Nicole Laurel Asensio Celebrates Birth Month with 'CHANGES OVER TIME' - A New Music Collection and Metro Tour

Nicole Laurel Asensio is all set to celebrate her birth month with 'CHANGES OVER TIME,' a brand new collection of original music in tandem with producer Gabe Dandan, as well as a series of shows across the metro. 

'Changes Over Time' is a four-track EP that lures the listener into a labyrinth of sound, traversing themes of time. Orchestral elements and intoxicating rhythms are delicately coalesced into the electronic components of the songs to complement artist Nicole Asensio’s poetic propensity and meandering melodies. All the tracks were mixed and mastered in Dolby Atmos by Waxiefied Sound Production.

“This EP is a cocktail of different styles from me and Nicole’s favorite eras of music. There are elements from the 80s, acid jazz influences from the early 90s, neo-soul influences from the mid-90s, and a melding of 70s disco and modern house/electronic. The Dilla swing feel is present throughout the EP but expressed through the different sonic platforms each of these eras of music have.” - Gabe Dandan

“We wrote the initial demos during a lock-in session in my home and later brought them into the Dolby Atmos-equipped production suite 'Waxiefied Sound Production.' It was a tireless three-day process of writing and producing on the fly, but the spontaneity of our process for this EP is what gave these songs their unique charm and sound.” - Nicole

Welcome to the dream… nothing is what it seems.

“Amused” is a tune reminiscent of a smooth cocktail served over the plush velvet seats of a swanky bar. The instrumentation is robust yet laid-back, opening with a full orchestra sound and slipping into a slow groove with a full horn section. Much of the style is inspired by 80’s soul-R&B. Nicole’s uniquely textured vocal and a section of female backups garnish the track with sensual subtleties.

“Hours into our session, Gabe continued to stack tracks as I was simultaneously writing words to match them. I already had a melody in my head for the next song, but our first couple of attempts to match ideas weren’t jiving just yet. After an ear break, we decided to jump into the next song 'Where We’re Meant to Be,' a track inspired by accepting our circumstances because we cannot chase, change, or turn back time. Despite the heavy connotation of this topic, I wanted to keep the vibe light, warm, and summery. Lyrically, the song is about accepting that everything happens at the right time and there is nothing one can do to alter that. After all, we still can choose to count the blessings and live in the moment when everything else seems out of sync.” - Nicole

The second track, “Where We’re Meant to Be,” blends hints of acid jazz and soul into a spirited and upbeat brew. Percussive elements and classic jazz melodies meld into modern elements and production styles, creating a bounty of musical flavors.

The third track, “Mirages,” was inspired by a recent experience we had in Siargao Island. While skimming the streets, driving a dusty motorbike on a sweltering hot day, the roads began to fade into a silver haze, and mirages of water shone on the path. As we got closer, they would disappear. The track opens with exotic string and wind instruments such as a koto and lute. As the arrangement rises to a hilt, it suddenly plunges into a dark beat reminiscent of trudging footsteps on desert sand. I kept it low and slow on this track to give the ear a different place to go. I was thrilled to have Gabe finally share a little bit of his vocals on this track too! It took quite a bit of coaxing, as he can be extremely shy about singing, but I am glad he finally decided to come out of his shell and share it on this EP.” - Nicole

Time in motion, it won’t stop for no one…

“The message of this EP is about how ephemeral our lives are. We cannot escape the movement of time and the fact that everything and everyone around us changes as well. These four songs are our way of expressing how we should grow and evolve without losing what is truly good and beautiful about us. I feel the music reflects the changes over time because of how unconventional the song forms are, with the combination of different genres plus all of the abrupt sonic changes that intentionally throw listeners off yet reel them in again a few seconds later.” - Gabe

The fourth and final track, which is also the EP title “Changes over Time,” is comprised of four parts or “seasons” within itself. As the title suggests, the track has multiple shifts in tempo and feel. The song opens with 2000s-influenced house beats, string elements, and effervescent vocals, then descends into slow, intimate musings of sadness over a sultry groove. It then picks up again and shape-shifts with the help of electronic elements such as vocoders and synths. The cycle repeats before fading into a gospel choir-influenced outro. Truly a sonic experiment reminiscent of the many changes that come as we sift through sands of time.

