Lo mejor de 2023. Top 50 Albums, 01-10

My life is like that. For the most of the year, while at work, I listen to music, write opinions on it and do some other useless things - and I get paid. I can’t say “i get paid for this” because that’s not what they pay me for. They pay me for what I do every November. In November the budget campaign starts, and it makes me spend 14 hours a day seven days a week in the workspace estimating the next year plan. It's exhausting. But this is what I get paid for for the rest of the year.

The timing of the budget campaign coincides with the closure of the musical year. Closing the musical year also requires effort and time, but nobody pays me for this. It is much more satisfactory and interesting than doing the budget exercise but I have no time for it cuz the time is eaten by budget. So, every November for me is a clusterfuck.

This year the clusterfuck has splashed over onto December due to unstable markets in Russia and ensuing complications with the planning process, so I'm writing this snatching minutes from working hours.

The life has changed.

The year 2019 I travelled to Europe 9 (!) times - most of them with the direct flights. This year I managed to travel only once with huge stopovers and enormous overpricing. My attempts to find myself a job in Europe turned out fruitless. I get pretty close to losing hope. There's still life in Russia. People are laughing, underground bands are playing, restaurants are open. You can purchase european wines and cheese. All at least twice as much - but you can, if you want to, keep on sticking to your habits. There's still life in Russia but it's a wrong one, and I don't feel good living it through. The albums below along with those listed in the previous #LoMejorDe2023 entries made me feel much better anyway. Thanks for this.

BC = Bandcamp, AM = Apple Music, YM = YouTube Music

10. Medalla "Duelo" 

BC 

This band should be huge. The new album with its post-hardcore influences, metallic sound, emotional approach and strong melodies clearly proves it. This is the true rock music - not those chart toppers heralded as such (you know who I'm talking about).

09. Speaker Cabinets "Tales From New Babel" 

YM

Quite unexpected guests in the top ten. Electro-rock trio Speaker Cabinets spent almost seven years recording the concept disc "Tales From New Babel". The new songs are sparkling with energy. The quality of the songwriting is such that, say, Brendan Flowers would kill for the tracks like “Reflections” or “Doomsday”. Speaker Cabinets are also one of those bands that deserve much more attention than they've currently got. The most obvious reason is prolificacy or, more precisely, the absence of it. This is the second album by the Barcelona trio, when the first was released back in 2016. Perhaps with the release of "Tales From New Babel" the situation would change. At least, I hope so.

08. Apartamentos Acapulco "La Reconciliación" 

BC 

On the first two albums ("Nuevos Testamentos" (p)2017 and "El Resto Del Mundo" (p)2019) Aptos. Acapulco were slow, atmospheric and immersed in textures. On the pandemic "El Año Del Tigre" the sound got more punchy, with more emphasis on songwriting. "La Reconciliación" continues this trend adding another stylistic element: the band now sounds closer to Arista Fiera, Terry Vs Tori or Lua Gramer - i.e the bands that mix shoegaze with indie pop. “Closer to,” of course, does not mean “exactly like,” but the changes are already noticeable. I don’t know where it would lead them but so far the results are inspiring.

07. Madee "Conundrum" 

BC

After reuniting three years ago Madee sound more like a mixture of early Death Cab For Cutie and The Appleseed Cast of "Two Conversations"-era. And, damn, how wonderful it is! It's like emo music for those well into their forties. 

It's so sad that the band called it quits again this fall. 

06. Gazella "Gazella" 

BC

In mathematical context the term “degeneration” doesn't bear a negative connotation. So when I call the long-awaited Gazella album 'degenerated shoegaze equation' this should not be misleading. I don't berate it. What I'm trying to say is that shoegaze as performed by the Valencian band reaches a certain critical point in its development.

The internal tension of this album reaches Alcest-y heights; lead vocalist Raquel Palomino moans more than she sings; the guitars sound like a breath of wind; fans of Blonde Redhead's "Misery Is A Butterfly" and "23" are invited to the chat. Sounds alluring? For sure.

05. Repion "Repion" 

AM

In August 2018 I saw Marina and Teresa live, and they got me stunned. The same year the Iñesta sisters released EP "Donde Escapa La Luz" that contained “Ciudad De Vacaciones” - the song that quickly became my go-to melody to whistle in my spare time. That happened before that well-documented 90's fem-indie boom (Bully, Soccer Mommy, Lomelda, Momma, Beabadoobee, Olivia Rodrigo, etc.) sky-rocketed right into Pitchfork Media's 'best new music' section. So I'm glad to pronounce Repion leaders not followers.

04. DOM "Warm"

BC

Read this

No other album this year made me say to my couple Tati: "I don't want this music to end - ever!"

03. Niños Luchando "Territorio"

YM

Here is a short list of artists Niños Luchando are compared with in reviews: Radiohead, The Postal Service, Moderat, Grizzly Bear, Depeche Mode, Parade. I have to admit, all these comparisons are worthless. This album is a value of its own, it needs no stupid comparisons.

