of Basil Valdez, Tito Mina, Martin Nievera, Bobby Enriquez and some others. I saw a lot of other OPM records then. In hindsight, I wish I had gotten more then. Now, they are harder to acquire and are more expensive.

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“If I see an original press, I still prefer them for sentimental reasons (they’re old like us). But re-issues are a good way of preserving the music we grew up with and introducing them to a new generation.”

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Al Rivera of Bear’s Den Records, who among others is a regular fixture at the Legazpi Street market in Makati, had this anecdote to share: “I think the re-issues of the OPM classics makes them more accessible so more people are being encouraged to delve into record collecting.”

“Last Sunday (December 12), I had a customer who asked for an OPM record that I can recommend. I offered Eddie Munji’s ‘Pinoy Jazz’ (that came out in 1977). The next day, he messaged me to say, ‘Panalo ’yung record.’ Baguhan pa lang ’yun, so I think there is no way na makuha niya ’yung record were it not for the re-issue because the original pressing goes for about P7,000,” Rivera said.

“And ’yun na nga. These rereleases bring down the prices of the original pressings because for a time, they soared to ridiculous levels.”

As for music released in this new millennium, 8 albums got the vinyl treatment for the first time while 10 new record albums came out.

FIRST TIME ON VINYL

• Peyodiko
• Humanidad - Dong Abay Music Organization
• Halang – The Purplechickens
• Bawat Daan – Ebe Dancel
• Dualist – Taken By Cars
• Sabado/1995 – Eraserheads
• Cut the World – Moscow Olympics
• Aiza Seguerra – Araw Gabi: Mga Awit ni Maestro Ryan

NEW RELEASES

• Volumes – Oh, Flamingo!
• Waiting for the End to Start - Itchyworms
• Sentimental – True Faith
• Scenes from the Inside – Barbie Almalbis
• Other People – Various Artists
• B3AR – B3 x Audio Rebel
• Superstrung – The Insektlife Cycle
• Killademic – Red-I x Ranking Joe
• Sunday – Viktor MK II
• Summer Colours – Viktor MK II
• Dong Abay’s 'Humanidad' vinyl pre-order release sells out

What is also stunning about this development is many of the new releases do not come from so-called major labels, but independent record stores who fund the records.

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At the forefront of this is This Is Pop (from Toti Dalmacion), the Grey Market, Backspacer Records, Still Ill Records, and Mutilated Noise Records. The year 2022 will see the entry of Plaka Express into the market with their initial offerings in the first half of the year.

Backspacer Records alone has put out 7 records this year.

“As a fan of OPM, it is our way of helping popularize the music as well as the physical formats we love,” bared Backspacer Records’ Robert Tuazon. “We have a full slate of releases for next year and it is great that artists and bands come to us to help put their music out.”

Naga-based lo-fi hip hop artist Viktor MKII offered his take on this record surge: “Speaking as an artist and also as a fellow fan releasing music on vinyl and cassette, it adds to the drama of everything. In a digital world where you can play anything almost instantly, the physical formats give fans a more tangible connection to the artist.”

“Demand for vinyl and cassettes of my music has risen in the last few years,” he added.

Viktor MKII released two albums on vinyl this 2021, “Sunday” and “Summer Colours.”

“Maybe it is because they were in limited quantities. But I think nowadays, people are discovering how quirky sound of tapes. It’s easy to start a collection because its compact, cheap, and cool looking. The 1980s revival helped making music and things from that era cool again,” he said.

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Taguig-based psychedelic rockers the Insektlife Cycle have seen their entire catalogue released on vinyl since 2017 by foreign independent labels. Interest in their music and releases have mostly come from foreign fans.

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“Malaking boost sa amin morale na may label abroad na hindi napapatid ’yung paglabas ng music namin sa vinyl,” added the Insektlife Cycle’s drummer Nal Vivo Jr.

“Nakakatuwa na nag-emerge ’yung format at nagkaroon ng mga re-issues. At napapansin ko rin na ang first consideration ng mga bagong album ay ’yung physical release ay vinyl.”

If 2021 was a blast, the view of 2022 is going to be exciting as music fans will be treated to vinyl releases from Ben&Ben, Parokya ni Edgar, Kitchie Nadal, Narda, the first-time on vinyl release of the 1992 Alert Level compilation, the Jerks, Orange and Lemons, Pilipinas Hardcore III, and much more.