MANILA, Philippines—The sibling alt-pop duo, No Lore, is on the upswing after the success of “Paumanhin” and having their songs included in a series soundtrack. We can’t say the same of No Lore’s love life, either, as they discuss feeling lost and bewildered as a result of a one-sided love in their most recent major LSS single, “Papatungo,” which was released under Off The Record.
For their single “Papatungo,” No Lore has paired up once more with one of the indie scene’s most sought-after producers after working with Ean Aguila of Ang Bandang Shirley on “Paumanhin.”
“Papatungo” is a song that artistically demonstrates how No Lore could utilize synths, keyboards, and odd voices to get our heads bop and hips pleasantly move while singing along to painful lyrics, whether you can connect to them or not, was created by combining the skills of Ean Aguila and No Lore.
Image courtesy of Amplified Entertainment
The Tagalog indie-pop song “Papatungo” is about unrequited love and is based on Tita Halaman’s own painting. The bright and cheery song contrasts with the sad lyrics, which were inspired by true accounts of No Lore and their friends who were rejected but whose sentiments were still entertained.
According to Tita Halaman, “Papatungo is a song about unrequited love, an examination of a fed-up hopeless romantic.” Jerald continued, “It might also be about that contemplative moment in an unrequited relationship when the person whose love is not reciprocated decides to be vulnerable and reveals that he/she doesn’t know where things are going any more. Consequently, the song’s opening line is Papatungo nga ba saan.
The song can have a different meaning for others as we each have our definition of unrequited love. “There have been a lot of times wherein I experienced unrequited love, although, for me, it is not limited to romantic love. It also applies to our interests. For example, I want to be a tattoo artist, but it won’t love me back because my hands are shaky. I also experienced it with our dog Oddish when she would ignore us whenever we cuddle her,” Tita Halaman furthers.
Image courtesy of Amplified Entertainment
Regardless of the situation of unrequited love we are in, having a song like “Papatungo” provides us the feeling of understanding and comfort we desire for since, as listeners, we are constantly seeking out pieces of ourselves in music, art, and everything else around us.
If the duo were asked where the song is going, they can predict that, like its predecessor single “Paumanhin,” it will become a classic song in the emerging underground indie music industry.
For No Lore, who are steadily building a reputation for themselves in both the underground and mainstream, tthey can only hope for more outstanding music, art, and success.
Listen to “Papatungo” here and follow No Lore in their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Spotify, kumu, and YouTube.