The appeal of this music is built upon accurately measured portions of intimacy and sadness soaked in atmospheric indietronica where the guitars are so muted down in the mix you're never sure they are really there.

02. Gaf Y La Estrella De La Muerte "Pyramids"

BC

Read this

The Grower of the Year.

01. I Am Dive "Fear Of Missing Out"

BC

While on vacation in Spain last August I was asked twice what album I concider the best this year, both times I replied: "Fear Of Missing Out" by I Am Dive. The first time I had to go to my spotify account to give a friend a listen. The second time the man who asked me yelled: "Yeah, I know those guys! They are kind of underground kings right there in their hometown of... ummm, Sevilla, right?" Right.

Despite their recognition in the indie scene, Esteban Ruiz (vocals, guitar, programming) and José A. Perez (programming, guitar) live their lives far from public eye. We rarely see the news from the band, the live schedule is rather scarce, and the social networks may stay dormant for months. It's partly intentional, partly not. There is a thing I don't feel I have the right to reveal (I believe I've read the band speaking on this but right now I can't find it anywhere) and all the great things like great new album, distribution deal with Rough Trade, opening for Explosions In The Sky all are diminished by the reason why Esteban is forced to perform alone. Fingers crossed for the future, because this band is one of a kind, and our broken world would be even worse without I Am Dive and their unique blend of indietronica, post-rock and trip-hop.

An Introduction

41 - 50

31 - 40

21 - 30

11 - 20

Lo mejor de 2023. Top 50 Albums, 11-20

BC = Bandcamp, SP = Spotify

20. Burro "Burro"

BC

A side project of vocalist Beatriz Montiel of Trice and acoustic guitarist Conrado Isasa (a room with a view, Isasa) makes slow-burning songs whose mood goes either to Cocteau Twins or to post-rock. Actually, there are only two instruments here: an acoustic guitar and a voice. More precisely, 'the voices' - Isasa is silent but Beatriz uses different singing techniques to sound like multiple singers. 

19. Rayo "Turbocapitalismo 3000"

SP

Madrid-based female trio started in the post-Hinds world, and if they only wanted to they might have been treading the path of those trying to replace Ginebras from their fem-punk/pop leaders position. But apparently they didn't. The trio took the left turn now sounding like the arithmetic mean between Las Odio (with whom they share the guitarist Agata) and Hickeys - another Madrid all-female combo inclined to the vast spectre of genres from kraut to Midwest emo. For Rayo the Midwest emo is hardly a thing, instead of it the Talking Heads and "So"-era Peter Gabriel influences are showing through.

18. Guineu "Una Sacsejada"

SP

The feather-light indie pop of the young Catalan Aida Jimenez's second album demonstrates how shamelessly inventive pop-punk can be when you are influenced NOT by Avril Lavigne.

The author herself says that the charm of her music lies in the dissonance between positively sounding melodies and lyrical trash. I can neither confirm nor deny this since I don't speak Catalá, but in an interview Aida revealed the main idea of the lyrics as a journey through different facets of the expression “Joder, estoy jodida” (“Fuck, I’m fucked”). Joan Colomo (Unfinished Sympathy, Zeidun, La Celula Durmiente and elsewhere) reviewing this album puts it more softly: “Hey, I’m not feeling good actually because I’m getting older and stuff happens to me, of which I haven't been warned."

17. Capitán Sunrise "Playlist Para El Apocalipsis"

SP

Santí Diego and his band have released a new album full of indie pop, danceable tunes and bittersweet lyrics about little people in a big world. Regardless of what Santi sings about the music is sunny and joyful like the sun accidentally pouring upon your face. It’s impossible to resist its charm. Autumn blues? Now I know a great remedy, folks!

16. Uniforms "Trance"

BC 

I don't really get the current status of the band. Months ago they posted a message in their social media speaking, inter alia: "This is not a definite farewell, it's just a little see you later, but who knows..." I still cross my fingers hoping them to return someday, but if it's not the case, well... At least they brought us 2.5 albums of top-notch shoegaze during their run. 

15. Anacronía "Euritmia"

BC

It's the second album of the improvisational supergroup consisting of K0manec1, Blue Rondo and Audiometría members - all notable representatives of the Canary Islands' experimental sub-scene. They got themselves Rolands, Corgs and Moogs, grabbed various flutes and even didgeridoos. The result is half an hour of timeless electronic music with live (but heavily processed) guitars and the slight touches of ethno for both the brain and the body - with this music you can relax in a comfortable chair with your eyes closed, or you can stand up and unleash your motoric instincts.

 

14. Alexanderplatz "Noches Blancas, Mañanas Negras"

BC

If this disc consisted of 9 songs it would be a contender for the Album of the Year without a doubt. But it consists of 11. I personally don't like "Ascética Básica" and "Cada Vez Me Echas Menos De Menos". Anyway, you can imagine how great is the rest of the album based on album's position in the list.

The former leader of the iconic "sad indie pop" duo Klaus & Kinski Alejandro Martinez Moya can create beautifully soft and endlessly sad songs - and he does so effortlessly. Except for those two tracks mentioned above.

