The 16 Best OPM Albums and EPs of 2023

In compiling this list of the year’s best OPM albums and EPs, we scoured the landscape and dug deep—beyond the algorithms pushed on us by our go-to playlists and into truly obscure territory. So much good music was released this year that we couldn’t just focus on those that have huge machineries and teams proselytizing on their behalf. 

From the year’s biggest superstars to diamonds in the rough; from rappers and torch singers to pop princes and rock royalty, we present, in random order, the best OPM albums and EPs of 2023.

1| Com Plex

Felip

 

History is filled with boyband or girl group members occasionally going off to do things on their own, with varying results. In Felip’s case, the solo efforts are certainly commendable. Com Plex carries the cool swagger and sick beats of his main group; the difference is that the songs here have the performer’s fingerprints all over them. From the smooth Kanye-esque vibes of “Rocksta” and “Mictest” to the acoustic guitar flourishes in “Criminal” and to the absolute thrill of explosive closer “Straydogs,” Com Plex shows off Felip as a consummate soloist worthy of the title of the opening track. 

Standout track: “Criminal.” 

2| Betterfly

Nobita

Nobita, according to their bio, means “to grow up strong and clear” in Nihongo. There’s certainly something clarifying and mature in the pop-rock band’s debut LP.  Gentle and stirring, the songs are the type you’d want to play on an easy Sunday morning, or in the background while you’re entertaining people. “Paruparo na Walang Hanggan” is an attempt at an old-school heart-eyes ballad, while “Totoo” takes it further to “sexy time” territory. Every track, actually, takes listeners on a sometimes painful, sometimes exhilarating, but ultimately satisfying emotional journey.

Standout track: “Sa Ulan” 

3| Rebirth

Urbandub

Yeah, we all thought Urbandub called it quits a few years ago, but we’re glad they’re still around to give us the kind of melodic hard rock that’s been sorely missing in Filipino music. Rebirth is a, well, “reimagining” of the band’s debut album. It’s not very common for musicians to go back and overhaul a previous effort; some have done a different take (like when Alanis Morissette did an acoustic re-recording of Jagged Little Pill) while some just take a few songs and do a “polish.” Going back and applying fixes to an entire record and then calling it something else is less popular. But Urbandub’s effort here is worth celebrating, if only for giving us classics like “It’s Over,” “Come,” and “Boy” like it was our first time hearing them. After over two decades in the music business, the guys (and gal) of the band are none the worse for wear; Gabby Alipe, in particular, has never sounded better.

Standout track: “It’s Over” 

4| Bloom

Paolo Sandejas

Admittedly, there’s nothing particularly face-melting or groundbreaking about Paolo Sandejas’ music, but who says there ought to be? Sometimes, we just need to hear something pleasant and comforting, and that’s exactly what this EP is. Bloom feels like an indie pop record delivered by a decidedly mainstream pop-rock artist. It’s an effortless mix of fun, easy guitar-based ditties that feels like it was written as the soundtrack to a breezy series about teenagers hanging out on Saturday afternoons. Sandejas has all the tools necessary for a long and lucrative career in the business—songwriting chops, guitar skills, breathy vocals—so we’re excited to see what he comes up with next.

Standout track: “Aftertaste” 

5| Chapters

Loir

Loir is what you get when you mix sensual R&B vibes with atmospheric and reflective soul. The twentysomething can SING—effortlessly on tracks like “Pahiyom,” and “Anino ng Kahapon”—and comparisons to more well-known vocalists like Moira Dela Torre might be a foregone conclusion. But there is something enigmatic and special in Loir’s delivery. It’s almost like you can imagine her floating, her voice carrying her past the treetops and up toward the stars as she sings about pain, regret, and the therapeutic powers of letting go.

