BCore Disc 30

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the seminal Barcelona-based indie label BCore Disc. Upon learning of this fact I made a rush decision to make the ultimate list of the label's best releases as a means of celebrating. This intention was eating me for months. Initially I intended to use 'an album a year' approach. Then 'ten albums per decade'. Then I tried to make a selection of ideological milestones, as the label broadened the array of 'goods for sale' introducing step by step not only the genres previously missing in its DNA but also the people who would be widely associated with BCore in subsequent years. Then, in contrary, I tried to single out the albums that deviated the most from the label's course. And every time it turned out to be unbearable task cuz, man, we’re talking about 350+ releases! It’s quite significant quantity - even without speaking of the top notch quality of the majority of them. It took a little while for me to listen to the most part of the back catalogue to form the weighed opinion. Before I started this I had thought I was in good terms with the label's legacy. It turned out wrong so it appeared as a path of discoveries all the way through. The final list is the mix of all aforementioned approaches. Please take in mind that one can create a plenty of equally valid lists but whatever list you make it's absolutely impossible to cover the full spectre of BCore's vast cache of jewels.

The one last thing I'd like to say: the times are demanding to frame it into the Spotify playlist but I'm the old-fashioned 'album kind of guy' and I like it the old way because it needs some more than just one song per album to tell you the story. So, this is the list of 30 essential records in their fullness, in chronological order.

Trip Inside "Trip Inside" BC008 (p)1992 listen

Corn Flakes "Tracklist" BC017 (p)1993 listen

Passion Fish "Thank God It's Friday" BC023 (p)1995 listen

Swinepox "TV Shop EP" BC024 (p)1995 listen

Xmilk "Function" BC046 (p)1996 listen

No More Lies "Seeds Of Enthusiasm" BC055 (p)1998 listen

Slang "The Day The Sun Shone Cold EP" BC062 (p)1998 listen

Aina "Aina" BC064 (p)1998 listen

24 Ideas "Discografia Completa" BC075 (p)2000 listen

Zeidun "001" BC077 (p)2000 listen

The Unfinished Sympathy "The Unfinished Sympathy" BC080 (p)2001 listen

Les Philippes "Philharmonic Philanthropy" BC107 (p)2003 listen

Standstill "Standstill" BC113 (p)2004 listen

Delorean "Into The Plateau" BC139 (p)2006 listen

Sibyl Vane "Turismo De Interior" BC142 (p)2006 listen

Madee "L'Antarctica" BC150 (p)2007 listen

Charades "En Ningun Lugar" BC153 (p)2008 listen

The New Raemon "A Propósito De Garfunkel" BC159 (p)2008 listen

La Celula Durmiente "Miente!" BC163 (p)2008 listen

Persona "Dead Make-Up" BC168 (p)2008 listen

Jeremy Enigk "Vale Oso" BC170 (p)2009 listen

Nueva Vulcano "Los Peces De Colores" BC180 (p)2009 listen

Muy Fellini "Muy Fellini" BC182 (p)2009 listen

Vistalegre "Vistalegre" BC193 (p)2010 listen

Betunizer "Gran Veta" BC248 (p)2013 listen

Eric Fuentes "Barcelona" BC255 (p)2013 listen

Bullitt "Sparks" BC273 (p)2015 listen

Cala Vento "Cala Vento" BC285 (p)2016 listen

Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Tarannà" BC286 (p)2016 listen

Aldrin Y Collins "Odisea En El Espacio De Confort" BC334 (p)2018 listen

Wild Animals "Hoax"

Wild Animals "Hoax" (p)2018 BCore Disc/ La Agonia de Vivir/ Pifia Records

The first album of the Madrid-based trio Wild Animals was good, but it was too short and slipped through your years too fast to frame up the face of the band. Now with the amazing “Hoax” it becomes clear that Wild Animals are the missing link (both stylistically and geographically) between Galicia’s Maryland and Catalonia’s Bullitt. Surely these are the good news for those who embrace that subgenre of melodic alternative rock that comes close to pop-punk neither being ideologically true punk nor falling into Blink 182 kind of guitar pop.

