“Once Loved” - allenalesna.art

Once Loved: A Story of Simplicity, Distance, and Creative Alchemy, this track started as a quiet conversation—just a simple idea shared between friends. Written by Juan (or John, affectionately called “Jopet” by those close to him), he’s not only a longtime collaborator but also one of my favorite artists to produce. As always with a clear vision, he had a specific request: keep it unadorned. No elaborate fills, no ornamental riffs—just a song that breathes on its own.

We built it during a peculiar transition. Lockdowns had just eased, and while people were allowed to move, the air still felt tentative. John lived over 30 kilometers away in suburban Laguna—far, but not too far to stop us. He sent a raw, phone-recorded demo, as he usually does, and I immediately began crafting the rhythm section. What emerged was not just a song, but the start of a full album—something that would take shape over the next year.

What started as a quiet demo turned into one of the smoothest productions I’ve ever done. “Once Loved” now lives as a track and a visual memory.

Because of my day job and midshift hours, our recording sessions only started late—around 10PM—and often stretched into the early morning. I still remember that night vividly: guitars, vocals, and bass layered in between sips and silence. My brother, just off his night shift, dropped in and picked up the guitar for a solo we didn’t plan—but couldn’t let go of. No rehearsal. Just instinct.

John envisioned a music video too, but our budget was nonexistent. Travel restrictions were still in effect, and filming required permits. But we found a workaround: I’d been collecting random footage over the years—out-takes, experiments, visual sketches. Miraculously, they matched. Shot on phones, DSLRs, and older gear, the clips had a lived-in texture that mirrored the song’s spirit.

We leaned into the nostalgia. The final edit was downsampled to a 4:3 “TV resolution,” complete with subtle artifacts to evoke a retro warmth. Despite the lo-fi finish, every frame was originally HD or FHD—rendered fully before being aged with intention.

What makes this one stand out isn’t just the result, but the ease. It’s probably one of the most seamless productions I’ve worked on, both in sound and image. It came together fast—but left a lasting mark.

You can view the down-sampled retro look here: https://vimeo.com/415936315

Or watch the HD Render

No budget. No frills. Just instinct. “Once Loved” is what happens when constraint meets creativity.

Built from phone clips, late-night takes, and retro edits—this track came together fast but left a lasting mark.

Credits:

Vocals: JPH
Rhythm Guitar: JPH
Guitar Solo: Ian Joseph
Bass: Allen Alesna
Drum sequences and other elements: Allen Alesna

Written by JPH (Juan Hermano)

Production:

You can also check out these links for streaming:

https://embed.music.apple.com/ph/song/once-loved-feat-the-yellow-spiders/1563881796