pastimes
on the outside looking in | a manila-based indie band
pastimes is a self-proclaimed alt-pop duo that started making music together.
pastimes = an anagram of steps + mita.
In the midst of a pandemic, this self-proclaimed alt-pop duo from Manila dared to start making music together - even before meeting each other in person. Steps and Mita (both singers/songwriters in their own right, allegedly) are on their way to making their own mark in the scene with their lush and introspective lyricism coupled with warm-yet-fluid sound.
In deciding to be a virtual band, pastimes aims to divert the attention away from the identities behind the music, and into the message it wants to send and the atmosphere it intends to create.
As of writing, Steps and Mita have yet to meet in person. Let's all hope they soon do, in one way or another.
9 Nov 2021
What even is genre? NINETOFIVE is pastimes' attempt at going ✈️ punk. This is also their first successful attempt to finish a song in only under 30 minutes, due to mita's fear of not being able to take a shower that day because of a scheduled water shortage in their area.
29 Aug 2021
wool!, the first EP of pastimes, is their first full dive into the intricate process of storytelling by weaving standalone tracks into a narrative that everyone would find themselves in. wool! is pastimes' attempt to embrace intentionality without losing creative restraint, a bold effort to deliver nuanced messaging without the frills.
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23 Apr 2021
Exploring a different sound has helped pastimes create this song, which was also a way to articulate everything that has been eating up Mita, 1/2 of pastimes, for a long time. After releasing this song, a fan said that listening to '6' felt like a short trip in space.
2 Jan 2021
Made from a simple tune and a feeling, 'dance to the feeling' suggests an alternative way to move on (or not) from a painful experience. Embracing a feeling and being lost to its rhythm is sometimes more bearable than confronting it and looking for a solution for it.
26 Nov 2020
Being the first song that pastimes released, 'rocket fuel (for a lonely heart)' is about honoring your limits and learning to stick around until you're ready to take the next step.
Reviews
what the world says about pastimes!
"What could happen if two musicians met virtually and decided to collaborate? Without even meeting in "real life", Steps and Mita –whose real identities haven't been revealed– joined strengths during these pandemic times to create and release such slenderly easy going tunes. And the truth is that, despite having just released a couple of singles so far, it's enough to become mesmerised by their music. But we certainly want to hear more from them. Virtually-conceived delightful music all the way from Manila that you should keep in the spotlight!"
