CEBU CITY, Philippines — Celebrated singer-songwriter Vincent Eco has finally premiered his much-awaited EP, Sa May Baybayon (roughly translated as ‘From The Shoreline’). The six-track album, released on January 10, 2025, is now available on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.
Sa May Baybayon showcases a narrative of the cycle of love from falling in love, falling out of love, to finally moving on. Eco utilizes vivid imagery of the waves and ocean – a familiar visual in his hometown of Cebu – to represent the different emotions and journeys one goes through with love as it ebbs and flows.
“The first two songs of the EP introduce you to the feeling of being hopelessly in love. The mood suddenly changes as the third song hits you like an ocean wave, bringing with it waves of heartbreak, rage, regret, and acceptance,” Eco shared, as he talked about the flow of the EP’s narrative. “Sa May Baybayon aims to create a sense of being on the opposite side of the seashore where, instead of a sunny and lovely day at the beach with family or friends, you are alone at midnight. The sky matches the color of the ocean, creating a gloomy atmosphere.”
Sa May Baybayon was co-produced by David Prendergast, an Irish producer who has worked with notable international acts like Kodaline, Paul Alwright, and Overhead The Albatross.
When asked what it was like collaborating with the producer, Eco shared, “Collaborating with David has been really amazing. At first, I was afraid he would say no when I asked him if he and I could work together because he was still on tour with his band as well as Kodaline while also becoming a dad at the same time.”
“Still, he said after hearing the songs he was excited to work with the whole EP and even offered to mix and master the entire record. It was an enjoyable and smooth experience working with David, he tied the whole thing together, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with talented artists like him.”
Sa May Baybayon also features collaborators from within the thriving Cebu music community, including Eco’s The Sundown bandmate Aaron Domingo, pop artist Diane Tungol (SUGARKISS), and Karl Lucente of Honeydrop and Mandaue Nights, among others. In addition, acclaimed visual artist Nikko Tan provided creative direction and the artwork for the EP, which is also set to be released as a limited edition CD-R within a month of the streaming release.
The carrier single, ‘Carry Your Heart’, was included in Spotify’s New Music Friday Philippines and .ORG playlists upon the EP’s release and has already been streamed more than 3,000 times on the platform after its first day.
Coinciding with the EP’s release, Eco is set to perform in his overseas debut at Music Lane Okinawa, a music showcase festival held in Japan, this coming January 17 to 19. He, along with acclaimed singer-songwriter Barbie Almalbis, are the sole Filipino representatives at this year’s edition of the prestigious festival.
Stream “Sa May Baybayon” on your favorite streaming platforms or download it via the Melt Records Bandcamp page.