13. Pan "Salva Mil Inviernos"

BC

It's so easy to identify who was at the helm during the recording sessions for this album, but it could be a great mistake to put all the merit solely on the producers. The impact of Manuel Cabezalí and Victor Cabezuelo is obvious to everyone who's familiar with Havalina and/or Rufus T. Firefly back catalogues - however, this impact is not formative. The only thing systemically important is the songwriting of Teresa Martinez. 

12. Los Jaguares De La Bahía "Do It Yourself"

SP

The Paco Loco-led band gravitationally pulls people from Furia Trinidad, Turmalina, Tiburona and Subterráneos to mutually create music that is strangely attractive and completely sick at the same time.

Do you remember the band Thinking Fellers Union Local #282? Los Jaguares De La Bahía use the same approach as the aforementioned Californians: noise, no wave, let's steal a piece from Kraftwerk, avant-garde, some great melody, extraneous noise, someone knocking a boiling kettle with a chair leg, another great melody, wait.... do someone remember why (and how) we came here?

I clearly exaggerate, but I hope you get the idea.

11. Sidonie "Marc, Axel Y Jes"

SP

Mark Ros turned 49 this year, ending up seeing a therapist to process the communication problems (could we call it unexpected for a man who has been successfully cultivating the reckless stage persona for decades). His band turned 30. This new album is his way to tell us: “We’re having kinda birthday party here... Let's have beer and pizza?" Beer and pizza. Nothing extra. Sometimes it can impress much more than the gloss, shine and swaggy show-off. Having returned to the settings of "Fascinado" and "Costa Azul" albums, the band recorded ten simple songs that fit perfectly being placed side by side to “fa-fa-fa-fa-fascinado” rather than to any of the newer records.

An Introduction

41 - 50

31 - 40

21 - 30

01 - 10

Lo mejor de 2023. Top 50 Albums, 21-30

BC = Bandcamp, SP = Spotify, ?? = ??

30. Ajeeb "Refractions" 

BC

Fierce yet melodic alt rock with traces of metal and stoner born out of the winds of Lanzarote island.

29. Matsu "Oscilación" 

BC

The crispy raspling electronica for those who [like me] consider Combray's "Ullapool" a cornerstone album of the genre. The latter's mastermind Raul Burrueco guests on the track "Reacción" - no surprise though.

28. Belako "Sigo Regando" 

SP

The Basque quartet's new album sounds way more cohesive than "Plastic Drama" (p)2020 that gained the nationwide acclaim but for me seemed like emotional rollercoaster. The songs "Orein Orain" and "Pretty Handsome" could even be attributed as 'tender' - for the first time in over ten years of the career.

27. Los Sara Fontan "Queda Pendiente" 

BC

When their name first appeared in public, Sara (violin) and Edi (drums, he is also half of the duo Za!) swore off recording albums. Therefore, they are well known as a live phenomenon, not as a studio act.

Despite that fact, and also the fact that pedals, processors, loopers and all sorts of different digital processing tools were involved in the creative process in addition to the violin and drum kit, the result has such a lively feeling, such a natural feel - and it's truly captivating. They're just as good in studio as live.

26. Neuman "Waterhole" 

SP

For me it's the best album of Neuman, and also the manual of how to make your best album via constantly repeating yourself. It may not look like the best assessment, and I don't really get in full how it works - but without demonstrating any new tricks Paco Roman has created his ultimate set of songs showcasing everything he's great at.

25. J "Plena Pausa" 

??

"Plena Pausa" is inspired by the late Basque fillmaker Ivan Zulueta's early works archive. From my point of view, J never released such the tightly constructed music since "Encuentros Con Entidades". But whilst the mentioned album was 'heralded' as by far the worst album of Los Planetas given it had been created during the period of [mostly drug-induced] turmoil - this new solo record would more likely sit on the top of the year end lists at it apparently was made with open heart and clear mind.

24. Mujeres "Desde Flores Y Entrañas" 

SP

The fast-paced skin'n'bones rock-n-roll of the Catalan underground kings Mujeres gets thicker and mellower with every subsequent release - but those changes are rather minor and don't modify the basic concept only providing their music with better perspective.

23. Rombo "Plaers I Terrors De Confort Domestic" 

BC

Four years since the release of their previous album "Clara Montse Núria", the Rombo girls have changed a lot. First, they got them a boy in the band. Second, they stopped sounding like early Quasi (sweet melodies seasoned with lo-fi guitar noise). Now they sound much closer to the groove-focused bands like Melenas without losing their hallmark melodicism - which suggests that for Clara Molins the French chanson, especially Françoise Hardy, means a lot.

22. Lagoss "Imaginary Island Music Vol.2: Ascention" 

BC

Lagoss is a Canarian trio consisting of longtime friends Mladen Kurajica (various incarnations of GAF) and Dani Garcia (Tupperwear, Salétile) along with Gonçalo F. Cardoso from the portuguese label Discrepant Records.

