ETHOS

gushes is philosophically led by an emergent concept (& the artist’s former moniker) called WSABI— Warped Sangot And Boss Interior. In Bisayan, Santos’ matrilineal tongue, “Sangot” refers to a handheld sickle—a farming tool appropriated into a weapon of resistance against colonization often used by women and farmers to protect their kin. As a student of herbalism and decolonized Kali inspired by the Babaylan—Indigenous Filipino community figures trained in plant medicine, combat, and conflict resolution, the sangot represents the Harvest and the Fight. The Harvest of love, community, and pleasure autonomy paired with the Fight for collective liberation of marginalized people encapsulate the spirit of gushes performance happenings, for which the aim is playful, somatic freedom against all forms of patriarchy. “Boss Interior'' represents the paradox of inner strength in trauma survival and the unlearning of harmful capitalistic self-dominance. gushes as a bandleader persona moves between these Harvest and Fight themes, portrayed sometimes as a healer-facilitator and other times as a warrior, alchemizing the influential practices of Babaylanism into rock concert and intermedia ceremony. 

gushes takes the shape of various incarnations across the forms of rock band, percussion ensemble, durational ritual, tea ceremony, movement cycle, collaborative installation, and hand-crafted pieces supporting and/or rooted in Kapwa (the inclusive self), personal healing practices, food justice and Indigenous landback movements.

Their musical approach is influenced by prog rock, dance punk, soul, kulintang in conversation with Afro-Latin rhythms, and cinematic sound design. Their compositions layer colorful guitar loops that range from dense, angular and polyrhythmic to minimal, ambient and groovy. Further realized songwriting and heightened performance emerges from this loop foundation by way of lyrical storytelling, movement, live visuals, and further instrumentation: drums, percussion, electronics, bass, piano, synths, strings, woodwinds, and field recordings.

gushes has performed in DIY spaces, music venues, and indie theaters on the in the US and livestream channels including Performance Space New York, C’mon Everybody, Trans Pecos, TV Eye, Union Pool, National Sawdust, Abrons Art Center, Movement Research at Judson Church, Basilica Hudson, O+ Festival, The Vulcan, Thee Stork Club, Eli’s Mile High Club, Coaxial Arts, JACK Arts and RAAH Fest. 

gushes

is guitar loop-driven performance art-prog spanning music, movement, ritual & craft by Jennae Santos.

CONTACT: wsabifox@gmail.com