DJ Love's debut album celebrates Filipino culture & the evolution of Budots

Filipino Budots innovator Sherwin Tuna aka DJ Love dropped his ‘Budots World (Reloaded)’ album on August 7 through Eastern Margins.

The genre pioneer mentions that this album is his tribute to Filipino culture and the Budots genre, plus “a testament to the idea that Budots and all of its creators and practitioners deserve the world to recognise their art.”

'Sabak Sa DJ Basuri' is the high-energy debut single inspired by the distinctive jeepney horn sound prevalent in Davao City.

DJ Love describes it: “I was inspired by the sound of the 'Basuri Horn' of the buses in Davao, which is a very common sound. This horn is very entertaining, so I created a Budots style version of it, then paired it with vocals inspired by 'Sabak sa DJ' and 'Paro Paro G' (fellow Budots producers) as a tribute.”

The music video features DJ Love and the Camus Girls—a community initiative he established in Davao City to empower young girls through Budots dance. It perfectly captures the essence of “having fun in true Filipino spirit”, celebrating both the genre and the vibrant local culture.

Watch the video below.

Read this next: Inside Budots, the Pinoy dance music phenomenon that took the Philippines by storm

Budots, which originated in the southern Philippines in the 2010s, has become a cultural staple, echoing through jeepneys, malls, and driveways.

Initially carrying negative connotations as a term for “slacker”, Budots has transformed under DJ Love’s influence into a dynamic art form. It’s known for its catchy 140bpm beats and has even been adopted in political campaigns and mainstream media.

Representing a bold reimagining of the genre, ‘Budots World (Reloaded)’ combines classic elements with new innovations like the harder, more techno-oriented version of Budots named Bomb-Tek.

Read this next: Manila Community Radio hosts showcase on the colourful sounds & legacy of budots

With this debut album, DJ Love is not only celebrating Budots but also paving the way for its future. He's also set to make his first-ever appearance in the United Kingdom for Eastern Margins' festival, Margins United, next month.

Purchase DJ Love ‘Budots World (Reloaded)’ here.

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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