BNDCMP

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Diola "Diola"

Diola "Diola" (p)2017 BCore Disc

Built upon the ashes of experimental rock combo Unicornibot (whose last effort "Mambotron" (p)2013 Matapadre) is commonly regarded as a masterpiece), the Pontevedra-based trio diola explores more distinct sounds and more streamlined structures. And if you listen to the album on the run, in the car, or in any other situation where you ain’t fully concentrated on what you’ve been listening to you may think it’s a punk rock record. And, you know, in a certain measure it’s true. But it’s only a part of the truth. In fact it’s a kind of ‘punk plus’ record – it’s a punk rock record the same way the Clockwork Orange’s ‘milk plus’ was the milk. Yeah, of course - but not only the milk. So calling “Diola” punk is the intentional narrowing of the spectrum that cuts most of the sense of it. They are broader than one simple label you may stick to them: they are punk plus the sense of nuance, they are primordial hardcore plus the sense of melody, they are experimental rock plus the sense of humour. Their songs - though quite convoluted with all these quirky changes in dynamics and time signatures - never seem to run out of control.
If you're not familiar with Unicornibot (though it's clearly your fault), you can find the best reference points for diola in the fellow BCore Disc residents Betunizer, Cuello and Power Burkas. So if you like any of them (most probably if you like any of them - you like them all), diola is the new entry for your 'frequently played' tracklist.

The best tracks: Nivel Experto, Charo, Match, La Gozadera

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Fcbk

Top30 albums of 2017 so far. Semi-annual poll

(in alphabetical order)

Aldrin Y Collins "Escuchas" (p)BCore Disc - bandcamp

Arista Fiera "Simetria Par" (p)self-released - bandcamp

Anchord "As A Real Return" (p)Saltamarges/BCore Disc - bandcamp

Black Mirrors "No Colours For Concern" (p)El Hombre Bala - bandcamp
Cala Vento "Fruto Panorama" (p)BCore Disc - bandcamp

Captains "Captains" (p)Jabalina Musica - bandcamp

Clara Plath "Yes, I'm Special" (p)Flor Y Nata - bandcamp

Cosmen Adelaida "Dos Caballos" (p)El Genio Equivocado - bandcamp

Diola "Diola" (p)BCore Disc - bandcamp

Disciplina Atlantico "Gran Oriente" (p)Limbo Starr - spotify

Exquirla "Para Quienes Aun Viven" (p)Superball Music - spotify

Havoc "Amado Lider" (p)Subterfuge - spotify

I Am Dive "Music For The Silent Running" (p)WeAreWolves - bandcamp

Jay "Fuimos Nosotros" (p)Matapadre - bandcamp

Karen Koltrane "Album" (p)Foehn - bandcamp

Les Sueques "Moviment" (p)El Genio Equivocado - bandcamp

Maresme "Golden Coast" (p)Foehn - bandcamp

Me And The Bees "Menos Mal" (p)La Castanya - bandcamp

Niños Mutantes "Diez" (p)Ernie Producciones - official site

Os Bru "Hvala" (p)Indian Runners - bandcamp

Oso Miel Oso "Debut" (p)Discos De Menta - bandcamp
Pau Vallve "Abisme Cavall Hivern Primavera I Tornar" (p)self-released - bandcamp

Ran Ran Ran "L'Hereu" (p)Bankrobber - bandcamp

Rufus T. Firefly "Magnolia" (p)LagoNaranja - bandcamp

Saïm "Accidents" (p)Bubota Discos - bandcamp

Shepherd "Mystic Wave" (p)self-released - bandcamp

Tuya "A War Is Coming" (p)El Rayo Verde - bandcamp

Ultim Cavall "Records De Kyoto" (p)Discos De Kirlian - bandcamp

Vol Menor "Contracorrent A L'Instint" (p)self-released - bandcamp

When Nalda Became Punk "Those Words Broke Our Heart" (p)Discos De Kirlian - bandcamp

Wild Animals "Basements: Music To Fight Hypocrisy"

Wild Animals "Basements: Music To Fight Hypocrisy" (p)2016 BCore Disc in collaboration with multiple labels

It's a punk rock record, and it's a damn good punk rock record. It's fresh, it's melodic, it's driving and cool. It could be easily comparable to the best moments of Descendents or Lagwagon (in their early incarnation, when Joey Cape's modus operandi in songwriting wasn't spoiled yet by the untimely passings of his close friends Derrick Plourde and Tony Sly), so it's the real pleasure to spend 25 minutes of your precious time in the company of these short fast and addictive tracks. 

