Released via Stones Throw, Vex Ruffin‘s latest single “MABUHAY BOY” is a resonating opus. A minimalist tune delivered in bi-lingual prose, this righteously unorthodox single has an abundance to offer its listener.
Between jazzy guitar riffs, synthesized verses, and hazy tropical fragrances, this feathered lo-fi anthem is quick to catch your attention. Harmonizing with his own vocal work, Vex Ruffin bounces his lyrics between a proper groove and echoing alternative music. A groovy bassline attaches itself to a funk-inspired cadence with worldly embellishments. With a music video that traverses the hills of LA and follows Vex himself carrying a stack of records to his humble homestead, viewers and listeners are quick to feel and see his truth. A quaint nod to his Filipino heritage, “MABUHAY BOY” transcends geographic boundaries with a firm understanding of music theory.