20 Key Labels of Contemporary Spanish Indie Scene. Part II

This is the second part of my quick guide to the key indie labels of Spain. You can read the first part here: Part I

Grabaciones En El Mar (Zaragoza) El Nino Gusano, Bigott, La Costa Brava

The specialization of this Aragonese label is psychedelic indie pop. In 90's the label became famous in close indie world through producing the albums of the cult surrealist psycho pop band El Nino Gusano. When the band splintered onto Tachenko and Muy Poca Gente the label started to produce the latter keeping the close ties with El Nino Gusano's leader Sergio Algora who spearheaded Muy Poca Gente as well as his next band La Costa Brava. Meanwhile, some other noticeable bands like Carrots, Deneuve, and the current main star of the label's roster Bigott were taken onboard. And please don't forget about Josh Rouse.
One Album To Listen To: El Nino Gusano "Circo Luso"

Jabalina Musica (Madrid) Pumuky, Parade, Apenino

At the first glance you may call Jabalina Musica and its director Tanis Abellan 'the Spanish indie pop runners-up' taking in mind that this Madrid-based label has the visible inclination to indie pop - and we all know what label is the champion of the Spanish indie pop. But at the second glance you will notice that the bands under Jabalina's wing mostly are quirkier, darker, rougher, edgier than the ones from Elefant where some bands are the sweet like honey pure pop. Another strength of Jabalina is the ability to produce the fantastic compilations. And at last but not at least - Pumuky are here.
One Album To Listen To: Pumuky "El Bosque En Llamas"

Limbo Starr (Madrid) Tachenko, Ornamento Y Delito, Is

Limbo Starr is definitely not the cockiest label on the Spain's territory but it easily can be compared to any of the top indie labels in terms of average roster quality (if such index ever existed): Abraham Boba, Cuchillo, Reina Republicana, Tachenko, El Mato A Un Policia Motorizado, Is, Modelo de Respuesta Polar... As perfect as it gets.
One Album To Listen To: Is "Istochnikov"

Marxophone (Madrid) Nacho Vegas, Leon Benavente, Ricardo Vicente

More likely the loose association of like-minded musicians than the standard releasing/copyrighting entity within the music industry, Marxophone (the name is somewhat of the cross between Karl Marx and Parlophone) was launched five years ago by Nacho Vegas, Refree and Fernando Alfaro. The core trio gradually became surrounded by L.A., Mucho, Ricardo Vicente and Leon Benavente (the much-lauded band of Nacho Vegas' companions Abraham Boba and Luis Rodriguez) so the current back catalogue of this young imprint consists of 19 high-quality releases from the Spain's high profile indie musicians.
One Album To Listen To: Leon Benavente "Leon Benavente"

Matapadre (Santiago de Compostela) Unicornibot, Disco Las Palmeras!, Guerrera

The local Galician imprint visibly has no plans on conquering the Earth: only ten albums are released to this moment. But there is no weak link in this chain - all these releases are not just good, they're fucking cool. They're earthshaking ang groundbreaking. Some of them are truly great.
One Album To Listen To: Unicornibot "Mambotron"

Mushroom Pillow (Madrid) La Habitacion Roja, Deluxe, El Columpio Asesino

Arguably the most important indie label of those that were born in the new millenium has built the reputation upon releasing the albums of La Habitacion Roja, The Sunday Drivers and Deluxe. Now Mushroom Pillow is prolonging the magic with El Columpio Asesino, Delorean, Triangulo De Amor Bizarro, We Are Standard. And La Habitacion Roja are still there.
One Album To Listen To: La Habitacion Roja "Fue Electrico"

Origami (Madrid) Havalina, Fuckaine, Rufus T. Firefly

Origami was the home for Grises. Origami was the home for Rufus T. Firefly. Origami remains the home for Havalina. For Wilhelm (with or without the dancing animals). For Fuckaine. For me there are enough reasons to take Miguel Goni-led label up in this list.
One Album To Listen To: Havalina "Las Hojas Secas"

Sello Salvaje (Sevilla) Kenedy, Blusa, Soledad Velez

Another five years old label in my list. The brainchild of Alejandro Masferron and David Facenda does not strive for notoriety but delivers some fine music like the intelligent post rock of Blusa (whose last year's effort "Toca Breakbeat, Perro!" was noticed in the rooms of the King of Spain Felipe VI) or slowly drifting from americana to indie rock Valencians Moonflower whose new album "Round Trip" is a killer from the first note to the last.
One Album To Listen To: Blusa "Toca Breakbeat, Perro!"

