The only music you need to hear today

The only music you need to hear today is from a small Manila record label called Terno Recordings. And you can stream their songs for free — right now — at http://supreme.ph. Troop to saGuijo tonight, too, for a special showcase of Terno artists at 9 p.m.

Terno is the brainchild of all-around good guy Toti Dalmacion. The company has a handful of acts in their stable — each of them creators of Supreme sound — and among them, a band that international media has called “Most Likely to Succeed.” Remember the following names:

• Radioactive Sago Project is an MTV award-winning six-piece band that melds spoken word poetry with jazz, punk, funk, and metal. (You must hear them to get how they do this.) Their most recent album, “Tang*na Mo Ang Daming Nagugutom Sa Mundo Fashionista Ka Pa Rin” gets five stars from local rock bible Pulp.

• Paramita is a five-year-old trio. They’ve a rock chick vocalist who is also their drummer. And they’ve hit-making skills as well, snagging No. 1 chart positions for weeks at a time. They’ve just released a self-titled second album.

• Ang Bandang Shirley is a band you’ve seen in Supreme before. Of them, fellow columnist Paolo Lorenzana says, “Ang Bandang Shirley doesn’t take itself as seriously as today’s more popular acts do... but it’s hard not to dig all the unself-conscious gamboling.” Meanwhile, Terno boss Toti finds it hard not to play favorites. He says the band is “Pinoy indie rock at its finest.”

• Outerhope is composed of the brother-sister tandem of Mike and Micaela Benedicto. The act started four years ago, with nothing but a folk guitar, an electric piano, and lots of vocal harmony — which they put into an awesome self-released album called “Strangely Paired.” Under Terno, they’ve become a full five-piece band, and are currently working on their sophomore release.

• Swissy describes herself as an acoustic/folk/pop artist. Two years ago, she left Australia to pursue a career here in the Philippines, and was immediately picked up by Terno. Her debut album “She Smiles” is out this month.

• Musical O really stands for Musical Orgasm. But they’re more like a day at the beach than rough sex. That isn’t to say the band of four 20-year-old boys isn’t brill. Toti says the Musical O, “brings to mind great bands from the ‘90s like Ride, Revolver etc.” The foursome is currently creating new material for a debut EP.

And Up Dharma Down is the band that has been tagged as the Filipino band most likely to cross over into Western markets. (This, according to BBC radio DJ Mark Coles.) In a 2007 article, Time magazine says that in a scene as vibrant as Manila’s, “it’s hard for any act to rise above the clamor, but Up Dharma Down might just be doing so. “

Up Dharma Down melds an eclectic array of genres — from rock to soul to jazz and electronica — and they’re another band you have to hear to believe. They are currently working on their second album. The band sings primarily in English.

Terno Inferno

Terno Recordings holds a monthly gig at bar-and-cafe saGuijio (7612 Guijo Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City). “Terno Inferno” happens at 9 p.m — and tonight’s event is a Supreme one. All the bands above are performing. You read that right. You will not see the Terno acts anywhere else today.

Supreme is your source for the best in Filipino pop culture. Go to our website at http://supreme.ph for free music — as well as all the hip news you care about.