Las Resenas Casuales. Najwa "Rat Race"

Najwa "Rat Race" (p)2014 WEA Spain

Q: What is the most common thing between guinea pigs and the band Brasilian Girls?
A: Guinea pigs don't relate neither to Guinea nor to pigs.

First of all, this is NOT the dance-pop album. No.

Possibly, Najwa Nimri might think that her previous work "Donde Rugen Los Volcanes" which also has that distinct electronica sound was a bit lifeless. To breathe life into these cold and mechanistic sounds and beats the former actor had teamed up with New York-based electronic duo Brasilian Girls, and started to write songs in English, then went on full frontal on the disc's cover, then made provocative teaser videos, and finally appeared naked on the cover of the magazine. Wait, I forgot that she started singing in English.

The final result, however, doesn't differ much from "Volcanes". Where the new album lacks in nerve in comparison with the predecessor, "Rat Race" considerably exceeds it in accessibility and melodicism - but not to the point where it could be like 'well, "Donde Rugen Los Volcanes" was avant garde IDM and "Rat Race" is europop'. This is the record that seemingly strives to be 'pop', but really it isn't.

So I should declare that Najwa Nimri-Brasilian Girls team has finally created the album which apperas like Madonna's "Confessions On A Dancefloor" for the mentally rich.

And did I say that they made her to start singing in English?

The best tracks: Feed Us, Ballerina Legs, I've Seen that Face Before

Las Canciones Ocasionales. Russian Red, Najwa

In February two of the most recognizable girls in Spanish rock music - Lourdes Hernandez aka Russian Red and Najwa Nimri aka Najwa - are going to release their new albums. And they decided to support the albums with some kind of pretty strange videos.

Los Treinta Principales. #23. Najwa "El Ultimo Primate"

#23. Najwa "El Ultimo Primate" (p)2010 WEA Spain

There is plenty of signs showing that 'girl with guitar/piano/whatever' rock tradition (t)here in Spain is full-blown. Just to name a few renowned female singers: Russian Red, Annie B Sweet, Eva Amaral, Zahara Gordillo Campos and, of course, Christina Rosenvinge, the foremother (and the role model) for the most of the domestic girls in rock.
And I suppose the best example of this sub-scene is neither pure acoustic emotions of Russian Red nor convoluted free-form pop vision of Anni B Sweet.
Najwa Nimri exist somewhere between two worlds neither being promoted to the major league (probably due to unconventionality of her music) nor fully involved in the world of indies (probably due to her successful movie career and following non-abligation to associate herself with any given sub-culture). There is a lot of influences both stylistical and personal - avant-garde guitar drones, trip-hop electronis passages, programmed ritual beats, Cocteau Twins, Shinead O'Connor, Kate Bush - all soldered into one perfect wrecking ball of true perfection slowly coiling down from your mind to your heart. And there is nothing more as frightening as the scary image of the cover art on this beautiful and bewitching album.

The best tracks: Dejame Pasar, Como Un Animal, El Ultimo Primate