Soul Supremacy by KZ Tandingan | Album Review
Tandingan continues to prove her talents on her 2017 sophomore album.
China’s singing competition show, Singer, has brought several vocal talents to international ears. One of the most notable was Season 5’s winner, Dimash Kudaibergen, whose vocal range and talents are truly incredible. 2018’s outing famously brought on U.K. pop star Jessie J (who would ultimately win the competition). Another artist, KZ Tandingan, caught my ear when I heard her unique spin on Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”. KZ was already a star in her own right in her home country of the Philippines. The singer would have to retrain her voice after suffering throat issues at a young age. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as she honed her soulful sound and rapping skills. Tandingan would go on to win the Philippines version of the X-Factor. Her stint in 2018’s season of The Singer was short, coming in 7th, but it brought with it international fandom. As of 2024, KZ has only released two studio albums. I wanted to take a look into her most recent release 2017’s Soul Supremacy.
The album opens with KZ affirming her drive to overcome her prior vocal obstacles on “Intro Lude”. She blends the sounds of crackling vinyl against horns, guitar, and keys to bring out a soulful tone.
Tandingan really shines on “Labo”. Her vocal timbre works so well against the silky, jazzy soul styling she takes. The song is reminiscent of some of P!nk’s work on her debut. The hook, “Walang kalaban-laban, o bomalabs, labo labo/ Biglang nagkalaglagan, o bomalabs, labo labo,” will easily get stuck in your head. The bridge also fantastically displays KZ’s apt for rapping. Her words seek to move past the haze of conflict to bring love into the situation.
KZ goes more in the R&B direction on “Nag-iisa Na Naman.” Tandingan brings just the right amount of attitude to sell the feelings of betrayal and heartache oozes with. Her flow in the verses is biting as she seethes over her ignorance of being played in this relationship, “Everyone’s whispering about how you turned me around in your palms… Not one, not two, no matter how many times you make a fool of me/ Oh that’s it, but they’re right, maybe it shouldn’t have lasted this long/ Oh my God, what’s the matter?” I wouldn’t be surprised to find out if she was influenced by artists like Lauryn Hill. Her mastery of moving between the soulful lilt of the chorus and the momentous speed of her rhymes is quite impressive.
“Dapithapon” takes us to the silky embrace of a soulful slow jam. KZ’s voice paired with the steady strum of the guitar and fluttering backing vocals gives the song a bittersweet tone. The song’s title seems to allude to Tandingan’s need to keep this love alive even past its twilight hours, “We will be happy together/ Along the way to go/ Sadness and tears will disappear temporarily/ Because you will be seen again.” I like the textures that both KZ and the backing instrumentation create here.
I like the overall vibe of “Imposible” (or “Impossible”). The sound of keys and horns adds depth to Tandignan’s angst. She reassures herself that this cycle can’t continue in this tumultuous relationship, “ What happened will never be erased/ It’s like I don’t want it anymore, ah I don’t want it anymore… I don’t want it anymore, I don’t want it anymore…/ Impossible, impossible what you are asking.” I really find the hook, “Ayoko na ata, ayoko na nga sayo…/ Imposible, imposible ang hinihiling mo,” to be a total earworm. KZ's soulful voice and charismatic performance make the song.
One of the two English songs on the album is “Afraid”. This is also the most pop-oriented song. The chord progression and overall bright pop sound bring to mind September’s “Cry for You”. The verses run with the dramatic pain of the synths. Tandingan’s broken heart has her building up walls against anyone else trying to get in, “′Cause I’m afraid to love again/ And I am scared to fall, my friend/ When I′m with you, I am free, I am living, I can be who I am/ I am stronger, I am happy/ But I’m afraid to love again.” The subtle cry in her powerful vocals amplifies the emotional hole she is in.