Standout track: “Takas” with Gloc-9 

6| 3rd Time’s a Charm

Zack Tabudlo

It’s been a busy, not to mention breakthrough 2023 for Zack Tabudlo. The superstar singer-songwriter released two full-length LPs this year, but it’s his latest, 3rd Time’s a Charm, where it feels like he’s really hitting his stride. Tabudlo has become something of a unicorn in the music business—an immensely popular talent backed up by actual talent, a good head on his shoulders (mostly based on anecdotal evidence, but still), and music that is of-this-moment, defining a generation (listen to “Delulu”). We’ll keep the gushing to a minimum, but 3TAC, which seamlessly combines a variety of genres, feels like a record that encapsulates the thoughts, passions, and anxieties of today’s youth, and one that we’ll likely look back on in a few years as one of the most important albums of the 2020s.

Standout track: “Fake” 

7| Recollections

Gabba

We were fans of Tom’s Story, where we first heard the guitar stylings of Gabba Santiago, and we were thrilled when we found out he was releasing stuff on his own. That he’s a guitar prodigy should be evident by now, but there is something deeply personal and uplifting about his work. Like many of the best of instrumental and post-rock acts—think Explosions in the Sky, Tycho, and (arguably the gold standard) Mogwai--it’s as if Gabba imbues his instrumentation with pieces of his soul, so much so that words become irrelevant and unnecessary. Listening to Recollections is like taking a trip through the open expanse of the artist’s mind, like he’s holding our hands and guiding us through his innermost fears, triumphs, and desires. Tough to do wordless, but he does it so incredibly well. 

Standout track: “Fridge Magnets" 

8| Manila Time Machine Volume 1

Ang Bagong Luto ni Enriquez

If every other artist on this list were all living in Metro Manila, Ang Bagong Luto ni Enriquez (let’s just call him ABLE) would be somewhere in Sulu or Tawi-Tawi. That’s how much of an outlier he seems to be and how thoroughly unique his sound is. Taking elements of folk rock and lo-fi and combining it with spritzes of funk and blues, ABLE (aka Mark Enriquez) feels like he was weaned on Joey Ayala and Willie Nelson while watching CNN. The four-song EP is criminally short, but if there’s any justice in this world, more people will get to hear it and he’ll be encouraged to keep making more.

Standout track: “Fake News” 

9| Pagtatag!

SB19

The ambassadors of P-pop are more popular than ever and they’re doing it on the back of some truly outstanding work. Pagtatag! sees the five-member group further testing their limits and showing off their talents both as a group and individually. The songs are in-your-face without being grating, and deliberate without being overly manufactured. The boys clearly took inspiration from some big-name rap and hip hop acts (Eminem, Kendrick Lamar) and infused it with their own signature brand of P-pop to produce this six-song gem that’s become such a cultural phenomenon Korean groups are coverings songs from it (not the other way around). If that’s not power and influence, we don’t know what is.

Standout track: “Gento” 

10| Sad Songs and Bullshit Part 1

Juan Karlos

You can’t get more direct and obvious than with a title like Sad Songs and Bullshit, but somehow, the album isn’t as bad as Juan Karlos makes it out to be. The record is a snapshot of relationships (perhaps of one single relationship?) and its effects on a man who thinks he had it all figured out. The artist makes full use of his exceptional vocals on tracks like “May Halaga Pa Ba Ako Sa Yo?” and “Gabi,” and he lets loose on slightly faster ones like “Time Machine.” Ultimately, SSAB Part 1 is the musical equivalent of a quiet night out drinking with your friends, exchanging war stories of failed or failing relationships and exhibiting a bit more of yourself than you initially intended (thanks or no thanks to alcohol). You might even view it as some kind study on the vulnerable man, or a dismantling of the hypermasculine trope. Either way, Juan Karlos proves yet again that he and sad songs go well together. 

Standout track: “Tapusin Na Natin ‘To” (featuring Paolo Benjamin) 

11| Happy Accidents Vol. 1

Playertwo

In a perfect world, EDSA wouldn’t be such a traffic hellhole, our wallets would never be empty, and cheeseburgers would be good for us. And music would be as grin-inducing, hip-swaying, and prone to repeat playing as “That’s My Baby.” The track is the musical equivalent of a blast through the door of dullness and sameness, with the rest of the eight-song EP a happy mish-mash of hip-hop and pop gems. It’s also a great introduction to a group of hellraisers, who, in their own words, are out to “change the music of the Philippines.” Lofty goal, but we’re ready.

