Karate School Dropout has released their new album titled ‘Kapwa’. Karate School Dropout consists of one dropout, from West Rogers Park in the northern lands of Chicago, named Arnold Esquieres Madlangbayan. I am the mad experimentalist behind the noise/dream powerpop shoegaze extraction of this music project. When I play live I have my drummer, Scott Kenemore, attack the drums while I’m feedbacking my way through your hearts. The newest project, which will be released in 2025, is a collaborative masterpiece from “underdog” musicians and writers who have been around the Chicago music scene for decades now.
One of my friends would like to call this a “Karate School Dropout Duets” album. Each song stands out in its way because they were intentionally written for each artist I have collaborated with. Even though the collaborative musicians differ from genre to genre, they have been tainted with the signature melodic noise power pop sensibility of KSD’s dojo, but have also made an impression on the song with their style! The sound is dreamy with a fun pop attack, but it can also sound edgy with a whimsical undertone of humor and connectivity. Each song ranges from telling stories of a variety of experiences, but the interpretation is all up to the listener. The new album is titled Kapwa, which is a Filipino term that means to embrace our shared identity and to care for our fellow beings. The term is used when addressing another to establish a connection. That is the spirit of living in Kapwa. This is what the new album is all about.
Karate School Dropout has been played on Chirp Radio, and Alternative Queer Radio joined the Tinder Box Music family for a year and my first album, HokuPsychosister made it to #1 on the MusicMeeting.Directory charts in 2021.
“The Underdogs of the Chicago Music Scene.” This new album, Kapwa, is a collaboration between artists. I always wanted to create an album with other musicians and artists where we molded our creativity into one song. The result is great songwriting and catchy hooks. I recorded all the songs with my long-time producer/engineer Mike Hagler. He’s known for engineering and producing Summer Teeth by Wilco. The relationship I have with Mike is very special because he understands my sound and what I’m trying to say with the music. He definitely loves that my family and friends are involved in this new project because for the last 3 years, it’s always been him and I in the studio, but now we’re amongst new friends that are killing it with every song we do together and it’s marvelous. This music is really about caring for each other, telling stories, creating memories, and having fun!
LINKS:
https://karateschooldropout.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/karateschooldropout