This album in BCore Disc Bandcamp

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Joan Colomo "Sistema"

Joan Colomo "Sistema" (p)2016 BCore Disc

"Sistema" is the new album of Barcelonian singer/songwriter Joan Colomo (Zeidun, La Celula Durmiente, The Unfinished Sympathy) released via BCore Disc. There are 14 tracks mostly sung in Catalan. The tracks rarely exceed 3 minutes - but the relations either to lo-fi punk or to some kind of 'collection of sketches'-like album are not evident. The album - despite its mostly acoustic core - is quite eclectic (read: diversified and multifaceted). Fortunately, from pure acoustic strumming of "Nada" to tiny indie pop of "Un Nantes Y Un Despues" to pop grandeur "Enmienda A La Totalidad" (my favourite track on the album on par with Josh Rouse-inspired "Sentit Comun") to quiet fingerpicking of "Les Coses" to upbeat power pop of "Nucleo Duro" you won't find any trace of dissociation within this system. Joan sounds absolutely organic and natural in every direction and every land he steps on. Definitely one of the best albums of 2016 so far.

The best tracks: "Enmienda A La Totalidad", "Tristesa", "Les Coses", "Sentit Comu", "Eclipse De Sol"

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Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna"

Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna" (p)2016 BCore Disc

A couple of weeks ago we were sitting on a couch in the hotel room in Barcelona. We were drinking wine and listening to the local radio station iCat.cat via the plasma TV set giving ourselves the rest after daylong walk through the streets of the beautiful city. There was a program called Songhunt on the radio, and there was some band presented in this program. This band caught my attention but I couldn't realize the name so I shazamed a track and discovered that the band's name was Power Burkas. Then I searched for the name in facebook and it was revealed to me that Power Burkas had just released their new album through the BCore Disc label. I was like 'Holy fuck, we've just visited BCore store, we've just visited Ultra-Local record store - I remember this sleeve, I saw this album in both stores! If I only knew, if I only learned of them before!'

The band delivers highly energetic and overtly melodic amalgamation of punk, power pop, hardcore and 1st wave emo. The full-throttle shout-outs ("Potser", "Atzucac" and "20") befriend slower tracks ("Senat", "Gerard Quintana") here along with growndbreaking numbers ("Miracles del Passat", "Pares Fills I Nets"). At their funnier side they remind me of the 90's independent combos such as Camber and Knapsack while at the most hard-punching moments you may recall Melvins or even Fudge Tunnel.

Overall, Power Burkas have managed to absorb the best features of the labelmates Cuello and Nueva Vulcano in adition to fellow countrymen Las Ruinas and Juventud Juche. The first contender to the Banda Revelacion prize of this year.

The best tracks: Sangoneres, Ferralla, La Missio De L'home Es Ser Patro, Miracles Del Passat

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20 Key Labels of Contemporary Spanish Indie Scene. Part I

A month ago I incidentally came across an article named "13 Labels That Define Spain's Indie Music History". It briefly covered some truly emblematic labels but also the list included the labels that, on my opinion, had pretty limited impact on the scene. So I decided to make my own list of the key labels of Spanish indie rock. Here below is the 1st part of this list (in alphabetical order). 

Acuarela (Madrid) Sr. Chinarro, Migala, Refree

One of the seminal indie labels of 90s and 00s is led by 'the man of many talents' Jesus Llorente. Formerly being responsible for producing such the 'high profile' artists as Sr. Chinarro and Migala, now the label releases the string of less-known musicians like Manu Ferron or A Veces Ciclon while Jesus tries to diversify the activities by releasing the books and creating the comic strips.
One album to listen to: Migala "La Increible Aventura"

Aloud Music (Barcelona) Fira Fem, The Last 3 Lines, Nothink

The relatively young Barcelona-based label with the roster that could make the Pitchfork reviewers tremble - the genre specialization of Aloud lies somewhere in the wide range between [adored by hipsters] electro, nugaze and so-called 'post-everything'. Pitchfork would definitely like many of the albums released by the label.
One album to listen to: Fira Fem "Fira Fem"

BCore Disc (Barcelona) The New Raemon, Betunizer, Eric Fuentes

Arguably the most important Spanish indie label of today. Launched 25 years ago as some kind of Spain's own Dischord and initially being concentrated on punk and hardcore/post-hardcore now BCore includes many stylistically different bands (let's just take four most recent albums by the label: Dulce Pajara de Juventud's "Triumph" is alternative rock with 'wall of sound' and soul music elements, Margarita's self-titled effort is pop-punk, The New Raemon's "Oh, Rompehielos" is singer/songwriter and Jupiter Lion's "Brighter" is electro).
Also the label maintains the enormous list of officially licensed albums from many of the key North American independent labels where you can easily be drown into for hours.
One album to listen to: Betunizer "Gran Veta"

