Tarsius is a Manila-based band composed of Diego Mapa on laptop and Jay Gapasin on drums. Both individuals are active musicians and are involved in two of the most exciting bands in the Philippines. Diego sings for Pedicab and Jay plays drums for The Radioactive Sago Project. They met several years ago when both groups were touring Geneva, Switzerland and Hong Kong in support of a non-goverment organization. Mapa and Gapasin instantly hit off with their common interest with electronic music.
Years later, during a Daedelus show in Manila 2011, both found themselves locked with the same topic of electronic music. By this time, Diego has already been working in several post houses as an arranger doing music for advertisements. He got into DJ-ing and still playing for Pedicab. The previous year, Jay was teaching music for kids in Singapore and recently returned to Manila. With Radioactive Sago Project he already incorporated the Sequential Circuits Pro One to their sets and had acquired other electronic gear.
Months later, Mapa was invited by his friends to join Numberline Records after remixing the label heads’ band-- Outerhope,. Mapa wanted a laptop based project but thought that playing electronic music would be more exciting incorporated with live instruments. Enter Jay, who instantly agreed to play drums.
Tarsius name is taken from an endangered species-- Tarsier which is the smallest monkey in world found in Bohol, Philippines. The band mix all genres of electronic music they love. Their debut "Primate" was assembled solely in Diego's laptop which is heavy on soft synths, samples, and occasionally going to a rehearsal studio to record Jay's drum parts.
On stage, Diego pounds on a sampler and occasionally toys with a choice synth. Jay plays drums and tweaks a model kit synth called a Gakken attached to another sampler. In result, a psychedelic-electronic experience traveling out of genres from hip hop, big beat, house, jungle, and indie dance bridged with soundscapes. In a Tarsius show, Mapa and Gapasin bang it out like a band. However, Tarsius is also a DJ with drums. When they come to a peak, the next thing you know it, you’re already treated to a choice track that could be from Aphex Twin to Toro y Moi, Black Sabbath to the Beatles and beyond.
