Offshore Music, a Manila-based record label known for its focus on creative integrity, captures the spirit of the holiday season with a new compilation album featuring its stellar roster of local music acts.
Aptly titled An Offshore Christmas, the 9-track record earworms its way into the collective consciousness with diverse stories spanning generations and experiences, interpreting what Christmas meant from varied lenses: a joyful hymn that brims with life and humanity, a vodka-induced downer that revels in the sentiments of missing home, a quirky jam that envelopes listeners with comforting warmth, and simply, a frustrated sad song that barely keeps up with the season’s booming, optimistic energy.
As Offshore Music CEO Ely Buendia puts it, “The album is a kaleidoscope of emotions, from melancholy to euphoria, as well as a feast for anyone who enjoys all kinds of music.”
Offshore Music General Manager Audry Dionisio takes pride in the record’s insistence not to be boxed in the usual category of how a holiday-inspired album should be. She points out, “We also made sure that people from different walks of life would not feel left out. Every song in the album can be played way past the Christmas season, that’s for sure.”
The Christmas-themed album features recently released tracks from its esteemed lineup of artists, including Pinkmen, Suspiria Pink, Elton Clark, Sansette, Eliza Marie, JR Oca Experience, Sulo, as well as additional new songs from ena mori and Mt. Lewis.
“With the new roster of artists on board, it also created a fresh and inspired energy within us to collaborate more with them and for them to showcase their abilities to the public more,” Offshore Music A&R Director Pat Sarabia shares.
Mt. Lewis’ “Trip To Jerusalem,” the album’s focus track, provides a contemporary spin on The Eraserheads’ cult holiday classic while retaining the original’s intrinsic charm and fuzz. When asked about how he feels about the rendition, Ely Buendia expressed his approval of the band’s tenacity to breathe new life to an underrated, deep cut. “We thought it was fitting to honor their brave achievement by having one of our artists cover a song from Fruitcake for our own Christmas release.”
Another album highlight is ena mori’s “Christmas Song (Version II),” a bittersweet little tune about choosing to celebrate Christmas alone with cats rather than joining a party filled with family members and friends who do nothing but send a minefield of emotional triggers. Over snappy, acoustic guitars and minimal percussions, the alt-pop star delivers an anthem that is bold and uncompromising in its message but remains hopeful amidst the intention to hide the hurting.
Offshore A&R Manager Otep Tumambing emphasizes that the holiday record is more than just a reinforcement of postcard-perfect tradition but also a time to nurse the wounds of isolation and grief—all valid feelings that deserve to be celebrated on the same level as their merrier counterparts.
“Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays globally, symbolizing joy, togetherness, and generosity. An Offshore Christmas aims to provide our artists and their audience with a platform to express their views on Christmas, even if it’s about sadness and loneliness. Not everyone experiences the usual ‘happy’ Christmas, and they deserve to be celebrated as well.”
