The Filipino alternative rock band gives its 2020 single a renewed sonic treatment, revisiting a song that nearly missed its moment and has since taken on a more personal meaning.
Six years after its release, Calein is giving “Oras” another chance to find its audience.
The Filipino alternative rock band, known for songs such as “Umaasa” and “Someone,” has released a remastered version of the 2020 single, retaining the original arrangement and emotional core while sharpening its sonic details. The release revisits a song whose initial momentum was interrupted by the pandemic, offering both longtime listeners and new audiences an opportunity to hear it anew.
“Oras” first arrived in March 2020, as Calein was beginning to build momentum. The band marked the release with an intimate launch at Social House in Makati, drawing fellow musicians including Unique Salonga, Arthur Nery, and One Click Straight. Blaster and other artists were also present to show their support.
For vocalist and songwriter John Dale “JD” Mustacho, the turnout was an encouraging sign of what the song could become.
“I was surprised that so many people came to support us,” he recalls.
But the release came at a difficult time for the music industry. Just days after the launch, the COVID-19 pandemic brought live performances to a standstill, leaving Calein with limited opportunities to promote the track beyond online content.
“Everybody was shocked, and we all had to adjust,” JD says. “We didn’t really get to promote it properly, so most of what we did became online content.”
Drummer Benjo Criste remembers how abruptly the band’s plans were derailed. “The fire was there, but when the pandemic happened, everything was cut short.”
The remaster now gives Calein the opportunity to revisit that unfinished chapter. Rather than radically rework the song, the band opted to preserve its original identity while improving the listening experience.
“I wanted to give the song new life and give the band a clear path this time,” JD says.
Bassist Oliver Salaysay sees the release as an opportunity to bring the track back into circulation after its original promotional campaign was cut short. “Because the promotion was stopped before, this feels like the perfect time to reintroduce the song,” he says.
Remastered by Jan Aries Agadier Fuertez, the updated version retains the original recording and arrangement, with greater clarity, width, and depth in the mix. The changes are intended to bring the song’s existing details into sharper focus without diminishing the emotions that defined it.
“We didn’t change anything about the song because we wanted to keep its identity and emotions,” JD explains.
Oliver points to the more defined vocals and expanded sound as key differences in the remaster. “The vocals are crisper, the sound is wider. It feels clearer.”
Beyond its updated production, “Oras” remains rooted in a deeply personal experience. JD wrote the song after inviting someone he had a crush on to one of Calein’s gigs, hoping to confess his feelings. The plan fell apart when she arrived with her boyfriend.
“That was where the first line of the song came from,” he recalls.
The experience gave the track its original emotional foundation, but time has since changed how JD relates to it. What once centered on feelings for another person has become a reflection of his relationship with himself.
“Before, it was about someone else,” he says of the chorus. “Now, it feels more like a hidden love for myself.”
That shift gives the remaster a significance beyond revisiting an older release. While the song itself remains unchanged, the people behind it have moved forward, carrying new experiences and perspectives into their understanding of the music.
For Benjo, “Oras” serves as a reminder of an earlier version of himself and the memories attached to the song. “When you listen to it and close your eyes, the music takes you back. It reminds you of your younger self,” he says.
The release also arrives as Calein settles into its current lineup, with JD on vocals and guitar, Oliver on bass, and Benjo on drums. For the band, the remaster reflects a more mature stage in its development without abandoning the qualities that shaped its sound.
“This version of Calein feels fresh and more mature,” JD says. “We have a clearer path now. But the sound, the heart, and the identity are still there.”
Reintroducing “Oras” also means reaching listeners who may have missed the song when it first came out. Oliver sees the release as an entry point for those unfamiliar with the band’s earlier material, while Benjo hopes longtime listeners will use the remaster as an opportunity to reflect on their own journeys since first hearing it.
“I hope they remember how they felt the first time they heard it, and see how far they’ve come,” Benjo says.
Ultimately, Calein is less concerned with prescribing a particular interpretation of “Oras” than with preserving its ability to move people. The song’s meaning may change depending on who is listening, when they encounter it, and what memories they bring to it.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s happiness or longing,” JD says. “As long as they feel something, that’s already the reward for us.”
Six years after its debut, “Oras” returns with its original emotional landscape intact but viewed through a different lens. For Calein, the remaster is a chance to reclaim a moment that was cut short, introduce the song to a new audience, and recognize how time can change the meaning of a piece of music without changing the music itself.
“Oras” (Remastered) is available on digital streaming platforms. The official lyric video is also available online.
About Calein
Calein is a Filipino alternative rock band known for its emotionally driven songs about love, longing, and nostalgia. The band, known for tracks such as “Umaasa” and “Someone,” currently consists of John Dale “JD” Mustacho (vocals and guitar), Oliver Salaysay (bass), and Benjo Criste (drums).
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