The second English track is the 2000s R&B-inspired “With You”. The mix of claps, R&B-infused guitar lines, and rap verses makes me think of early Justin Timberlake. The twelfth track “Sa’yo” is a Tagalog version of this song.
Our first ballad comes in with “Siya’y Darating” (or “He Will Come”). While some of the production has a very Ne-Yo late 2000s vibe, something about that works with KZ and Michael Pangilinan’s vocals. It blooms after the first verse when the drums take over. Tandignan puts her faith in the fact that this love she and her partner share is true and he will return to her.
I’m not the biggest fan of the sound of “Sayang” (or “Waste”). Something about the calliope-like sound mixed with the strings and Ryan Tedder-like production. Again, KZ laments about the time and effort wasted on a man who ultimately turned cold and unloving towards her. The chorus is catchy, especially with its repetitive refrain “Sayang ang pag-ibig ko sa ‘yo (sayang, sayang, sayang, sayang naman)/ Sayang, ako ay pinaasa mo (sayang, sayang, sayang, sayang naman).” I also enjoy her rap verses that are interspersed throughout. My biggest hangup surrounds the instrumentation. The light calliope sounds feel very out of place. If they had leaned more into the acoustic R&B vibe, I think it would have fit the piece much better.
The longest and most texturally diverse track on the record is “Sa Aking Mga Kamay.” KZ slinks around the building drama of the Bond-like darkness of the live band. Her backing vocals swell and pull tight the tension that Tandingan slowly grows around this ever-worsening relationship. Each chorus appears to sink this woman further and further into the depths of trauma and seeming abuse that she has endured from this man. Its live drums and ominous tone make it a highlight of this album.
“Halik Na Lang” is one of two ballads on Soul Supremacy. I do wish the themes of heartache and loss had a bit more depth to them. KZ’s voice beautifully captures the pain surrounding the hollowness that has grown in a once vibrant relationship, “Kaya ngayon wala nang/ Sa ′kin ay natira/ Wala na akong/ Maibibigay pa.” Another aspect of the track that takes me out of it is the production of the piano and strings. They sound very processed like they came from a Casio keyboard. I think maybe some delay or layering would take the song from sounding more like a demo into something much more emotive. It’s probably the weakest from this release for me.
The album ends with the soft ballad “Mahal Ko o Mahal Ako.” Similar to the prior track, the song has the same compressed piano tone that I am personally not a fan of. What saves it for me is the synths and powerful backing beat that breathes life into the song. Tandingan wrestles with whether or not she is ready for new love, “Sino ang iibigin ko? Ikaw ba na pangarap ko/ O s’ya bang kumakatok sa puso ko?/ Oh, ano’ng paiiralin ko, isip ba o ang puso ko?/ Nalilito, litong-litong-lito/ Sino′ng pipiliin ko?” I appreciate this shift in tone from the heavier focus on betrayal and heartbreak that coats this project.
After my introduction to her sound from Singer 2018, I was pleasantly surprised by her vocal talents on Soul Supremacy. If you heard her performance of Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep,” then you are familiar with Tandingan’s effortless skill as both a belting soul singer and fast-flowing rapper. She brings both of these talents together wonderfully on this release. The biggest complaint that I have with this album is some of the cheaper-sounding instrumentation that backs her singing. The piano on some of the ballads feels a bit too canned for my liking. I also wish KZ would expand her emotive singing style outside of the bubble of heartbreak as I think she has the chops for it. She may have lost the competition show, but I think this album shows her star potential.
My overall thoughts on Soul Supremacy:
Loved it: “Labo”, “Dapithapon”, “Imposible”, “Afraid”, “Sa Aking Mga Kamay”, “Siya’y Darating” (featuring Michael Pangilinan) & “Sa’yo”
Liked it: “Intro Lude”, “Nag-iisa Na Naman”, “With You” & “Mahal Ko o Mahal Ako”
Disliked it: “Sayang” & “Halik Na Lang”
My overall rating: 6.5 out of 10.