"Ascension" is an instrumental album loosely based on the concept of the construction of a space elevator from the top of Mount Teide to E.T.E.S.S.A., the space station closest to Earth, by the united forces of two human civilizations - terrestrial (Guayechi) and underwater (Aguachachi).

Of course, the basic idea of this concept cannot be understood without a libretto. The human voices are present on the disc, but in a very distorted form so they don't tell any recognizable narrative. The music is strange - as always for all those three involved. I don't think any one of them have ever made music that could be described as 'normal'. Digital jazz, dub, noise, space rock, tribal, industrial, scratch, music-concrete, amon düül, if you know what I mean. But despite its convoluted uniqueness it's entertaining and sometimes enormously beautiful.

21. Bum Motion Club "Claridad Y Laureles" 

BC

They have created the best song of the year. "Deprisa, Deprisa" is super catchy with its leading synths and fresh take on "quiet/loud" dynamics. 

Overall, this album has a lot of guitars but the main melodic lines are always created by synths. It sounds different, and sounding different is always the better.

An Introduction

41 - 50

31 - 40

11 - 20

01 - 10

Lo Mejor De 2023. Top 50 Albums. 31 - 40

BC = Bandcamp, SP = Spotify

40. TOU "Creixin Els Arbres" 

BC

The Catalan artist Albert Segura mixes electronica, synth-pop, kosmische musik, early era Depeche Mode on his debut longplay to make a listener dive into some unsettling atmosphere. The track "La Guerra" could easily fit for a totalitarian sect drama's soundtrack. 

39. Charnego "Regreso Al Futuro"

BC

This indie supergroup consists of Atención Tsunami, Biznaga and Being Berber members. At the beginning of the disc it seems like Biznaga connection prevails but as it rolls on the tense electro-rock rhythms of Atención Tsunami along with overall psychotic atmosphere of their peers Disciplina Atlántico starts to dominate.

38. Sonic Beast "Accidental" 

BC

Another supergroup in this list. Bad Mongos, Bullitt, No More Lies, Illinoise, Ultramarinos Costabrava Studios, brothers Garcia, Sant Feliu de Guixols... For those initiated, each and every word here could cause an urge to grab it immediately.

37. Bons Nois "Delta" 

BC

This delicate and tight indie rock album with touches of dreampop shocks with its sonic excellentce - especially taking in mind that it was recorded by the young band entirely on their own.

36. Belén Bandera "Bamboo, Nature's Calligraphy" 

SP

A neo-classical ambient masterpiece. 70% of this disc is silence - but what a beautiful silence it is.

35. La Paloma "Todavía No" 

BC

The metropolitan quartet effectively juggles the Everclear, Weezer, Cala Vento and Triangulo De Amor Bizarro influences adding huge amounts of youthful anergy.

34. Bullitt "Major B" 

BC

For a time being I had no idea how to tag Bullitt. The term "melodic punk" gets too close to "pop punk" who Bullitt surely aren't. Power pop? Alt rock? Yes, but not really. This album helps greatly to come to conclusion, so now I know how to describe their music correctly: just imagine Bad Religion recruiting Noel Gallagher for lead guitar.

33. Triángulo de Amor Bizarro "SED" 

SP

Arguably the best TdAB album? I believe "Salve Discordia" is still at the top spot but "SED" comes close. Less emotionally chaotic than its predecessor "triangulodeamorbizarro" (p)2019, "SED" adds some new colors to the band's palette without spoiling anything they brought to perfection before.

32. Florent Y Yo "Florent Y Yo" 

SP

The songs of Los Planetas' founding guitar player are covered with haze of dreampop and lightweight psychedelia, at times sounding like if The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart turned to kraut rock.

31. Havalina "Maquinaria" 

SP

After sonically entertaining but otherwise non-consistent and emotionless "Muerdesombra" Havalina crafted their best album since "h" along with former bass player Ignacio Celma returning to the fold.

An Introduction

41 - 50

21 - 30

11 - 20

01 - 10

Lo Mejor De 2023. Top 50 Albums. 41 - 50

And now, when all the preparations are done and all the introductory statements are said, let's start the countdown.

BC = Bandcamp, SP = Spotify

50. Látigo Mantra "Fisura" 

BC

Grunge-tinged alt rock from a Madrid-based band is utterly melodic and effervescently energetic.

49. Hola Lis "Foravila"

BC

Elisa Bernal, half of the quiet folk duo Hibernales, writes songs that are equally sad and heartwarming, transmitting trauma and hope at the same time. Sonically it's a total opposite to the previous entry.

48. Gonzalo Fuster "Valentía, Lealtad Y Dignidad" 

BC

Also known as El Ser Humano, Gonzalo goes through personal turmoil. "Trauma and hope", vol.2

47. Antiplancton "Otros Cuerpos" 

BC

A missing link between León Benavente's "Vamos A Volvernos Locos" and Havalina's "Muerdesombra" is better than both referential albums.

