Combray "Ullapool"

Combray "Ullapool" (p)2015 Foehn

Another classic Foehn release. Being as intelligent as intimate and as delicate as warm, the new album of Combray may sound like the wordless twin brother of I Am Dive but it works fine without any comparisons. Built upon the ethereal sound effects over the twinkling guitar arpeggios these six tracks of thoughtful instrumental music will lead you wherever you want (not only mentally but geographically as well, as 'Combray' and 'Ullapool' both are the real European locations), and it's hard not to follow.

The best tracks: Boira, Ullapool

Combray Bandcamp
Foehn Records Bandcamp

Los Rusos Hijos De Puta "La Rabia Que Sentimos Es El Amor Que Nos Quitan"

Los Rusos Hijos De Puta "La Rabia Que Sentimos Es El Amor Que Nos Quitan" (p)2015

How could I miss the band with such the significant name as "The Russian Sons Of A Bitch"? No way!
First I catched them two years ago - just when they released their "Hola" EP supported by the video for the album's most spastic track "Tu Mami" where the frontwoman Luludot Viento convulsed in the sands with her tits naked. The passed years made the positive impact on the band's abilities, and "La Rabia Que Sentimos Es El Amor Que Nos Quitan" is here not only to distress you. If "Hola" was just an invitation then "La Rabia..." is full-fledged tour into the convoluted world of the band. "Going the bad way towards something good" is their motto. It's strange, but somehow it describes correctly all that happens within these 30 minutes of spazz-punk coloured with the bursts of digital noise and occasional male vocals. Like on the previous release, Luludot roars, screams and shrieks like hell but now it seems like everything here has sense. Oddly attractive, this album is not going to be your guilty pleasure but the kind of madness you'd want more.

BANDCAMP

Monte Del Oso "Esto Tiene Que Doler"

Monte Del Oso "Esto Tiene Que Doler" (p)2015 Farmway/Underhill

A supergroup of sorts, the Navarran outfit Monte Del Oso has just prepared the first longplay "Esto Tiene Que Doler". The band consisting of Ion Minde (guitar, vocals), Luis Gomez (bass) and Edu Ugarte (drums) delivers the 90's indie at its finest - while listening to the album you may recall such the good examples of 20 years old independent guitar-driven music vehicles as Built To Spill or Buffalo Tom along with more familiar names like Sonic Youth (of "Dirty" era), Sugar and Dinosaur Jr. Possibly thanks to these reference points you'd get the idea - a lot of guitars, the catchy tunes, the ever-competent and visceral drumming from the former member of Half Foot Outside and Muy Fellini - as well as the owner of Underhill Records - Edu Ugarte. Being fond of old school American indie rock I admired the album starting from its first sounds. And the only thing that makes me sad about "Esto Tiene Que Doler"... oh no, really there's nothing to be sad about because it's clever, it's intense, it's natural, and - what is probably the most important thing - it sounds honest. 

Additionally, for those like me who weren't happy about the apparent dissolution of Muy Fellini, this album can be the good pain reliever.

The best tracks: Esto Tiene Que Doler, Te Ayudare Con Esto, Amigo Fuego, El Estado de Las Cosas

Disco Las Palmeras! - Asfixia

Disco Las Palmeras! - Asfixia (p)2015 Sonido Muchacho

I have been living with the idea of 'rock español as the Next Big Thing' for seven years or so. I'm predicting it in livejournal or facebook posts, in conversations with the friends, right here in this blog as well. All this time I'm scanning the media surface trying to reveal the signs of my prediction come true. So here's the fact: less then a month ago Disco Las Palmeras! performed in Texas on South by Southwest festival (SXSW) - and I have no idea what does it mean. Was this invitation some kind of regular event for SXSW, or America really starts to turn the face to the Next Big Thing as I predicted? I don't know.
This Galician trio plays loud yet melodic rock music with massive guitars and hard-punching drums (and no bass at all). The new album "Asfixia" is their third. The first two efforts - "Nihil Obstrat" and "Ultra" - were released by the local Galician imprint Matapadre (whom I like alot), for the new work the band moved to Madrid-based label Sonido Muchacho.
It's some kind of offtopic, but the first thing I should point out: "Asfixia" has absolutely great cover.
Returning to music, it seems like this bassless band achived the highest limit in terms of guitar parts' density and intensity on their previous effort, so here they tried to diversify the sound to the results surely worth mentioning. While all the tracks of "Ultra" had pretty similar guitar attacks which made the album as a whole sounding denser, thicker and more 'metallic' - here the sound of guitars differs from track to track skipping from abrasive crust of "Tarde Y Mal" through the low-key bulldozer armageddon ("En El Agujero") along with the digital noise ("Elites") to the sharp-shaped explosive lightnings which could make Billy Corgan proud ("Rafagas En Mi Cerebro") and then back to the sandpaper crust ("La Calma"). The great feature of "Asfixia" is that the band managed to avoid the threat of tearing the album's canvas apart by the excessive usage of different tricks and approaches. This shows the band's ability to perform in the different keys without any negative impact on the cohesion of the whole record. So, definitely not the music for everyone, "Asfixia" is another good example of the solid and inventive alternative rock album made by bright and inventive alternative rock band.

