Album Review: Paramita - TALA

Review by: ian urrutia (rakista.comv1)

Album: Tala.

01 Takipsilim
02 Carousel (I Miss You)
03 The Indefinite Transition of Perceived Realities
04 Panaginip Lang
05 A Dreamer's Lullabye
06 Hiling
07 Stillness
08 Tala
09 Waiting for a Sign
10 Porcelain / Sunrise
11 A Dreamer's Lullabye (Acoustic)
12 The Indefinite Transition... (Remix)


The three bodhisattvas who comprise Paramita are on the right path. Named after Tibetan Buddhism's mantra for perfection, independent pop rock act Paramita has been pumping up the local music scene with their stirring originals since 2003.

Paramita is made up of Norman Dellosa on guitars, Alsey Cortez on bass, and Ria Baustista on drums and vocals. Buoyed by passionate vocals and solid song-writing, Paramita has already released their 12-track full-length album, six of which are written in English while four are in Filipino. Despite being such a young band, Paramita has already been featured in MTV Ink magazine, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, NU 107's In The Raw radio program and the ABS-CBN morning show Breakfast.

Their song Hiling held the #1 slot on NU 107's countdown for three (3) weeks. Paramita is fast becoming one of the most solid independent acts in the scene today, enlightened by music and strenghtened by a belief in their own unique talents.


Case has it that Ria Bautista (formerly of A Murder of Crows), Norman of Silent Sanctuary and Alsey of such bands as Soul remedy and Doctor Mindbender – took that assessed formula for their moniker, PARAMITA. Paramita is a Sanskrit phrase, which means, “crossing the river.”

Signed with label giant VICOR RECORDS, this neophyte is really on its base to cross the running streams of showcasing raw, music. The 12-track debut is a gyration of alternative pop, jazz and some celtic elements (think: imago’s probably not but most definitely or any from the corrs and cocteau twins). Commencing the compilation is “takipsilim,” a sturdy tale on breakup unfolding such sacrifice even if it would not be a warrant of worthy waiting. (di makapaniwala na tapos na ang lahat sa atin/ at di ka na magiging akin / kahit na andito parin ako umaasa…) Takipsilim is already enjoying ample airplay on NU 107 and would soon circulate the g-rated stations anytime soon. “Carousel” is pitchy and too unadorned, though needless to say it recapitulates a scenario a few can only have – the drummer on the vocal task, and the bassist and the guitarist as frontmen. FORGIVABLE indeed. Sounding like a svelte, sexy-felt is the hard-to-crypt “the indefinite transition of perceived realities.” Undoubtedly, the song sounds as if owned by IMAGO as evident on their tracks, RUSH and FREEFALL. Or maybe I’m just preoccupied at being used to such texture.

“Panaginip lang,” “stillness” and “waiting for a sign” seems hypnotic but what’s bad is that you’ve heard it all before -- the same violin-infested mimicry. Need I say more? Title-track and a favorite of mine, “tala” brings out the gap between two lovers: the mud and the blue skies, where everything turns out to be govern by societal bigotry. (ang iyong tala ay nagniningning… / walang kupas ang kinang ng iyong bituin / mula sa lupa hindi mapantayan / sa kalangitan tanging liwanag mo ang matatanaw…) “hiling” is acoustically perfected: good jiving at every sense, with the riffs as simple as beamed. “A dreamer’s lullaby” at its truest sense, makes you snore on an unexpected nap while the balladry of “porcelain/sunrise” will surely give you extreme stupor. These two were unarguably stellar tracks, and could be Paramita’s follow up track if they’d want some serious play in the mainstream scene – and it’s a mere suggestion coming from the mean, me.


Don’t get me wrong, TALA is one good ear-apparatus to live with. But the problem, my dear Brutus – is that PARAMITA’s being too derivative of their sound. They should excavate a bit deeper and explore that profundity in them. After all, they’ve cross the river and it would be easier on their side to dig underneath.