Discos Humeantes (Oviedo) Fabuloso Combo Espectro, SraSrSra, Farniente

The quirky punky uncompromised Asturian label's releases include, for instance, lo-fi/no-fi garage duo SraSrSra, tight punk band Futuro Terror, mentally unstable post-punks Fabuloso Combo Especto, perfect IDM project Farniente. Getting into your hands any given album released by Discos Humeantes you'll never know beforehands what you're up to deal with. And this is not a bug, it's a feature.
One album to listen to: Futuro Terror "Futuro Terror"

El Genio Equivocado (Barcelona) Las Ruinas, Grushenka, Algora

The burgeoning Barcelonian imprint tends to be one of the most interesting labels of the current moment. Celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2015 the label spearheaded by Joan Casulleras and Rafa Piera has the perfect and potentially groundbreaking (at least in terms of indie world) roster that includes such names as Algora, Burrito Panza, Grushenka, Cosmen Adelaida, Como Vivir En El Campo, Hans Laguna, Las Ruinas... Should I tell you more? Probably no.
One album to listen to: Las Ruinas "Toni Bravo"

El Hombre Bala (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) Resonance, El Viejo Astra, Brutalizzed Kids

You may know nothing about Canarian indie scene but it's not because of the scene's poor conditions. Mostly it's because of the geographic remoteness and logistical issues caused by it. It's energetically and financially devastating to move your gear to and from the mainland, so only few bands from Canary Islands are able to do so. But if there is anything to prove the quality (and quantity as well) of the local bands that have limited live access to remote listener it's El Hombre Bala - the label, the bar, the eventplace.
One album to listen to: El Pilar Azul "La Constante Sin Nombre"

Elefant (Madrid) La Bien Querida, Cooper, La Casa Azul

To say "Spanish indie pop" is to mean "Elefant Records" and vice versa. Initially building its notoriety upon the 'donostia pop' phenomenon (Aventuras de Kirlian, Le Mans, etc) in the 1st half of 90s now Elefant remains one of the most notable and the most significant indie labels of Spain... not only Spain, in fact, but of all non-English speaking part of world being responsible for tons and tons of classics released all through these years.
One album to listen to: Family "Un Soplo En El Corazon"

Ernie Producciones (Vigo) Ninos Mutantes, Julio De La Rosa, Igloo

As I have already said it once, the balancing man stamp is the best confirmation of the quality. You can't deny the fact that Ernie Producciones/Records is one of the key indie labels as for Galicia as for Spain as a whole. Just look at these names: Ninos Mutantes, Julio de la Rosa, Igloo, Maryland, Nino Y Pistola, Napoleon Solo, Pasajero, Novedades Carminha, Holywater...It couldn't be any better.
One album to listen to: Igloo "La Transicion De Fase"

Flor Y Nata (Catalunya) Colorado, Lo Nunca Dicho, Carlos Siles

Having such the stylistically diversified bands as Colorado, Karenin, TanStuPids or Copo in the roster, another Catalan imprint Flor Y Nata has no inclination to any particular genre. But while the genre-based philosophy definitely is not one of the label's strenghts, the variety of supply truly is.
One album to listen to: Carlos Siles "Doce Maneras De Esperar El Final"

Foehn (Barcelona) I Am Dive, Oso Leone, Poomse

Led by red-haired Barcelonian Marc Campillo, Foehn Records is the label with distinct and well-shaped philosophy. If you're looking for the pure entertainment, please, walk away. There's nothing to entertain you but there's a lot to make you think over, make you feel deep emotions, make you drop with the raindrops upon the leaves in the hazy forests, make you see the world by the multifacet eye of the dragonfly.
One album to listen to: GAF & The Love Supreme Arkestra

The next part is HERE.

Las Resenas Casuales. Dulce Pájara de Juventud "Dulce Pájara de Juventud", "Faithful Songs EP"

Dulce Pajara De Juventud "Dulce Pajara De Juventud" (p)2012 BCore Disc
Dulce Pajara De Juventud "Faithful Songs" (p)2014 BCore Disc

Another band from the brilliant #BCore roster. 

