Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Something’s shifting and BINI knows it.
Dropping Signals right before their historic Coachella appearance — the first for a P-pop group — is a transmission. A warning, even. BINI is locking into a new frequency, going beyond just riding the P-pop wave. With this EP, they’re proving that they’re a genre of their own.
Note: The previously released singles “Unang Kilig” (reviewed by Nix Vargas) and “Honey Honey” (reviewed by Howell Zabala) are also included in this EP.
1. “Blush”
“Blush” sets the tone, and damn, they do it smoothly. The production is immaculate. Clean, warm, and perfectly layered, it gives space for something we don’t always get from BINI: their lower registers. Ug giangkon gyud nila. Then comes that line from Aiah and Colet: “Oh kalami, oh kalami when you’re talking to me.” Kinsa’y hapit nakuyapan diha?
For others, “kalami” (so nice) might be just one Cebuano word repeated a few times throughout this mostly Tagalog and English song, but to me and other Bisaya listeners, it has a major impact. It’s a small moment, but it carries weight. More of this, please!
Sonically, “Blush” leans into that breezy, Latin-tinged summer vibe, with quiet confidence from the girls. Those “ooh la la la” and “na na na” fillers echo the kind of effortless pop that sticks. It’s playful, it’s addictive, and the rap verses? Perfect flow! BINI never misses with their summer bops.
2. “Tic Tac Toe”
If “Blush” is the flirt, “Tic Tac Toe” is the tease that knows exactly what it’s doing.
The concept of turning childhood games into lyrical hooks is always fun. “Tic Tac Toe” nostalgic without being corny, clever without trying too hard. And that chorus? Catchy gyud siya, bes! Dili matanggal sa akong utok.
Production-wise, it’s deceptively light. The 808s glide breezily through the track. “Tic Tac Toe” is smooth enough to keep things easy, yet rhythmic enough that your body has to respond. It loops in your head.
3. “Sugar Rush”
Then comes “Sugar Rush,” tossing us into a neon-lit time machine. This track is unapologetically ’90s, new jack swing with groovy accents and a touch of punk. It’s a little bit unhinged in the best way. The chorus feels like glitter bursting out of the speakers, with steadily rising energy. Feel nako, nag-spike akong sugar just from listening to this, in a good way.
There’s something wild about the rap section. It carries a throwback flavor, reminiscent of early 2000s pop-rap flows, but reimagined with BINI’s own twist. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, yet it’s effective. The layered vocals are almost choir-like. This unexpected fullness elevates the track from chaotic fun to something more textured and intentionally woven. It’s called “Sugar Rush,” and it delivers exactly that.
4. “Step Back”
“Step Back” instantly grabs your attention. There’s a clear lineage here: echoes of Jennifer Lopez, hints of The Pussycat Dolls, but BINI isn’t imitating. They’re channeling that era’s confidence and pushing it through a sharper, more modern lens.
This track feels cinematic, like it belongs in a dance film climax where everything’s on the line. The synth drops hit hard. The trap elements slide in seamlessly. Mikha’s rap delivery here stands out: edgy, gritty, and cutting through the polish with just enough bite to keep things spicy.
ouR VERDICT
Across Signals, one thing becomes clear: this is BINI at their most self-assured and experimental, without losing their identity. Every track pulses with kilig, but not the soft, fleeting kind. This is kilig with rhythm and intent. Maybe that’s what makes this EP hit so hard.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Samantha Claire Lim Radaza is a Cebuano-Agusanon author. She has written several novels such as Rest in Medellin, Drowned in Your Scent, Blinding Lights, Wildfire Games, and Warmth in the Cold. She is also a Model United Nations representative. A few years ago, she won Best Position Paper at the International Peace and Security Model United Nations conference. Apart from writing, she was the manager of Cebuano musician Jimmy Ricks for three years.
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