Standout track: “That’s My Baby” 

12| IsaPuso

Alamat

In case it hasn’t been obvious, 2023 seems to be the year of P-pop, with the biggest and most consequential hits seemingly coming from white hot superstars and rising upstarts of the pop subgroup. Literally adding their voice in the musical conversation is Alamat, a group that has managed to transcend actual boundaries with their distinct mix of regional Filipino culture and sensibilities. Genre fans might initially register confusion with the frequent language switches (even within the same song), but there’s no denying how much the six-member group is determined to win new supporters with material that comes from the heart as much as it pushes people to move their feet. 

Standout track: “Day And Night” 

13| Patutunguhan

Cup of Joe

Cup of Joe has a few things to say about journeys and destinations, standing still versus moving forward, and the often-confusing signals one encounters along the way. The six members of the Baguio-based group have been churning out music for a few years now, but Patutunguhan is their first attempt at a compendium. Channeling 80s pop, 90s alternative, and 2000s-era synths, Cup of Joe’s sound is like a leisurely walk in the park, the flickering neon lights of a cityscape, and yes, a couple of shots of espresso in a cozy café. It's enough to get them in serious contention for the title of your new favorite band. 

Standout track: “Tingin” 

14| Kung Alam Mo Lang

Hev Abi

There is an untold number of young kids exposed to artists like Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre and feel like they can suddenly spit rhymes and become a rapper. The number who actually go on to do it is small, and those who are actually good, even smaller. Hev Abi falls squarely in the columns of A. those who can do it, and B. are good at it. A proud resident of Quezon City, Hev Abi has said he doesn’t think too hard about his verses and that he comes up with them often on the fly. If so, his gift is even more impressive, as the songs in his debut LP display a kind of polish and finesse usually only seen in older, more experienced musicians. Comparisons to stalwarts of the genre are inevitable, but as far as Hev Abi is concerned, kung alam mo lang, he’d rather be known as a perfect version of himself. 

Standout track: “Alam Mo Ba Girl”

15| Manila in Bloom

Nameless Kids

Nameless Kids are no strangers to Esquire’s best-of lists. We wrote about their absolute killer of a summer anthem back in 2021 and included their EP Shoes Out The Door! as one of the best of that year. The band finally released its debut album this year and, as expected, it’s brimming with all the good stuff: delicious pop hooks, snappy beats, and even a couple of downtempo ditties. I initially pegged NH as the kind of band you’d want to hear on a much-anticipated beach trip with your friends, but now I think they might be the kind you take with you wherever you go, whether you’re looking for head-bobbing pick-me-ups or more introspective confessionals. If you’re catching them now while you're in your teens or 20s, it’ll be nice to go on this ride with them as they mature and you all reach your 30s, 40s and beyond.

Standout track: “Hotel Runs” 

16| Night Bloom

Mica Caldito

Look up at the nighttime sky almost white with stars and you’re on the way to experiencing the kind of ambition and intimacy in Mica Caldito’s Night Bloom. The artist weaves tapestries of whimsy and imagination in his words and melodies, transporting listeners to worlds far beyond the immediate and real. In defense of hope, he sings, “The hardest part is to wake up to a world that you want to let go / But isn’t it beautiful to find a sunrise worth greeting.” Voting for romance, he croons, “We could stay here till the world’s ending / I found the hand that I won’t let go.” And in endorsing fate, he gushes, “Would you believe me / The universe formed that we could both be here.” It helps that Caldito’s swoon-worthy writing, his gentle guitar, and his waifish vocals all work in unison to deliver a strong message—that of remaining steadfast in the belief in the power of love.

Standout track: “Universe”