This may not have been in our 2025 Bingo card, but it’s a welcome surprise. IV of Spades is back with their sophomore album after a 5-year hiatus, as vocalist/rhythm guitarist Unique Salonga returns from his solo project and promotions.
The famed alt-rock Filipino band re-emerges in the scene with an album launch following their surprise release of four singles earlier this year. With all the hype surrounding Andalucia, here’s High Five reasons why it’s worth consideration as one of the best local albums of 2025.
Maturity in Spades
After venturing their own separate paths for a while, IV of Spades returns with a twelve-track record that reflects their individual evolution as musicians, which shone through their reinvented and refined sound as a group.
If you have been a fan since their early years, the songs would feel familiar yet different—as if you met a childhood friend after a long while. The line “We are the future, not the seventies” which echoed throughout their track “Monster” embodies this change as the entire song was reminiscent of their sound in their previous hits, yet a complete deconstruction of what we all expect from them.
Fresh Musical Palette
IV of Spades has always been known for their unique genre-bending hits, but this time, they went further by offering a new taste for every listener—both old and new.
Each member had their own standout moments that captured their individual sound while maintaining an intact soul which is undeniably that of IV of Spades. From psychedelic-funk (“Kabisado”), ‘90s alternative (“Konsensiya”), and ‘70s rock (“Monster”), there’s truly something for everyone.
Each track is crafted with finesse and intention, embodying their genres fully through the ingenious instrumentation, vocal delivery, and immersive lyricism that all meld together for a full sonic experience.
OPM Nostalgia
If you grew up listening to Eraserheads or Rivermaya, then this album will get you reminiscing as you listen to tracks such as “Tara,” “Konsensya,” and “Nanaman,” all of which deliver an honest sentiment of love with its beautiful and messy parts—something that a lot of ‘90s OPM hits are known for. Their choice of vocal delivery and arrangement also adds to the nostalgia, making each song sound like they belong in a memory or the soundtrack of our childhoods.
Hugot Done Right
Over the past few years, OPM artists have become famous for their hugot songs which capture the pain of heartbreak. However, these songs eventually take their toll on listeners, saturating the airwaves with dreary recounting of loves lost. While Andalucia features newer tracks with a distinctive message, IV of Spades’ penmanship in the love songs in this album gave off a fresh sound as they captured love and hugot in all their glory.
It’s as if the entire album walked us through different types of romantic love, from the bashful love in our youth (“Paru-Paro”), pure and quiet love (“Tangerine Boulevard”), to even the point of foolishness and martyrdom (“Konsensya”).
A Collaboration Through and Through
While they have already been established as figureheads in the Philippine music scene, this comeback has shown more of what they had always been capable of beyond the hype.
Their way of storytelling through these tracks showed that it’s possible to find your footing as a solo artist, and still be able to come back and collaborate harmoniously while putting the spotlight on the present rather than reimagining the past. This reignited chemistry is exhibited in the dreamy track “Aura,” which was the first surprise single to be released and which captures just how this new sound melds together as a product of teamwork.
IV of Spades is clearly out here starting anew, fueled by their own musical evolutions which have been solidified through their solo work. They have a better grasp of what they want to achieve with their sound, which makes it even more exciting to witness the next chapters of their journey.
With that, SEA Wave rates this no-skip album 4 out of 5 waves.
What’s your favorite song in Andalucia? Tell us in the comments below!