Ben&Ben Releases New Album with Strong and Heart-shattering Messages

Just when we thought that the first few singles for the sophomore album of the multi-platinum certified and critically acclaimed Filipino band Ben&Ben, has already reached our expectation for this most anticipated album, Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno is more than just heart-shattering album where many youth Filipino, can relate to, but also it speaks of our younger generation's desire for change and patriotism.

Expanding their sound with rewarding experiments and thematically bolder songwriting, the 13-track album features Ben&Ben's signature love songs and insightful lyrics that tell stories, messages, experiences, learnings, and insights that accompanied them through their self-reflecting but fulfilling journey.

“Each song, much like an entry in one's personal journal, encapsulates something uniquely special to represent something in a certain point in time,” the nine-piece collective shares in a statement. “We felt it would be important for our second album to be a work that brings us closer to our listeners and introduces them more to the wide spectrum of what we are capable of and of who we are as people,” the band shared.

Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno is definitely a level up form the first album, Limasawa Street, as it surpasses expectations in terms of musicality and production, giving way to an exquisite take on OPM pop songs that feel more like a natural progression from their equally compelling debut album. Showcasing more talents than ever, the band's second album also features the biggest names in the Philippine music industry as the band teamed up on six of the songs, including “Swimming Pool” with Chito Miranda of Parokya Ni Edgar, “Pasalubong” with Moira Dela Torre), “Lunod” with Zild and Juan Karlos, “Sabel” with KZ Tandingan, “Kapangyarihan” with SB19, and “Sugat” with Munimuni.

Since working on Kuwaderno, Ben&Ben have been more open to collaborations that venture beyond the confines of their early work.

“We've always wanted to collaborate with these artists, but we were also always a bit too shy to ask,” says lead vocalist and guitarist Paolo Benjamin. “When working on the second album however, our songs and the arrangements gave us confidence to reach out in hopes that these collaborators would likewise believe in our music enough to work with us. Thankfully, they did, and we are immensely grateful for their generosity in sharing their hard work and talent with us.”

The album's pre-production began in the latter part of April 2021 when Ben&Ben recorded their first two songs “Upuan” and “Magpahinga.” The band just launched their music video for "Upuan", where it featured He’s Into Her stars Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, directed by Niq Ablao. 

Other tracks included in Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno are: “Kuwaderno,” which sets the mood and tone of the record; “Kasayaw,” a metaphor that alludes to the difficult question of whether two people are in the same groove or not; “Elyu,” a classic sounding song about wanting to free oneself from something; Ilang Tulog Na lang,” a paean to long distance relationships; and “Kayumanggi,” an anthem that embraces the beauty and richness of Filipino identity.

Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno is written, arranged, and produced by Ben&Ben, with Jean Paul Verona and Sam Marquez (One Click Straight) involved in co-producing, mixing, and co-engineering duties. Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer Leon Zervos, who has worked with the likes of Maroon 5, Pink, and Rihanna, heads the overall mastering of the tracks.

Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno is out now via Sony Music on all digital music platforms worldwide including Spotify. And fans can also look forward to exclusive content only on Spotify.