The best tracks: Rafagas En Mi Cerebro, En El Agujero, Callate La Boca, El Final Del Circulo

BUY/LISTEN

El Lado Oscuro De La Broca "Beta"

El Lado Oscuro De La Broca "Beta" (p)2015 El Genio Equivocado

Take the icy cold post punk textures as a base. Then add unstoppable drum intensity of 'fast-to-very fast' range. Mix. Shake. Shake well. Add some slices of the detached 'long distance call' vocals. Then open the reservoir with the mixture and pour it over with the earbleeding abrazive guitar swirl. More. More. When you think that it's enough - pour it even more.

Do you remember Glasvegas, this Scottie band that tried to breath life into the body of guitar-driven indie rock also using that endless (but more polished) guitar swirl but was lost in the repetitiveness? Born in Zamora, 'the town of Romanesque art', the quintet El Lado Oscuro De La Broca (this means something like 'The Dark Side Of The Drill') makes Glasvegas sound like a pop band. The noisy hymns like 'Los Lideres Africanos' or [the occasional homage to the notorious Italian midfielder of the 90's] 'Dino Baggio' rush into your room breaking the doors out and then escape through the window leaving you there high and dry.

The best tracks: Los Lideres Africanos, Verdad Lebrel, Dino Baggio, Tropical

Pumuky "Justicia Poetica"

Pumuky "Justicia Poetica" (c)2015 Jabalina Musica

1) Imagine yourself floating into space, all alone, for years, with nobody to talk to. With all the aims lost. If your flight ever had any destination you effectively forgot about it. All you can listen to through the static are the sudden excerpts of old broken broadcasts and strange signals emitted God knows how many years ago from hell knows where. These sounds are your only fellow travellers. Imagine these sounds are the visions.

2) Imagine yourself standing somewhere out where in the night, staring at the fireworks with your ears shut so you can't hear these explosions that induce the perfect trembling pictures in the sky. The pictures are appearing and falling apart without a sound. Imagine these visions are the sounds.

3) Pumuky got brand new album, the fourth one. It took 4 years since "Plus Ultra" was put out to record its successor. 4 long years, it's enough time to apply some changes - especially for such the ever-evolving entity what Pumuky surely is. You probably know that the only constant member of the band to support the helmsman Jair Ramirez is his brother Noe. The rest of the cast differs from album to album - though now it seems like it's the season of stability in the band's life, as the core duo of brothers Ramirez have found the right balance in the company of Adan Zeus (El Pilar Azul) and Daniel Benavides (Luz Futuro). So "Justicia Poetica" was recorded by the same team as was the EP "Pumuky Y El Eterno Femenino" two years ago. Also it is the same team that I catched live on 2013's Sonorama, and the same team that travelled across Mexico last year's spring.

4) The album's first track "Taniyama-Shimura" is the perfect bridge from "Plus Ultra" with its guitars that grow from pulsating arpeggios to shoegaze-infused crescendo, solid drums and echoed vocals. The album's last track "Crash" could be the perfect bridge from "Plus Ultra" as well. But in between these songs we have something that is almost completely different. Starting from the second track "El Senor de las Bestias" the distinct dreampop sound surrenders to the fragile vibrant kraut rock where nothing is stable and nothing is what it seems and where the only constant thing is the deep, the warm, the haunted, the detached voice of Jair guiding you through the labyrinths of his own. Just try to mix the visions (that actually are the sounds) from the p.1 with the sounds (which are visions in fact) from the p.2 and probably you'll get the idea of what "Justicia Poetica" is.

