Iktus, a four-piece pop rock band and winner of Sun Broadband Quest 2013, releases their self-titled EP under MCA Music, Inc. The 8-track album features the carrier single “IMY”. The band held a blogcon at Flare Bar in Metrowalk, Ortigas, Pasig City last March 27.
The band is comprised of guitarist Augusto Mendoza and siblings Andrei Panaligan, CJ Panaligan, and Andrew Panaigan (bassist, vocalist and drummer respectively). Their name comes from the Greek word “Ichthys” – meaning “fish” and alluding to Jesus Christ – which represents their identity as a Christian band.
The band describes their sound as alternative pop rock. Andrei is the band’s primary songwriter and challenges himself to write melodies suitable for a female vocalist. As a proud Christian band, the lyrical content of their music deals predominantly with the topics of love, hope and positivity. According to Andrei, “ang gusto naming kahit hindika brokenhearted, ma-brokenhearted yung pakiramdammo eh.”
This is evident in other songs in the album like “Hiling”, “Mahal Kita (ILY)”, “Eto”, “Wag Na”, “Paalam” and “Alaala”. Also included in the EP is the acoustic version of “IMY”.
Iktus initially formed in 2005, while twin brothers Andrei and Andrew were still in high school. Their sister CJ joined them as the band’s primary vocalist in 2006 and, the following year, Augusto was added to the lineup. They played several gigs in school and honed their skills by competing in battle of the bands competitions. After taking some time off to focus on their studies, they underwent a lineup change in 2007 with the departure of their pianist, and shifted from a jazz-influenced sound to a pop rock style.
In 2013, Iktus was selected as one of the top ten finalists of the Sun Broadband Quest 2013 Battle of the Bands. Facing stiff competition from an impressive group of extremely talented college bands, they emerged victorious and won a recording contract with MCA Music, Inc. Since winning the Sun Broadband Quest, their visibility has risen dramatically as they now serve as inspiration for the next batch of SBQ bands for 2014. And now, more than ever they are ready to face the real challenges of the music industry and offer the gift of music that they truly have.
Aside from the Sun Broadband Quest, Iktus also participated and received recognition in other music competitions, including the UP Fair Battle of the Bands (3rd place), UP Rockbakan (2nd place), and radio station DZJV’s Battle of the Bands (1st place and ‘Best Vocalist’ award), Nescafe Soundskool, among others.
Iktus debut EP is now out in digital downloads via iTunes (http://smarturl.it/IktusAlbum), mobile streaming for as low as P2.50 a day via spinnr.ph (http://smarturl.it/Iktus-Album), and in CDs at Astroplus and Odyssey outlets. The album is presented by Sun Broadband. Special thanks to Lionheartv and Pinoy Magazine. For bookings and inquiries, contact Sammy Samaniego of MCA Music Artist Management at +632 9162504 local 107, +639178565174 and +639209682991. For more new and updates on Iktus, log on to the following sites: www.facebook.com/mcamusic or www.twitter.com/mca_music.
Catch Iktus at the following dates: May 2 (Friday) at Odyssey Greenbelt 1, May 10 (Saturday) at Odyssey Festival Mall and May 18 (Sunday) at Odyssey SM Megamall.
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