46. Garrafa Nadal "Disputa" 

SP

It seems like there is some kind of indie rock belt conveyor installed in Manacor, Mallorca. Roig!, Jorra Y Gomorra, Da Souza, to name a few, came from the same location. Garrafa Nadal wear these connections on the sleeves but they've got enough personality for not to be mixed up with the better-known compatriots.

44/45. Coherence "Unilateral" 

BC

wud "Meant To Collide" 

BC

These two Catalan bands play post-hardcore in slightly different ways (wud are more inclined to melodic angularity while Coherence find their comfort in sonic textures) but the result is equally enjoying.

43. Katovit "Cosas Que Nunca Te Dije" 

BC

Lo-fi/ 90's indie rock finest - let's put it as simple as it gets.

42. Joaquín Pascual "Baladas Para Un Atraco"

BC

I've read a string of mixed reviews on this one, but for me this is undoubtedly the best effort by former Surfin' Bichos co-founder/ Mercromina frontman. The quite limited instrumentation only emphasizes the case of "less is more".

"El Accidente" is one of the best songs of the year.

41. Pandan-Lagl "Teatro Del Absurdo" 

BC

Juan Carlos and Cristina from El Relevo Aleman go synth-pop without abandoning their signature angular melodies more appropriate for Midwest emo. An unexpected but highly satisfying encounter of two rarely mixed genres.

An Introduction

31 - 40

21 - 30

11 - 20

01 - 10

Lo Mejor De 2023. An Introduction

This was an amazing year. I feel kind of embarrassed saying this from within the frontiers of a country that still tries to eliminate its closest neighbour and now is in the process of banning at least 10% of its population via naming the LGBT+ people extremists - but musically it was really an amazing year. I'm used to making year end lists, I have been doing it for years and years, and rarely I went through such the mind-blowing exercise trying to elect 50 best albums of the year before. Fortunately it is 50! If it was 30 I'd have my head crack open for sure.

There were at least 70-80 albums in consideration out of the total 300+ releases I listened to throughout the year: from Cabello Prieto Azabache's "No.1" released 11th of January to Gazella's self-titled released 24th of November. Due to suffocating level of competition I was pressured to erase "Planes Para Días Grises", the most recent disc of my dear friends Igloo, from the final version of the list - the painful decision I still feel sorry about - as well as some other pretty great albums like Featherweight's "Ojalá Eternidad", Carolina Otero's "POPalina", Cucudrulu's "Zozobrar A Tiempo" or Vuelve Zinc's "No Lo Merecemos". Let it be kinda Honorable Mention for them.

Moreover, I would like to mention a handful of EPs and mini albums to be singled out, such as No Fucks' "No Fucks II", The Magic Mor's "Retrato De Amor Primitivo", Nøgen's "Åben Cirkel", Alondra Galopa's self-titled and Pálida Tez's "Viaje A La Habitación Del Fondo De La Casa". They deserve your full attention despite their diminutive stature.

41 - 50

31 - 40

21 - 30

11 - 20

01 - 10

Laura Lebone "Como Las Demás" (p)2023 autoeditado

Laura Arías plays synths and sings co-leading vocals in another remarkable indie band from Cádiz area - Detergente Líquido. Also, she serves as a half of marylebone duo from Sevilla where she permanently resides. "Cómo Las Demás" ("Like The Rest Of Them", where the definite article "las" shows that all of "them" are meant to be females) appears as a collaborative project: each and every song is marked with a collab name beside Laura's own. In the first song - largely acoustic tontipop piece "Manifesto" - she restores the creative pair with her marylebone partner Mario P. Recuero. Next, Laura is accompanied by her brother Julian in the vintage bossanova of "Cruda". Then it's Juan Antonio Mateos' turn to provide her with backing vocals (by the way, he produced the whole EP and, moreover, operated most of the guitar-looking equipment) in "Sindrome De Abstinencia" - undeniably the best track here led by Juan Antonio's catchy guitar part. Detergente Líquido's mastermind Alberto Rodway appears in "Dos Historias: Un Balcon Y Una Ventana" - a classic Detergente'y singalong with strong melody and fuzzy sound. The last one is where Ernie Rodriguez comes in not only with his drumming skills but also with his rarely heard before singing abilities (though his backing vocals in the choruses are harder to recognize than Louise Post vocalizing in Foo Fightets' "Everlong" - and you feel his lower notes rather than hear them). The eponimous tender elegy effectively closes the curtain behind this tiny set of songs where Laura approves her capability to star in the leading role after all these years of starring in supporting ones.

BNDCMP 

This Drama "Loose Talk" (p)2023 Golden Robot

This Canary Islands-based band managed to sign its name into the canon of Deep Elm Records - the seminal indie label and one of the key factors in Midwest Emo bloom in the second half of the 90s. But don't expect this mini album to throw all the well-documented hallmarks of the aforementioned genre right in your face. It meets you and greets with... an acoustic guitar riff?! Yes! These six songs are entirely based on the acoustic riffage, the tight basslines and vocals balancing on the thin line between a sad sigh and a sarcastic grimace.

