Pick Up the Phone! Carousel Casualties Just Dropped their New Single, ‘Nananabik’

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—Filipino indie pop band Carousel Casualties has dropped a somber, dream pop track perfect for the drizzly season.

Inspired by the picturesque feeling of reaching out for the phone to call someone, “nananabik” longs for a person at the wee hours of the night, trying to evade any form of contact despite the heart telling otherwise.

Known for their slice-of-life indie pop songs that reflect the complexities of young adulthood, Carousel Casualties continues the tradition of writing sophisticated tunes that hold more emotional weight even in its most  subdued form. Their new track “nananabik” carries this familiar scenery with melodies that fizzle and gleam like lights lining the road: a well-crafted track like “Leona,” “season 1 episode 43” and the recent viral hit “hindi ko alam,” but more deceptively adventurous in a sonic sense.

As Emmie Villegas, vocalist and main songwriter of the band, envisions it, “nananabik” is a song that is tethered to a specific narrative: “You pace around your apartment like a lunatic craving for answers, but then you go back to bed. You close your eyes and try to fall asleep…. You miserably fail, of course.” This continues as the subject internally debates his decision to finally reach out while the tune continues on and on–no resolve whatsoever. 

“As a band, we really like making songs based on TV shows and films,” Villegas shares. “Just imagine that “nananabik” is one of those films that is open to interpretation.”

“nananabik” is now available for streaming on digital streaming platforms. Follow Carousel Casualties on their social media to catch them live! 

About Carousel Casualties

From a humble 16 sqm bedroom, their journey began. Their 2017 debut EP Madison, featuring hits like “Leona,” “Safety,” and “San Junipero,” gained traction in Manila’s indie scene and earned them a 2019 AWIT Awards nomination for Best Rock Arrangement.

In 2020, they pushed boundaries with their debut album Static Electricity Dreams of Longevity.

The band broke its pause in 2024 with new releases: “hindi ko alam,” coveted “OPM Sleeper Hit of the Year” award from RX 93.1; then “bakasyon,” “malinaw,” with their latest single “ano ba talaga?”, building momentum as they produce their highly anticipated album “cattleya” set for release later in 2026.

Emmie, Pau, Ryan, and Tep continue to evolve, delivering bigger sounds from small rooms.