The best tracks: Taniyama-Shimura, El Senor de las Bestias, Teoria de Cuerdas, Suprahombre, Crash

GET THE ALBUM HERE

The interview with Jair in MUZIKALIA

Murciano Total "Quereres Y Dejenes"

Murciano Total "Quereres Y Dejenes" (p)2015 El Genio Equivocado

Murciano Total have released a string of digital singles over the last 4 years, and frequently appeared in the social networks here and there so it sounds almost unbelievable that "Quereres Y Dejenes" is the first full lenght of this duo. Jose Lozano who established the considerable career as the frontman for renowned post-'Cool Britannia' veterans Automatics - as well as for the equally cool band Universal Circus - this time teamed up with his female pal Elena Molina now paves his way through the mellow synth pop meadows. Their travel through the relatively unusual (for me Jose's name was always associated mostly with the rock sound) territories sounds as naive as, I dunno, the early Depeche Mode and as old-school as Human League's "Don't You Want Me" (or even the most pop-oriented excerpts from the legacy of techno demiurges Kraftwerk). But I dare to consider Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark the main influence for the pair of Murcians. Like these new wave pioneers Murciano Total aren't afraid of the live instruments (mostly guitars - and honestly speaking, the tracks that do include guitars are my favourite ones here), and like OMD they have the bent for writing the tunes which are tight and sublime in the same time and everchanging like a ball of quicksilver - but unmistakably catchy.
Another fine entrance to the El Genio Equivocado's back catalogue.

The best tracks: El Espejo, Ventas De Ocasion, La Casa Parisina, Eficacias Y Mentiras, El Castillo de Roman

"Quereres Y Dejenes" on El Genio Equivocado BC

Havalina "Islas De Cemento"

Havalina "Islas De Cemento" (p)2015 Origami

When Ignacio Celma who played bass for Havalina since 2009 decided to quit the band an year ago it made me curious about the band's future because it seemed like Ignacio was the ideal kind of supporter for the Havalina frontman Manuel Cabezali's complicated ideas trapped within the power trio format (the drummer Javier Couceiro remains the second constant of the band's lineup since 2004) with its natural limitations - in the numerous videos like the ones which Havalina made along with Bandalismo or Acordes Urbanos you may see how the guitar player and the bass player interact within the songs to support one another through the songs' unusual structures. But despite my fears the band quickly found the replacement in Jaime Olmedo - and the substitution was so trouble-free that it hardly impacted the band's ability to construct the sound of their own. So, flowing along in the vein of melodic stoner rock - the template the band is mantaining for the last five years - "Islas de Cemento" sounds like the continuation of two previous successful releases ("Las Hojas Secas" and "h"). But it goes that way only until the track #9 starts. 7 minute long "Cementerio de Coches" is by far the heaviest song ever performed by Manu Cabezali and his allies. It steps over the border and walks away from the Kyuss-penned cult classics like "Gardenia" or "Asteroid" into the sad and depressive territory of doom metal. Moreover, this earcrushing machine is followed by the rain - really, the next track is called "Lluvia en el Cementerio de Coches" - almost 9 minute long "La Pared" or "Musica Para Peces"-type of song that rises from relative quietness to the short circuit thunderstorm making these paired compositions the album's logical centerpiece.

Under the bottom line, the good news about "Islas del Cemento" is that the band still moves ahead and finds the place to evolve, as well as to apply new elements to their core sound. Another nice feature of this album is that the tracks "Islas de Cemento" and "Luces" could successfully compete with "Desierto" from "Las Hojas Secas" and "La Antartida Empieza Aqui" from "h" as the catchiest Havalina's songs since Manuel decided to abandon the Smashing Pumpkins-inspired alt-rock in favor of the thick layers of stoner/southern gloomy fog.


"Islas de Cemento" in Origami Records

Grushenka "La Insoportable Levedad Del Ser"

Grushenka "La Insoportable Levedad Del Ser" (p)2015 El Genio Equivocado

If Grushenka sounded like the noisy version of New Order on their first longplay "Tecnicas Subversivas", then on the newest effort "La Insoportable Levedad del Ser" (which means "The Unbearable Lightness of Being") the quintet sounds more like any of that famous C86 cassette inhabitants. Throughout the songs like the title track or "Viaje Lisergico" you can almost see the frontman Xavi being haunted by the spirit of Bob Wratten (The Field Mice/Trembling Blue Stars).

