Wiser and more accomplished, Gloc-9 now writes music for sheer joy of it

Gloc-9 used to be strict with himself. He was eager to please and spit out hit after hit.

But after 27 years in the music industry, Gloc-9, whose real name is Aristotle Pollisco, has achieved just about everything there is to achieve—awards and critical acclaim, platinum-selling records, high-profile collaborations, sold-out shows and a catalog of contemporary classics that will be played for years to come.

‘Just a bonus’

With all those things in place, Gloc-9 can finally allow himself to relax. Now, he writes music for the sheer joy of it. Everything else that comes after “is just a bonus.”

“I’m not sure if it’s a good thing, but I don’t feel the same pressure I had when I was younger. Once you go past the age of 45, you stop thinking about that. Dati, mas mahigpit ako sa sarili ko,” he said in a group interview during the recent press launch of his latest album, “Sari-Sari Story” (Universal Records Philippines).Time and experience have also made Gloc-9 a more malleable artist, who doesn’t let other people define his works’ worth. “When I was younger, my mindset was always, ‘I want to do this—wala nang iba. But now, I’m more open and stable. I don’t overthink what other people say about my work. As long as I’m happy with my output, nothing else matters,” the 47-year-old artist said.

The only downside, he joked, is that, after more than a dozen albums and EPs, fresh ideas are now harder to come by. “Sa dami na ng mga kantang naisulat ko … it’s harder to think of new topics. It takes more effort,” he said.

As such, Gloc-9 has become more intentional in his approach to songwriting. “When I travel for shows, I try to be more attentive to my surroundings than I usually am … maybe I would end up finding something to write about, a place I can set a story in,” he pointed out.

This is exactly how “Sari-Sari Story” came to life.

“My previous album, if I can even call it that, was ‘Pilak,’ and it was more a compilation of past releases and other songs. But for this project, I consciously sat down to write 10 songs. A few tracks in, the title ‘Sari-Sari Story’ popped up in my mind, and things became easier after that. Everything fell into place,” he said. “These are based on my own experiences, things I have seen or heard about,” he added.

Clever, poetic

The lines are delivered in that distinct, melodic Gloc-9 flow. The catchy choruses soar. There’s drama, humor and romance. There are echoes of kundiman and a sprinkle of folk beats. The use of Tagalog, as expected, is clever and poetic. But more than anything else, it’s his astute storytelling that shines in each track. Seemingly mundane details paint a bigger picture that reflect harsh realities.

“Gatas at Asukal” tells of beginnings and journeys fueled by a cup of coffee. “Utang Clan” reminds us that borrowed money often comes with borrowed shame. “Yakap” is about suicide—a sensitive topic the rapper hadn’t dared to touch until now. In the “out-of-the-box” and fictive “Tinda ni Linda,” Gloc-9 revels in the macabre as he narrates a tale of a woman who serves dishes made with the body parts of dead ex-boyfriends.“Ako’y chismoso talaga,” he said, drawing laughter, when asked about where he got his knack for storytelling. “I love stories. I believe that, aside from my rapping skills, I have a gift for interpreting the lives of others. I don’t know, I feel like I have that ability … and I just lay my thoughts out with a bit of artistry added.”

The album was produced by Raymund Marasigan (Eraserheads, Sandwich, Pedicab) whom Gloc-9 looks up to as a mentor of sorts.

Creative process

“He suggested ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of. For the longest time, I was the one who always called the shots when it came to my music. So, I appreciated the feeling of being a student once more,” he related. “I haven’t written songs with someone who’s like a teacher that you respect—so much so that you feel the need to do well.” The creative process was a breeze. “Sobrang gaan … Our schedule was like 9 to 10:30 a.m. each day. Our studio sessions were just us talking about, ‘What will I write next? What’s an OK topic to write about?’ I lay them all out for him, so that he could start working on them. We talked about how to improve the songs we had already finished,” he said.

The current music business model compels artists to put out singles in favor of full albums. While this strategy has its own merits, there’s nothing quite the feeling, Gloc-9 said, of presenting a narrative through a cohesive body of work.

“If you notice, songs nowadays are released one by one and it works. It’s because of the music landscape we have now and the online streaming platforms. It’s the simplest and most efficient way to put out songs. It allows you to focus on each one of them,” he said.

“But of course, I miss writing songs under one umbrella,” Gloc-9 added. “It’s a challenge for me as a songwriter. This is also a way of testing myself whether or not I can still do it.” INQ