Allmo$t consolidates gains from streaming hits with release of debut album

Allmo$t

More than a year after scoring its first hit with the social media craze “Dala­ga,” the hip-hop quartet Allmo$t has finally dropped its debut album, “This Is Us.” And through this new release, members Crakky, Russell, Clien and Jom hope to show that they’re more than their viral singles and TikTok-ready jams.

“We always have to be ready to lift ourselves up or improve our work. We can’t just dwell on what we were previously known for. You have to make music that makes people curious,” rapper Crakky poin­ted out in a recent group interview. “You have to come up with something new whenever you release something.”

“This is Us,” produced by Peso Productions and released by Viva Records, features 12 tracks, which have the four young men dabbling in diffe­rent hip-hop variations. The opener, “Gap,” and “Missed Call,” have echoes of 1990’s R&B. “Lagi Kang Kasama,” on the other hand, has a perky, danceable beat.

“Dito Ka Na Lang” and “Tampo” coast on smooth, ambient beats. They mash hip-hop and alternative rock in “Space.” The most unexpected track is “Mananatili,” which is novelty-like, with the members sing-rapping over a fun, acoustic guitar playing. And as with many of the group’s previous releases, this new set of songs reflects their outlooks when it comes to relationships.

“What we feel, we simply convert into music. Sometimes, we draw from our friends’ or each other’s personal experiences,” said Crakky, who met his fellow members in a Facebook group. “We listen to all sorts of genres and artists—old and new, popular or not. But when we’re recording, we try not to listen to other stuff so that we don’t unwittingly get influenced by them.”

Former schoolmates Crakky and Russell, both 23, are from the indie rap scene in Olongapo City. Singers Jom and Clien are only 18 and hail from Calgary, Canada, and Milan, Italy, respectively. And despite the fact that they all started out as solo artists, working as a team came naturally to them when they finally decided to form the group.

“It’s the one who comes up with a strong chorus who usually leads the writing and eventually ends up singing it. We show the chorus to each other. And if everyone likes it, we then start filling out the verses and adding our own input,” Crakky said of the group’s working dynamic.

Allmo$t’s most popular hits, “Dalaga” (which inspired the viral “Dalagang Pilipina” internet challenge) and “Bagay Tayo,” have been streamed over 35 million and 42 million times, respectively. That’s on Spotify alone. And their previous success, Crakky said, will serve as an inspiration for them to do more—and do better. They don’t want to let themselves be pressured by it.

“We have more knowledge and experiences now. Mas may gigil,” he said. “This is not just a hobby for us anymore. This is our dream. We are now where we want to be. And that inspires us to write more.” INQ