Labit’s most widely streamed tracks, like “Someday Faraway” and “Summer Died,” tend to be acoustic cuts. He’s maintained a pretty consistent sound: chill and no-frills. Sometimes a little folksy and tinged with R&B. They’re often driven by a restrained guitar track and the singer’s mellifluous vocals. By his own admission, it’s nothing like the music he used to perform when he was in a pop-punk band in the past.
Evidently, acoustic is working well for Labit, born Stephen Ordoñez. He’s accumulated millions of views on his YouTube channel and over 300,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. His new single, “PARALLEL,” starts off in somewhat familiar territory. The instrumentals are simple, though brisker and more upbeat than usual. It builds up to an irresistibly catchy chorus guaranteed to stay stuck in your mind.
It’s Labit at his most pop form, but also his most punk-rock so far. In particular, the striking keyboard is highly reminiscent of pop-punk songs from the 2000s. This gives the song an edgier feel; paired with such romantic, hopeful lyrics, penned by Labit with Gabriella Mejias and Travis Heidelman.
The buoyant track is an unexpected addition to his upcoming album Sol, named after his grandmother Solita. It explores a rather different sonic palette for Labit, but his voice remains silky smooth as ever over Heidelman’s busier production. With a lean runtime of two minutes and 45 seconds, it’s the kind of song that demands to be played over and over again.
Sol‘s previous single, “Mangoes and Rice,” was a solemn, sweet meditation on Filipino-American identity. The sheer contrast between “Mangoes” and the sunny brightness of “PARALLEL” makes the record’s upcoming release even more exciting. If you’re not tuning in, what are you doing?
“PARALLEL” is out on all digital streaming platforms now. Sol will be released on 10th October. You can follow Labit on Instagram.