Back to funk: Flu finds their rhythm with ‘Time & Pace’
In the year dominated by pink Pilates princess strut-pop Spotify listeners, Flu, a Motown, neo-soul, funk and disco band is lowkey carving out their space in the local indie scene.
Composed of Deus Vergel de Dios (vocals), Dits Bautista (bass), John Rae Rebano (guitar), and Randall Enriquez (drums), Flu describes themselves as just “a bunch of guys geeking out on music.” Their sound is like something your disco dad would vibe to, but with a modern twist that will have you grooving uncontrollably at a bar gig.
Formed in 2019, Flu had their momentum halted by the pandemic, forcing an early hiatus. Now, they’re back in full force, captivating audiences with their rich, soulful sound. Last October, they also released their debut album, Time & Pace—a 10-track collection blending their new songs with reimagined fan favorites.
The album is split into two parts: Day and Night, each capturing distinct emotional experiences. Dits recommends listening to it chronologically to feel the full journey of their art. Some of their standout tracks include Manila Bay, a song evoking a nostalgic longing for simpler times, and Is This The Love That I Need, a timeless R&B ballad perfect for slowing things down.
Young STAR caught up with Flu to talk about their new album, the challenges of their post-hiatus return, and the personal milestones they’ve reached with Time & Pace.
YOUNG STAR: Flu went on break during the pandemic. Now that you're back, has your sound changed, or is it still the same?
DITS BAUTISTA: It’s both different and the same. As long as it’s the four of us, Flu will always sound like Flu, no matter the style. We’ve proven that through the album—half the tracks are old, half are new, but they all tie together because of the Flu sound. It’s a mix of old and new vibes, but it’s still cohesive.
JOHN RAE REBANO: Before, we focused more on live recordings, especially for drums and bass. Now, we’ve added more layers and elements, thanks to Dits, Randall, and our producer, Ghabby (Ghabriel Gorayeb).
DITS: It’s like pizza—same pa rin yung dough namin, pero may bago lang kaming toppings. It feels new, but at its core, ‘yun pa rin siya.
Was it challenging to choose songs for the album?
DITS: Most songs came in pairs with similar vibes, and sometimes, the second song transitions to the next set. On shuffle, it might feel like a jump, but listening chronologically, the transitions are smooth. It’s like a Venn diagram: track one and track three are on opposite sides, and track two sits in the middle, bridging them.
During production, we definitely struggled with making some songs sound closer to the others. We have tracks that feel very 1960s-ish, and recordings from that time weren’t as high-fidelity as they became in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and today. At the same time, we also have songs that sound very modern. So, the challenge was figuring out how to mix old-school vibes with hi-fi sounds while keeping everything consistent.
Time & Pace is divided into Day and Night. Can you walk us through the creative process behind that?
DITS: We started in 2019, but the pandemic paused everything. By then, five songs were released, and five others were unfinished—only one made it to the album. We focused on filling gaps.
For example, we realized we needed a dance track, so we created one. Then, we felt the album needed a solemn, sincere, and intimate song, so we wrote that. Next, we wanted a pop track with the signature Flu sound, so we added one. Finally, we needed a transition track to bridge the daytime sound to the nighttime sound. That’s how the interlude in the middle came to be—it tied everything together.
The process felt natural. Though it wasn’t initially a concept album, we realized na parang pwedeng itahi.
If you could relate one song from the album to a personal milestone, which would it be?
RANDALL ENRIQUEZ: Disco Miscommunication—ito ‘yung isa sa mga kanta na binuo namin after naming magpahinga. Feeling ko na collaborative work talaga siya ng band, like everyone had their own input. We also started experimenting more, especially with backing vocals, which was new territory for us.
DEUS VERGEL DE DIOS: Disco Miscommunication—recording the vocals was a big challenge. ‘Yung vocal style niya is pa-kapit sa rhythm kasi mas upbeat siya compared sa previous releases. Ito yung pinaka dance-y track so far, and I really had to focus on nailing both the rhythm and pitch. Actually, sobrang nahirapan ako kaya milestone na natapos ‘yung vocals. I’m proud na nabigyan ko ng justice ‘yung instruments ng members and ‘yung production ni Ghabs.
JOHN RAE: What I Gotta Do?—it was unfinished before the pandemic. Nung bumalik kami, pinakinggan ko ulit, and sobrang layo na ‘nung pinagkaiba sa dati. Sobrang lumipad ‘yung song. It’s special because it’s one of the last things we worked on before the hiatus, and seeing how far it’s come feels rewarding.
DITS: No Use—'yung slowest track on the album. During the pandemic, none of us was making music, not just as a group but as individuals. There were no live shows, no studios, and even though you could play music at home, the burnout made it hard to create.
By 2021 or 2022, after some time had passed, I decided to start playing ulit. I wasn’t frustrated with music anymore. Time had helped me recover. No Use was the first song I wrote after my personal hiatus, which makes it really special to me.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound?
RANDALL: Siguro sa mga classics, when Dits and I first started jamming, before Flu was even a concept, usually nagkikita kami sa ‘70s funk artists like James Brown and Stevie Wonder.
DITS: And Tower of Power.
RANDALL: Also Prince (and) D’Angelo; basically soul music. We got hooked on that retro vibe. Ngayon na lang siguro may mga modern.
DITS: We're into bands like Mamas Gun and Young Gun Silver Fox. Their music is very much a melting pot of the ‘70s sounds we love but modernized lang. So, while their production is hi-fi, the core—the harmonies, structure and groove—is still very ‘70s. That’s something we try to retain in Flu.
RANDALL: Personally, I came from a rock background, and John Rae and I used to jam to alternative rock, so you'll hear subtle traces of that in our music. It’s not at the forefront, but it’s there. If it sounds good, ayun na ‘yun eh, you draw inspiration from it tapos minsan lumalabas siya sa mga songs.
The album is described as “timeless sounds with a modern edge.” Is there anything the band is excited to explore musically right now?
RANDALL: Improving our live shows, like bringing in more elements that elevate the experience live.
DITS: Yeah, because in recording, it’s a layered process. Kunwari, Randall starts with the drums then I’ll add the bass, John Rae lays down the guitar, and we keep stacking—Randall might add keyboards or synthesizers, then we layer in back vocals, and so on. Tapos ngayon, lahat ng stacks na ginawa mo nung recording kailangan mo gawin live.
At least for me, kunwari habang nagba-bass ako, I also have to sing the backing vocals we recorded. Hindi madali, pero I’m really looking forward to the day we can pull it off perfectly. I think maganda kalalabasan ‘nun kapag nagawa nang tama.
JOHN RAE: Siguro more bar gigs din, para mas gumaling kami.
In one word, describe the energy or vibe fans can expect from your upcoming shows.
DITS: We’ve only had a few live shows, and we’re still figuring out the vibe. So far, I’d say it’s nothing too grand, honestly. It’s just five guys doing what they love: geeking out over what we do as a group. Sana ‘yung crowd naba-blackhole din sila with us. Hindi ‘yun one word, sorry!
DEUS: Funky.
RANDALL: Wasak, in a good way.
JOHN RAE: ‘Yung sakin, “depende.”
DITS: That’s the thrill of the show—’di mo alam ‘yung mangyayari, both as a listener and as a performer.
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Listen to Flu’s debut album, Time & Pace, on all streaming platforms and follow Flu on social media at @followflu.
