Kelady Plays Off Philippine Folklore in “Kulog” Video

Still from “Kulog” / Image courtesy of the artist

Weaving through humid tunnels of bamboo, LA-based Kelady’s new video “Kulog” explores the crippling experience of losing one’s self through visuals referencing the Manananggal of Philippine folklore. Kulog, meaning thunder in Tagalog, incorporates choral harmonies with Tinikling rhythms, distorted 808s and congas, culminating in a visceral chant “loko-loka, nawala ang muhka niya / loko-loka, nawala ang kulog (crazy, lost their face / crazy, lost their thunder).” All the while, Kelady toys with a clay bust of the demonic Manananggal who, according to legend, uses a long flexible tongue to prey on unborn children in the wombs of sleeping pregnant women along with the hearts and livers of men she seduces while in her human form.

“The process of making ‘Kulog’ was long and exciting. One of my favorite moments is when we recorded a bamboo stick slapping and scraping against a concrete floor to mimic the sounds of Tinikling dance – this gave the track an earthy feeling and helped open up more ideas,” Kelady shares. Written alongside frequent producer and collaborator danyo, the track was inspired by “bad-petty experiences that left us feeling stunted…Like unexpected electrical currents bursting out, I like to think of the work like this, tense energy building up and swirling heavily to take notice.”

“Right from the intro this very formal harmony sounds like something ancient and foreboding – I think we’ve tried to chant “Manananggal” as a background vocal in the past but it never works out and we’re always joking about it,” adds danyo. “So these vampire choir chords are the closest we’ve gotten to a Manananggal sound on the track, but they’re juxtaposed against the distorted 808 and bamboo which totally contrasts the traditional harmony. I also used recordings of electricity arcing from a marx generator to create huge splashes that take us from section to section and play off the kulog (thunder) idea. And as the song builds, Feldman’s congas and güira come forward and give it a wild, almost live feeling.”

Check out the video below and stream/download “Kulog” via Kelady’s Bandcamp.