Sones (Barcelona) Mourn, Manos De Topo, Templeton

Sones successfully unites such the stylistically detached entites as hip/hop avant garde three-piece Delafe Y Las Flores Azules or noisy experimental duo Za! or young riot grrrl newcomers Mourn. One might call it the absence of genre policy - but in this particular case no one would call it a fault.
One Album To Listen To: Mujeres "Soft Gems"

Subterfuge (Madrid) Sexy Sadie, Mercromina, Anni B Sweet

Just like pink elephant calf of Elephant or the balancing trapeze artist of Ernie, the young hipster devil of Subterfige is the perfect confirmation of 100% quality guaranteed. Having selebrated its 25th anniversary a year ago, the label that formerly came to prominence in the middle of 90's with the release of "The Devil Came To Me", the second album of Dover, now feels fine having the renovated roster that includes Joe La Reina, Viento Smith, Vinila Von Bismark, Havoc and tons of other great bands and musicians.
One Album To Listen To: McEnroe "Tu Nunca Moriras"

P.S. While preparing this two-part document I've noticed that some remarkable labels just fell off the plate. To name a few:
Gramaciones Grabofonicas whose releases include the albums from Los Punsetes and Juventud Juche.
Two more Canary Islands-based imprints - Ruin Records and Kalma Records, both are there to explore the experimental sides of music.
Gran Derby with one of my favourite albums of Y2013 - Buena Esperanza's "Pacifica".
Underhill Records, led by two ex-members of Half Foot Outside Hans Kruger and Edu Ugarte.
Astro Discos who recently released the albums of Ninos Mutantes, Australian Blonde and Estereotypo but whose current status is not fully clear for me (they are alive, but do they release any new music as of now?).
The former music shop turned into the label Discos De Kirlian.
Tiny but lovable Andalusians Clifford Records.
The recently mentioned Records del Mundo.
So this list could last and last and last.

Las Resenas Casuales. Blusa "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!"

Blusa "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!" (p)2014 Sello Salvaje

In my high school years I always wanted to start a post-rock band. If I did, my band would be 15 years old to this moment. The guys from Blusa really did. And their post-rock band is almost 15 years old now. Despite such the considerable (for any band) age "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!" is only the sophomore full lenght release this instrumental quartet from Sevilla has brought to life. Accidentally this is the second post-rock album that came into my hands for the last couple of weeks - this is really large numbers for me taking in mind that I was 'cold turkey' with post-rock for... I don't know... 5 years or so. The first ring has rung for me last autumn when I received my order from B-Core Disc and they added a labelmates compilation named "Sound Of Barcelona" as a present for me, and there were a couple of post-rock bands on the list. Listening to it sitting on a passenger seat in the car that my wife Tanya drove I was thinking something like 'What the fuck! I completely don't get it why I so abruptly quit with post-rock! I have to return to it!' And now the Universe tells me the same.

So, returning to the subject... I'm not so familiar with internal sub-trends of the genre and due to this fact I'm not able to classify Blusa to one category or another like any stratification junkie would do. But the only category I'd want to put this band is 'cool things'. The music of Blusa is winding and rhythmically diversified (did I use 'rhythmically diversified' word sequence almost in every review? I should stop doing so) within a song. Also it is far from boring... 

Let's stop for a second - I just recalled why I quit with post-rock: the answer is because it became so common place that I started to find it boring. Sorry for this escapade. Ok, I'm ready to resume to "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!" 

It also has some sharpness that made me feel like this album would sound best in the empty uninhabited houses with rough walls and total absense of soft or fluffy things - it seems like the three-dimensional system of coordinates constructed by the band's rhythm section will fit the non-residential spaces the best. Within this system the guitars are swirling and flowing back and forth and coiling inward in the pre-orgasmic thrill that never rises up to scullcrushing crescendos that made A Place To Bury Strangers or God Is An Astronaut famous but never falls down to disconnected mumbling as well. Despite the sound isn't that thick and rich it doesn't seem like an issue cos Blusa's music is uplifting and driving enough to satisfy the listener without additional grease and glance, and it also has some positive vibe. Summarizing my impression I should admit that I've listened to the album two times in a row - and it was not because the player was cycled and I just missed the moment when the second cycle has started. No, my player was not cycled. I've finished the album and then started it again because this was my intention.

The best tracks: Facenda, Montebello, Acroflecha, Aruba

To listen and/or buy click HERE (Bandcamp)