In the quiet architecture of contemporary indie pop, Melina Duterte has long been a master of the internal monologue, crafting songs that feel like secrets whispered in a crowded room. With the arrival of ‘Belong,’ her work under the Jay Som moniker reaches a new level of collaborative sophistication, moving away from the solitary bedroom-pop origins of her earlier career toward a lush, widescreen realization of sound. This record is a communal effort, featuring a core ensemble of Joao Gonzalez, Mal Hauser, Steph Marziano, and Madden Klass, whose collective chemistry transforms Duterte’s intimate sketches into vibrant, three-dimensional portraits of longing and arrival.
The album opens with “Cards On the Table,” featuring the ethereal contributions of Mini Trees. It is a track that sets the thematic stakes for the entire project: a demand for honesty and a willingness to be seen in all one’s fragility. The production, handled by a skilled team including Duterte, Gonzalez, Kyle Pulley, Hauser, and Marziano, creates a sonic environment where every instrument feels deliberate and grounded. This sense of weight is particularly evident on “Float,” where the guest appearance of Jim Adkins provides an unexpected but perfect vocal foil, grounding the track’s airy melodies in a sense of seasoned alternative rock history.
As the record progresses, it navigates the complex textures of human connection with a surgical precision. “What You Need,” featuring Soft Glas, pulses with a rhythmic fluidity that highlights the tight-knit interplay between the rhythm section of Klass and the synth-heavy atmospheric work of the production team. This leads into the contemplative “Appointments,” a song that captures the mundane rituals of self-improvement and the quiet anxiety of waiting for life to begin. Here, Duterte’s vocal performance is at its most restrained, allowing the nuanced arrangements to carry the emotional burden of the narrative.
One of the most kinetic moments on the record is “Drop A,” a track that leans into a heavier, more distorted sonic palette without sacrificing the melodic core that defines the Jay Som identity. This serves as a brilliant bridge to “Past Lives,” a standout collaboration featuring Hayley Williams. The track explores the ghosts of former selves through a soaring, cinematic lens that feels both nostalgic and firmly rooted in the present. It is in these moments of high-wattage collaboration that ‘Belong’ feels most expansive, proving that Duterte’s vision can comfortably hold space for other formidable voices without losing its own distinct hue.
The middle section of the album showcases the technical versatility of the ensemble. “D.H.” and “Casino Stars” operate as exercises in mood and texture, with the latter utilizing a shimmering, late-night aesthetic that evokes the isolation of a moon-lit desert town. The transition into “Meander / Sprouting Wings” represents the record’s most ambitious structural pivot, moving from a wandering, low-key groove into a transformative, uplifting climax that mirrors the lyrical theme of growth and emergence.
Toward the end of the record, “A Million Reasons Why” offers a lush, harmonically rich exploration of devotion and the overwhelming nature of choice. The record then closes with “Want It All,” a track that functions as a final statement of intent. It is a song about the hunger for experience and the refusal to settle for fragments of a life. The collaborative production ensures that the album ends on a note of sonic fullness, a sharp contrast to the minimalist aesthetics that often dominate the genre.
‘Belong’ is a rare achievement that manages to feel both deeply personal and grandly communal. By opening her creative process to the likes of Marziano, Gonzalez, and Klass, Melina Duterte has not diluted her voice; rather, she has given it a more resonant chamber in which to echo. This is an album that understands that finding where you fit is not a solitary act, but a dialogue between the self and the world. It is a sophisticated, beautifully rendered collection that confirms Jay Som as a vital force in the modern musical canon.
Find out more here: Bandcamp | Website | Polyvinyl Records | Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook
