5 años. Top5 Most Underrated Albums

The year 2018 marks the 5-year jubilee of this tiny music-related blog. So I'm going to make a string of kinda 'special issues' to celebrate this. The third of them is right here right now, and this time it's dedicated to the albums that appeared in my annual top lists - but on some painfully low positions.

5. Dulce Pajara de Juventud “Triumph” (p)2014 BCore Disc

Appeared in: 31-33 appendix to the main Top30
Now: if the most recent albums of Smashing Pumpkins were sounding like this one I would still love them like hell.
BNDCMP

4. Elena “Concepte Vitrina” (p) 2015 Warner
Appeared in: ‘Honorable Mention’ appendix to Top50 list
Now: the perfectly crafted album of melodic guitar-driven pop that surely deserves more recognition than it ever had.
BNDCMP

3. Ruin Man Band “Paraiso” (p)2014 Ruin Records

Appeared in: 31-33 appendix to the main Top30 list

Now: I return to this strangely attractive mix of acid jazz, primordial blues and proto trip hop more frequently than I could’ve imagined.

BNDCMP

2. Yo, Estratosferico “Potencialmente Infinitos” (p)2016

Appeared in: #30 of Top50 list

Now: through the last couple of years this album and this band grew on to be more than just an album and a band for me.

BNDCMP

1. Hazte Lapon “No Son Tu Marido” (p)2015 El Genio Equivocado

Appeared in: 10x10 section of Top50 list

Now: as simple as it goes, the hidden gem of a nation, one of the best albums ever released in Spain.

BNDCMP

The Best Of 2014. Albums 31 - 33

Dulce Pajara de Juventud "Triumph"

(p)BCore Disc

It seems like they decided to be the Spanish The Spiritualized and started to implement the 'wall of sound' methods and elements of soul music. Sometimes it sounds really great, but overall this album is a bit 'too much' for me.

Ruin Man Band "Paraiso"

(p) Ruin Records

Strange but undeniably pleasing, this record came from Canary islands. Imagine acid jazz mixed with dirty guitars, dancehall chants, funky rhythms and lush (mostly winds) orchestrations - and you'll get an approximate impression of "Paraiso".

Is "El Duelo"

(p)Limbo Starr

Isabel Leon has produced her second effort via Limbo Starr nine years after the first disc "Istochnikov" was put out. It is very beautifully crafted indie pop album. It is delicate, it is cinematic, it is twee.

Lo Mejor del Ano - EPes y mini-albumes/ Best of 2014 - EP's & mini-albums

Before I start revealing my annual Top30 list of the best Spanish albums I'd like to present to you the teaser. So please find below my list of Top10 EP's - in no particular order (with Karen Koltarne as winner anyway):

Karen Koltrane "Plantas De Interior" 
(p)Foehn Records
This is the classic Foehn album - intelligent, warm and thinkful. The say they play synth pop. I'd rather say Karen Koltrane (the name of this four piece only seems to be the name of a single person - and there are no females in the band either) play something like trip-hop for smartasses. The slow motion beats, the melodies that evolve in minutes, the pure electronica and lo-fi ambient. The album was recorded as a pack of demos. But if these songs are demos - what would be their high fidelity?
And as a classic Foehn record - "Plantas de Interior" is a piece of heaven for every vinyl junkie.

El Viejo Astra "Estudio Dos" 
(p)El Hombre Bala
The Canarians El Viejo Astra somehow call this album an EP. I don't know why cos it's 35 minutes long, and there are many albums of shorter lenghts which are long plays. But if they want to call it an EP - let it be. Who am I to argue with the creators? The music here is full of the layers of foggy psychedelia, and it also contains thick analogue noise and timeless melodies galore. The bastard child of ELO and Medicine (or Spacemen 3). 

Kasparov vs Deep Blue "E.P." 
self-released
The band whose name reminds the battle of the greatest Russian chess champion of Azerbaijan origin Garry Kasparov with one of the first chess-trained supercomputers named Deep Blue plays alternative rock that flows from post-rock to post-grunge with Dredg as a main transit hub.
The great guitar sound and depression flowing directly into your blood system. The song "Big Eyes" is one of the best songs of the year.

baden bah! "futuro/a"
self-released
I've already spread my opinion on this cool album HERE

Doctor Lobo "Reiniciar"
self-released
Honestly speaking, I know nothing about this band from Valencia. I have picked this mini album from their bandcamp at random and found it very interesting. Stylistically they have something in common with the band Neuman, I suppose - it seems like they also did not make the final decision on what exact genre to play. But despite the stylistic uncertainty the songs are good, and their singer really can sing.

Nixon "Alter Ego" 
self-released
The music of this a bit psychedelic indie rock band from Almeria can remind you of Second at times.
Nixon exist from 2006 and "Alter Ego" is not their first release (in fact it's second), so the issues of 'the first attempt at writing' are hardly present here - all 6 songs on this EP sound very professionally composed and recorded.

Dulce Pajara de Juventud "Faithful Songs"
(p)BCore Disc
The provocative cover hides only three songs on this EP - but all these tracks are great.
The first "Evelyn Fuck Machine" is a killer hit. The next "Faithful Song" contains at least six non-cycled melodic progressions in the range between noise rock and chamber pop. The closing song "Benjamin" is a calmer track that fits good for the purpose of a classic closing track. The great appetizer before the full lenght.

Apenino "Viravolta"
(p)Jabalina Musica
This is the classic Jabalina Musica release - intelligent, warm and thinkful - but not in the same way as Foehn's classic releases. The project of Marco Maril (who hides himself under Apenino moniker), one of the core artists of Jabalina, delivers the smooth and intimate electronica-based indie pop that fits best for the sad smiles and quiet minutes of the pairs newly in love.

Mi Pequena Radio "Mono"
(p)Audiomatic/Sony ATV/EMI Publishing

Another pack of great songs from David Tabuena. Recording now as a full band, my personal favourites Mi Pequena Radio show the signs of the creative growth and growing ambitions on this tiny EP. Godspeed you, chicos!

Walden Dos "La Distancia Indolora"
self-released
This Madrid-based formation plays music which is obscure, powerful, colourful, loud and melodic. It incorporates the elements of trip hop, old school psychedelia, shoegaze, and krautrock standing in a couple of steps from electro-industrial.