It strongly reminds me of "Arboreal" - the latest to date album of another loud-turned-semi-acoustic band Holywater from Galicia province. Another clear reminiscence is the [half-forgotten Georgians'] Dead Confederate "Peyote People" mini-album and its centrepiece "First Fires". 

Thus, despite their creators' emo past, these songs are not about expression of emotions, they are about keeping them inside. They're about channeling the inner tension, and they're perfect in it.

SPTF 

The Magic Mor "Retrato De Amor Primitivo" (p)2023 self-released

The Magic Mor is the band from the outskirts of Cádiz area - historically valuable harbour town, one of the southernmost trade and cultural centers of the mainland Spain. The band's leader, Juan Antonio Mateos, runs an indie recording studio Grabaciones Sumergidas in the nearby El Puerto de Santa Maria (the same cluster where Paco Loco runs his much more renowned Pacoloco Studios) where he is assisted by Ernesto "Ernie" Rodriguez - The Magic Mor's drummer. The band has three longplays full of the intelligent and tightly constructed psychedelic pop in its back catalogue. The new EP follows in the vein of the previous releases. It's melodic guitar-driven pop crafted to perfection where every little piece falls in its right place. The guitars and synths coexist successfully never blurring the essence of a song. I truly hope this 4 song EP is only an appetizer before the release of the next LP. I'll be looking forward eagerly.

BNDCMP 

Pandan-Lagl “Teatro Del Absurdo” (p)2023 Repetidor

Pandan-Lagl are José Carlos Peña, Cristina Arroyo (both of El Relevo Alemán) and multiple drum machines. The new effort wears all the hallmarks of José Carlos’ modus operandi on its sleeves, that includes angular guitars and introspective vocals typical for post-hardcore and 2nd wave emo. Additionally, it’s Codeine and Bedhead who probably influenced the slower tracks "El Tratado De Versailles" and "El Sol Se Pone En El Somme". The mixture of post-hardcore, sadcore and programmed drums sounds pretty fresh and even danceable at times ("Los Modernos"). The album as a whole sounds in line with all the previous JC Peña’s efforts (Estoikov, El Relevo Aleman, Tremolino) - and simultaneously it looks like a new chapter, or the plot twist.    

BNDCMP 

Tuya “Proxy” (p)2023 El Rayo Verde

I've got so much respect bordered on adoration to David T. Ginzo’s “A War Is Coming” which is placed high in my shortlist of go-to albums, so it’s obvious that I expected much from his new effort “Proxy”. And… What I got is not what I expected. While “A War Is Coming” sounded handmade, “Proxy” sounds too professional. In fact, the difference between these two albums is like the difference between an arthouse movie and a high-budget blockbuster. There’s no problem, globally. Creative growth mixed with outstanding technical skills – who the heck would call it a problem? Besides, there are still some great songs here (“Ball Under The Car”, “Anthony”, “Friendly Fire”). But the rest of the album (especially “The Coup In My Eyes” and “Bretton Woods”) would perfectly fit for the playlist between the festival sets of Grimes and Arca – and it’s only bad news for me as at any festival I wouldn’t attend a show of either.

BNDCMP 

Lepora "Zulotik" (p)2023 Bonberenea Ekintzak

Days ago the Basque DIY post-hardcore mainstays Lisabö announced their sixth longplay set for release for 12/01/2023. Those news made me wonder if I could find something to brighten up my day in the meantime, and after quite superficial study I've found this: a 20 minutes long jazz-oriented post-hardcore album sung entirely in euskera.

Along with some obvious comparisons to aforementioned Lisabö whose helmsman Carlos Osinaga produced this record, there is also strong resemblance to Midwest emo - especially to the bands that used time signatures like it was their playground (in other words, more Cap'n Jazz and Faraquet than Benton Falls or The Get Up Kids). The early screamo influence is palpable as well. The first two tracks ("Ez Dago Inor", "Zulotik") I like the most as they're the most fierce and uncompromised ones here. 

Punk/hardcore itself is something of a commonplace in the music landscape of Basque Country but Lepora can easily be singled out of their peers as evidenced by this abrasive yet memorable mini album.

BNDCMP

¡Vamos Hostias! - 2

The modern day festivals are more about socializing and less about music. So you may make a plan but you have to take it easy when your plan appears to go wrong. The Fiesta de Bienvenida offered us 10 names to perform on two stages situated side by side. Such the environmental organization ensured minimal lags between the performances and, more important, minimal movements for the audience. Twenty steps to the left, twenty steps to the right - and you have visited both the stages. A major improvement, without a doubt.

Out of the ten names mentioned, only three attracted my attention: Jimena Amarillo, a non-binary urban artist whose latest album I like; the band 30s40s50s fronted by Operación Triunfo alum Beli Basarte, and revived Delafe Y Las Flores Azules.

Unfortunately, the aim to see them all was never achieved. When we came to recinto ferial (main festival location) 30s40s50s were leaving the stage. The performance of Jimena Amarillo was long gone. But the colourful and energetic show of Delafe Y Las Flores Azules erased all the traces of regret caused by our late arrival. 

