TEMPLAR'S PICK | Isip by Healy After Dark

Carlene Sarmiento

PUBMAT | Carlene Sarmiento

Genre: Alternative/Indie

Released: 2023

Rating: 4.5

Isip: A Yearner’s Cinematic Experience

“Napanaginipan kita.”

The human brain can be quite mean—conjuring up dreams and painting a vision we long to embrace but is just a smidge out of reach even with outstretched fingers, haunting quiet nights and a heart full of yearning. With its solemn melody and personal lyrics, Healy After Dark’s “Isip” puts into words the turbulence that comes with falling for someone who is beyond your grasp, resonating with the Filipino youth who have stood in similar shaky grounds.

Released in 2023, ‘Isip’ soon rose to fame as part of the official soundtrack for the popular web novel “Safe Skies, Archer” by Gwy Saludes. OPM band Healy After Dark consists of four skilled members, delivering mellifluous tunes and often releasing romantic woes with a similar dreamy ambience as ‘Isip,’ solidifying their presence in the OPM scene because of their knack for capturing the nuances of human connection.

The song paints a vivid image of being adrift in a sea of thoughts and yearnings, where the uncertainty of unanswered feelings breed a constant stream of ‘what ifs’ and a persistent thrum of pining. With smooth and expressive vocals to match, the theme of vulnerability and yearning is carried throughout the song. Beyond that, it also highlights the futility of escape from feelings that threaten to spill and the raw ache of longing for a heart you can never hold. The way Healy After Dark translates these intangible feelings into relatable lyrics, all carried by the song's soft, rhythmic pulse, shows their talent for connecting with listeners on an emotional level.

‘Isip’ unfolds with a gentle hum of melancholy mixed with the crisp morning air, much like an unfamiliar dream stirred by desires we hide in the darkest corners of our heart. Elders often say that dreams are influenced by our subconsciousness, so to dream of this person—how deep the well of one's desire must be for someone to bleed into their unconscious state.

To me, the phrase “Hindi ko maiwasan na isipin ka” captures the frustrating reality of involuntary longing — how the mind will often betray a yearner despite their best efforts to move on, constantly resurfacing unwelcome thoughts and perpetuating suffering. Hand in hand with a heart that pointlessly hopes, one can only assume how heavy of a burden it is to cradle messy feelings for a person whose affection remains ambiguous.

The chorus’s repetition of ‘Litong-lito’ and ‘sa’yo’ creates an almost hypnotic effect, emphasizing the mental turmoil and confusion that plagues someone when the walls of their mind are so helplessly painted with thoughts of another. Yet despite the fog of confusion, there is a single thread of hope, however fragile. In the bridge of ‘Isip,’ the singer’s voice is edged with desperation as a quiet optimism buzzes beneath the surface.

The song’s fade into a full seven seconds of silence feels like a slow return from a trance, leaving the listener to sit in quiet contemplation. This lingering silence leaves us with the question: Are our yearnings fueled by hints of genuine affection, or are we simply misinterpreting innocent touches and comfortable silence as something more? 

"litong-lito, litong-lito."