Opinion Police: There’s no track on Anak Ko that hits as hard as ‘1 Billion Dogs’ from Everybody Works. Do you think that you might revisit that heavier, punk-inspired sound in the future?

Jay Som: Oh, definitely! I’ve been thinking a lot about making noise music and heavier music. It’s very cathartic. So, we’ll see if that happens!

Opinion Police: Was there any particular band or scene that inspired the sound of that track?

Jay Som: ‘1 Billion Dogs’ was definitely inspired by Yo La Tengo! In fact, I ripped it off from their song ‘Sugarcube’... and I’m a little embarrassed by that, but it’s okay.

Opinion Police: And while we’re on the subject of your previous record, Everybody Works, I’ve never quite been able to figure out what the album artwork is?

Jay Som: Yeah, a lot of people say it looks like a soccer ball or it looks like an owl. Uh, I don’t know what it is either. I think the designer, Rob Carmichael, just put some things together.

Opinion Police: It’s cool, I’m leaning towards the owl camp myself.

Jay Som: Yeah, the wise owl. That’s my answer!

Opinion Police: There’s a line in that record, on ‘The Bus Song’. The voices shout out, “I like the bus!” What inspired that line?

Jay Som: That line was inspired by literally taking the bus all the time. To and from work and to go places. Particularly, the uni in San Francisco. I loved taking the bus and I thought it was cute to talk about it, because everybody hates the bus.

Opinion Police: Now that Anak Ko has been out in the world for about half a year. How have you found the reception has been towards it?

Jay Som: I think it’s been pretty positive. I’ve been happy with the follow up from friends and family, and strangers on the internet. Sometimes it can be pretty overwhelming to have a growing fanbase and have more ears and eyes on you, personally. It puts a lot of pressure on the way you make music, whether you like it or not. So, it’s been kind of a whirlwind of a year, or half a year since it’s been released.