“We retained a lot of elements from our first writing session, such as the bass, keys, and some of the synths. We then headed to onQ studios where we got to work with music stalwart Mr. Marvin Querido, who tracked our live sessions with drummer Randall Enriquez and a horn section spearheaded by Michael Guevarra. Nicole and I recorded lead vocals and backup vocals at Waxiefied Sound Production’s Dolby Atmos suite. We blended in vocals from industry friends Mel Torre, Sarah Holmes, and Dominic Dimagmaliw. After most stems were in place, singer-songwriter Kevin Yadao added some more smooth backups to the mix. One of the highlights of working on this EP is guesting L.A.-based world-renowned trumpet player Aaron Janik, who plays alongside some of the greatest musical acts in the international scene. The entire team was comprised of titans in their own right, and we were honored to work with each player. Finally, I added guitar as a finishing touch. We brought it to Waxie Joaquin to mix and master because of his expertise and understanding of this multi-genre type of music. Waxie, Nicole, and I would stay up every day till 5 in the morning working on the immersive experience and getting everything to its optimal sound across the board. After mastering was done, Jiggs Hermano did the quality control, and after a couple of hours of careful listening, we all agreed it was ready and sent it out for distribution through Warner Music Philippines.” - Gabe

“Working on 'Changes Over Time' was a refreshing, immersive experience. Bringing all the songs to life was such an impressive sonic journey. These songs were truly conceptualized, composed, and arranged to be heard, listened to, and 'felt' in Dolby Atmos.” - Waxie Joaquin, Waxiefied Sound Production

The tandem paints a sonic landscape that is both peculiar and familiar in the same deep breath. Through the shifts in tempo, rhythm, and language from English to Filipino, there remain two common threads—homage to soul music and an earnest articulation of words from the soul.

'Changes Over Time' will be released on all digital platforms on July 5, 2024, at 12 AM.

There will be a countdown launch gig on July 4, 2024, at 8:30 PM in 19EAST, East Service Road, Sucat, followed by the following tour dates:

- July 7: A birthday show at Salon De Ning, The Peninsula Manila.

- July 12: The Astbury, Poblacion (by invite only).

- July 19: 78-45-33 Salcedo Makati.

- July 26: The Spirits Library, Poblacion.

More road tour dates across the Philippines to be announced.

**FULL CREDITS: CHANGES OVER TIME**

- **Lyrics:** Nicole Asensio

- **Music:** Nicole Asensio, Gabe Dandan

- **Producer:** Gabe Dandan

- **Executive Producer:** Nicole Asensio

- **Musical Director:** Gabe Dandan

- **Drums:** Randall Enriquez

- **Percussion:** Migui Bautista

- **Bass:** Gabe Dandan

- **Guitar:** Gabe Dandan

- **Piano, Synths, Vocoder:** Gabe Dandan

- **Lead Vocals:** Nicole Asensio

- **Horns Arrangement:** Michael Guevarra / Aaron Janik

- **Saxophone and Flute:** Michael Guevarra

- **Trumpet:** James Mixto

- **Trombone:** Darius Mendoza

- **Flugelhorn:** Aaron Janik

- **String and Woodwind Arrangement:** Gabe Dandan

- **Vocal Arrangement:** Gabe Dandan, Nicole Asensio

- **Backup Vocals:** Nicole Asensio, Melinda Torre, Sarah Holmes, Gabe Dandan, Kevin Yadao, Dominic Dimagmaliw

- **Tracking Engineers:** Marvin Querido, Gabe Dandan, Isagani Palabyab, Enrique Santamaria

- **Mixing Engineer:** Waxie Joaquin (Waxiefied Sound Production)

- **Mastering Engineer:** Waxie Joaquin (Waxiefied Sound Production)

- **Distributed by:** Warner Music Philippines