On their 1st full lenght [initially it seems like] these young Barcelonians play driving indie rock in the vein of Superchunk or Sebadoh. From the first glance it might seem to be not so original now in the second decade of 21st century, but their juvenile passion and honest attitude could make you fall for them. The first three songs are (or rather could be) the potential smash hits but then the canvas of the album is somehow torn in pieces by the tracks like segue-like "Nacer 3" or almost speechless "The Fear" or 'Blur-meets-any californian punk' "Junior VS Death". What follows this rather unexpected consequense is another Superchunk-inspired song "Dulce Pajara", and you may think that it rails the album back on the track that was drawn by the initial songs. But this disc is not about obvious decisions, so you'll surely get some surprises until the end.

The new 3-song EP is a bit more experimental in terms of song structures and dynamics (with the latter sometimes travelling somewhere in the fruitful meadows of the post-hardcore rhythmical textures). The lead track "Evelyn Fuck Machine" (I suppose the name of the song should somehow relate to the EP's sardonic cover) is a killer track. The  next "Faithful Songs" consists of the sequence of at least six non-cyclic melodic progressions that combine such the different styles of indie rock as noise or chamber pop. The last song "Benjamin" is a relaxed one but it also contains some twists and turns in itself. Under the bottom line, this EP is a great appetizer. I hope that the sophomore full lenght release of Dulce Pajara De Juventud is underway.

The best tracks:

from "Dulce Pajara De Juventud" - Feel, Gigalove, We'll Fight Them On The Peaches

from "Faithfyl Songs" - Evelyn Fuck Machine

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Las Resenas Casuales. Cuello "Modo Eterno"

Cuello "Modo Eterno" (p)2014 BCore Disc

Cuello have produced the second LP in last two years, the 10 songs of the fast melodic punk rock. Unusually for punk rock, these songs are not of 1.5 - 2 minutes long. The band has the close ties with the avant garde hardcore reformators and labelmates Betunizer, and through some moments you could see this fact clearly: the members of Cuello are experimenting with the rhythms and dynamics sometimes stepping into the convoluted sonic fields of post-hardcore but never falling off the major course. The best track on the album is probably "San Balon" which can remind you of the best moments in the life of Portland, OR band Pond - one of the most harshly underrated bands of the grunge era. But the furious "Tu Fuego De Luces" or simple but catchy "Campeon" could equally challenge this. Finally, I'd like to prevent you from messing the 'melodic punk rock' and 'pop punk rock' terms: "Modo Eterno" is by all means melodic, but it's definitely not pop.

The best tracks: San Balon, Campeon, Tren De Poder, Tu Fuego De Luces

Las Resenas Casuales. Eric Fuentes "Barcelona"

Eric Fuentes "Barcelona" 3CD, (p)2014, BCore Disc

Ex-leader of the renowned alternative band The Unfinished Sympathy Eric Fuentes has done a lot of work. Triple album - can you imagine that? Who's gonna issue triple albums these days? 

To prevent the album from being boring on the same templates repeated for 30+ times over and over again, Eric has chosen the way not to be concentrated on himself. He has invited some friends from the local music community to sing some songs. It was a good idea because these songs that were sung by different singers got the new dimensions and the new characters. The standout track of that kind is by no means the one that is sung by local superhero Ramon Rodriguez who usually goes under the alias The New Raemon, "Disfruta Perdiendo".

Most of the songs are sung in English - much as the back catalogue of The Unfinished Sympathy was. But the best track on the whole album is in Catalan ("Amb L'Algua Al Coll", and I have posted it here in the blog two weeks earlier). The second best track - El Hombre Burbuja-like "Incansable" is not English-languaged as well.

Probably, you can't call "Barcelona" unified cos the songs on the album are pretty much diversified in style. But it's strong feature is that you can feel how Eric simply does what he wants without any convoluted production tricks and martyr-like attemts to give the songs the additional glance. The whole album is not so long overall (~100 min) and it will hardly make you fall into boredom. But you will hardly like every song on it.

The best tracks: Amb L'Algua Al Coll, Incansable, Future Lovesong, Disfruta Perdiendo

BCore Disc

From now on I'm one of the authorized BCore Disc bloggers.
It's cool because they have really nice roster.

Las Canciones Ocasionales. Eric Fuentes "Amb L'Algua Al Coll"

A couple of months ago Eric Fuentes, the ex-leader of the band The Unfinished Sympathy has produced a triple (!) album "Barcelona" via Barcelona-based cult indie label BCore Disc. The song "Amb L'Algua Al Soll" I consider the best song of 2014 so far.