Oscar and Helena were in their top form presenting the pack of their top songs. The sunshine-electro-avant-hip-hop band was accompanied onstage by a tiny brass section whose members wholly participated in the main protagonists’ activities like cross-stage dancing etc. This was the event enormously lighthearted, uplifting and pure.

Why I started this entry with the “more about socializing” line? That’s because right after Helena & Oscar danced their bodies offstage we abandoned the music of the rest of the night and dove headfirst into socializing. In the old town of Aranda we had a late dinner with a bottle of wine and then came to Café Central for dancing. I do believe this was way more entertaining for us personally than the shows of urban performers Dillom and Cupido at recinto.

Somehow we ended up more introduced to communication at the expense of music this year. The music is important but the friends are more important, and we met so many friends those days!

¡Vamos Hostias! - 1

August 9, in the afternoon. The Fiat 500X built-in navigator guides us further along the A-1 / E-5 interstate but we turn to Milagros via exit number 146.

It’s a tradition. This is how we pay tribute to the place where our historia ribereña once began. In 2013, before returning to the airport, we were sitting on the bank of the Riaza River beholding how the whole village of Milagros gathered on the opposite bank of the river for cooking the giant paella - and wept because we thought it would never happen again for us.

But somehow it happened 8 times more. Most of them we accommodate in Kinedomus Bienestar rural hotel. There is no better place than Kinedomus for the post-gig relaxation. It’s 3 km from Aranda opposite to the festival area. You arrive at the hotel at half past 3 am with buzzing ears – and you are surrounded by an endless, thick, almost palpable silence. The crickets is the only sound you can hear.

Some neutral assessment: despite the enormous heatwave that splashed upon the central regions of Spain this year, Sonorama had a huge influx of visitors. I have never seen so many people here, and not only me - it was noted by everyone we spoke to. The organizers’ policy to promote the festival amongst the younger audience is working apparently. Our beloved friend Gloria’s son once said: "I will not go with you cos it’s all dad music". So Gloria grabbed a short video once a day to show him the prevalence of all those young faces in the crowd. 30% of the line-up are urbanites and trappers - what kind of "dad music" it could be?

Ten years ago it was possible to come to Aranda’s historic cluster at 12:00 and go right to the security fence in front of the Plaza del Trigo stage to behold three concerts in a row plus one secret show staying there in the first line. Oh, good old times. Now it is impossible: you should arrive at least half an hour earlier to proceed to the first line, so we don’t even try to. The neighboring Plaza la Sal does not bear the same cult significance, no one fights for the opportunity to be in the first line there - and it fits us perfectly. Moreover, there are always some really interesting young bands performing there. The perfect choice for broadening your horizons.

¡Vamos Hostias! - 0

This report was originally supposed to be called "La Última Aventura" ("The Last Adventure"), or "La Gira De Despedida" ("The Farewell Tour"). It’s not that in the process of completing the report the hope grew up on me that everything would get better in the near future - but I hardly feel despondent or melancholic, so now I would like to make the title more uplifting. Neither English translation of the word "hostia" comes any close to adequate, so you are free to place anything you like instead of it. "Let's go, bitches!" or "Let's go, cool kids!" – you name it.

GAF Y La Estrella De La Muerte "Pyramids" (p)2023 Foehn/ Keroxen/ Discrepant

They did it again. "The Canarian combo just released an album that bears little resemblance to their previous releases" - the phrase that can be attributed to every Gaf's album. The band never showed any trace of desire to be placed into a certain genre or category or scene but it's apparent that with each subsequent release they try to "try harder" on that way. Every album is a step - or a jump - aside. 

First, "Pyramids" is mostly electronic. At least, its first half.

Second, it's 100% instrumental. Carolina doesn't sing, Mladen doesn't sing. No one says a word.

"Pyramids" was recorded in El Tanque (the former petrol tank 50 m in diameter and 18 m in height converted into art space) during 3 day long improvisational sessions. 

It's two LP album but it contains only 7 tracks. Three are two synth-laden tracks ("Pyramids 1", "Pyramids 4"), a bass-driven kraut piece ("Pyramids 2"), an atonal jazz piece with leading trumpet ("Pyramids 3"), two meaty post-rocky tracks ("Reptylian", "Speed Of Darkness") and a space rock elegy ("Wormhole 74"). Structurally they are sequenced to make the whole picture evolve constantly like a spoonful of mercury splashed onto the surface. Album starts from tiny synth musings, then it grows up to guitar-fueled storm and finally calms down descending slowly to serenity and peace. That's the main course but there are multiple pitch roll and yaw corrections on the way.

Summed up, it's not so mindwrenching as "Garden Island" (the album by GAF's another avatar GAF And The Love Supreme Arkestra recorded in the similar circumstances) but it's still an adventurous experience. The listener's discretion is advised.

