Belong
In the six years since Jay Som’s critically acclaimed sophomore album *Anak Ko*, Melina Duterte has kept the kind of schedule that would strike fainter hearts with exhaustion. There’s been collaborations with Troye Sivan, beabadoobee, and Lucy Dacus; production credits across scores of indie records; a whole album with Palehørse’s El Kempner as Bachelor; and extensive touring as part of boygenius’ live band. With all this palling around, it’s not surprising that her third album as Jay Som features some high-powered collaborations: Jimmy Eat World’s Jim Adkins joins in for the surging emo-pop of “Float,” while the chugging alt-rock anthem “Past Lives” features contributions from Paramore’s Hayley Williams. But *Belong* also finds Duterte picking up exactly where she left off with Jay Som’s recorded catalog, her trademark sense of intimacy and intricate arrangements left fully intact. From the tick-tock guitars of “Casino Stars” to the open-air wistfulness of “Appointments,” Duterte continues to develop her own brand of close-mic’d emotionalism even as her star has grown ever brighter across the 2020s.
On Melina Duterte’s first solo album in six years, the songwriter and producer reemerges with a poised set of pop-punk songs at bedroom-pop scale, with guest turns from Jim Adkins and Hayley Williams.
Belong represents a shift for Jay Som, as she strives to operate more communally, while sounding sonically and thematically compelling.
Jay Som’s 'Belong' marks a powerful return for Melina Duterte — a richer, more collaborative record that redefines her sound and spirit.
What once was meticulous and solitary is now plural and porous, Jay Som’s Belong is a study in letting go.
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After a period of quiet, 2025 seems to be the year of Jay Som. The American artist has chalked up a slew of production credits under her given name Melina
Jay Som's guitar may have taken a more minor role, but the production and attention to the tiniest details throughout Belong show a new level of artistry.
Belong by Jay Som album review by Louis Pelingen for Northern Transmissions. The album is now out via Polyvinyl and Lucky Number Music