BNDCMP 

DOM "Warm" (p)2023 self-released

The first word that comes to mind upon listening to the new release of Domingo Aleman's "household" solo project DOM is 'visceral'. You can almost see how this music pours out of Domingo's body in its own intuitive way. How it paves its way through his skin pores. How it streams through his fingers short-circuiting the guitar strings. How it's pulsating within the drumkit (yes I know the drums are programmed but I'm not speaking of what I know, I'm only speaking of how it feels). 

The tracks are quite repetitive and it's the case when repetition transforms into captivity. That's why the longest tracks are the best here (for me personnally I'd prefer this to be glued together into one 40 minutes long piece without pauses between the tracks). As long as Domingo is not your conventional songwriter with the songs built up on some basic four chord sequences there is no standard verse-chorus structure to be found on this album. So the music just flows around to envelope you with its vibe and to move you to another place full of tribal rhythm, offbeat synths and fluid desert rock guitars.

BNDCMP 

Sonorama Ribera 2023. The Prologue

In a cursory examination of the Sonorama schedule published yesterday it becomes apparent that the Spanish indie music landscape is changed. The chances are it's changed forever. Sonorama always was a rock-oriented event, but now at least 25% of performers are the urban- and trap-related artists. If to include the rock bands than implement the elements of urban styles into their music (Cupido, Jimena Amarillo, etc) the percentage would be even higher narrowly reaching one third of the lineup. What does it mean globally? The trap, reggaeton and other related subgenres are the music of the young. The persons into their forties may still be listening to rock, but the festivals make their living out of the younger people. If you want to follow the future you need to align to the youngsters' tastes. I may not like it but I am not a target market anyway.

Another considerable part of the Sonorama 2023 lineup is the "festival indie". Festival indie is the negatively connoted entity within the music business of Spain. It describes the zillions of the same-sounding rock bands that more or less follow the template of the Big Three (Love Of Lesbian, Izal, Vetusta Morla) casting aside the theatrical grandeur of the former and the genre-bending tendencies of the latter. Briefly, this is the generation of the rock bands more concerned about reaching the festival headliner status than the creative validity and innovation. What does that mean globally? It means that the "burbuja de festivales" (festival balloon, or festival bubble) is not over yet, and the possibility of performing deep in the night and/or seeing your name printed in largest typeface possible is still a ripe target for the young rockers, even if it not necessary entails any substantial commercial success. This ain't necessarily bad but the common lack of imagination within this category is, say, disappointing. The only thing they are as vocal as inventive in is the brief summary in their Spotify profile.

The last thing I'd like to emphasize is the direct consequence of the previous two. There is so little space left for the 'non-aligned' artists or the bands hard to allocate to any distinct category. There was absolitely no issue for me to sellect 10 to 20 "the most interesring smallest font size bands" out of the festival's billboards of the previous editions. This year it's neither 20 nor 10. It's, like, six. Six bands. Dani, 30s40s50, Martina Efedra, Jimena Amarillo, Victorias, Vera Fauna - and even then, none of them I'm 100% assured of, as long as at least three of them are flesh and blood of "indi festivalero". Thank goodness there are some better-known bands in the lineup (Kitai, Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado, León Benavente, L.A.) there's no doubt about.

Am I any depressed based on these reflections? Nope. 

There's one thing that makes me looking forward to these 4,5 days of music and wine (and calimocho as an option). Just imagine: it's 2:00 a.m and you walk from the food court to WCs left of one of the secondary stages. As you walk along to the front side of that stage the sound is reaching you - and then in a matter of a second you are stunned. You forget where you're walking to. You don't mind the late hour as well as your growing fatigue. There's nobody else around you in this world. It's only you - and the band onstage. I'm sure it's gonna happen because it happened to me many times before.

Because it always happens in Sonorama.

The Blog Is Back

The last three years were the silent ones for this tiny little blog. Some time ago I switched to my Russian-speaking Telegram channel https://t.me/rockspain where I’ve been posting regularly (1150+ posts overall) thus making this Blogspot facility kind of unattended. But this doesn’t mean it’s dead, it was never intended to be dead. I really do hope I’ll keep it going until I’m dead. So I’m gonna try to revive it in the closest time taking in mind there is some weighty reason behind this decision.

10 years ago I started this blog upon visiting Sonorama fest for the first time. That event made such an impact upon me I could say it changed my life forever. Since then I had visited Aranda de Duero 7 times more before this annual tradition was cut short by covid-19 pandemic and then by the ongoing war Russia started against Ukraine.

The last year I returned to Aranda having been spent double amount of time and triple amount of money as compared to the years ‘before war’. This year, as the war doesn’t seem to cease in the foreseeable future, it would be most likely my last visit to Sonorama. Taking this into account, I’m gonna spend the next week to the fullest surrendering completely to the music, trying to soak every bit of sunlight, every sound of the live performances up with my skin and my memory. And then, upon returning home, I will post here a string of reports as I did it before hoping this blog would be connecting me over the years to the places I love, to my Spanish friends, to the persons I respect the most.

Later I will try to attend Phe Festival in Canary Islands for the first time. It’s kind of a moot point as of now cos my financial credibility might not be able to bear an additional travel to Tenerife. But hope dies last.