As a massive Trembling Blue Stars fan I can only recommend this album to anyone who's into the quiet and intelligent indie pop/jangle pop with a bit 'who cares'-attention to the drums sound.

The best tracks: Nueva Era Existencial, Nos Encanta Hacerlo Todo Mal, La Procesion Va Por Dentro

To buy/listen: Bandcamp

Les Sueques "Educació Física"

It's only the middle of February but there already are not less than six releases from the burgeoning Barcelonian label El Genio Equivocado. So let's start with Les Sueques.

Les Sueques "Educacio Fisica" (p)2015 El Genio Equivocado

The band consists of three chicks and a guy. They're together for at least 4 years (dunno how much time they spent before releasing their first eponymous EP in 2011), and "Educacio Fisica" is their sophomore LP.
The songs here rarely exceed 3 minutes, and the rhythmical patterns on the most tracks are simplified enough, what - in addition to repetetive lyrics (my hands upon the notebook's keyboard want to use the term "cryptic" - I really feel so but I hardly understand a single word here cos the singer/bass player Blanca sings in Catalan, so I'm not sure) and angular guitar riffs - makes you feel like this band got vibe. It's nothing about some druggy conditions, it's about you got your chin nodding and your feet stomping without your intention to most of the songs.

In fact, for the person who seeks for a singalong the longest two tracks are the best ones here, especially the potential indie hit "I Apologize" - amongst these dadaist minimalist and surrealistic post-punk pieces this song with the catchy chorus is by all means the true gem. But the rest o' the tracks are anyway pleasant and satisfying.

The best tracks: I Apologize, Tot S'havia Acabat, Bromes, Ara Es Aqui

To listen/buy: Bandcamp

Dover "Complications"

Dover "Complications" (p)2015 Sony Music

It seems like it's nice time to return to where you came from. The last year marked the reunions of some remarkable loud rock bands from the nineties: Failure, Molly McGuire, Moist, to name a few. Among the ones who came back under the spotlight from post-death nowhere was the Chicago-based grunge quartet Veruca Salt led by the female singers/guitarists Louise Post and Nina Gordon who once let the personal tensions and complicated love/hate stories kill the band. Almost fifteen years later being fully recuperated, Veruca Salt has put out the new single "The Museum Of Broken Relationships/It's Holy" - two songs that sounded so fat and reach and vital that it was almost unbelievable for the band whose heyday was long forgotten not only by the fanbase but seemingly by the bandmembers themselves. I tell you about the current VS's activities not only because Dover formerly were - and now again are - something like the Spanish blueprint of Veruca Salt (four persons, two girls as a creative core, post-grunge roots). Mostly I tell you that because this entire album sounds like a successor to "Museum Of Broken Relationships" single. "Complications" also sounds fat and reach and natural - so natural it's almost unbelievable for the band whose two last albums (recorded 4.5 and 8.5 years ago) were electro-rock'y ones. Maybe it's reissue of Dover's breakthrough album "Devil Came To Me" (now under "Dover Came To Me" name) in 2013 and it's promotional tour what made Christina and Amparo feel like it's time to unleash their rock beast again.
Now here they are - the reinvented version of Dover. Honestly speaking, even the best releases of the band contained the tracks that could be considered mediocre. Arguably, "Complications" is the first album of the band that follows the 'all killer no filler' template. I suppose it's the right turn in the right time. 

The best tracks: Mystified, Like A Man, Too Late, Building A Fire

Los Bonsais "Nordeste"

Los Bonsais "Nordeste" (p)2015 Elefant

10 songs in 18 minutes. 18 minutes between the very beginning of 90's and the time that we live in right now. 18 minutes between twee and nugaze. Between pop and noise. Between Heavenly and Best Coast. Very simple music with very catchy tunes. If I was a Pitchfork reviewer I'd write a novel-like load of words which would juxtapose the narcissism of a writer with the lack of understanding what he'd speak about. But here you can simply say: 'A classic Elefant Records release' - and all is clear about it.

The best tracks: It makes no sense to name the exact best tracks on this album because it won't take a lot of time to listen to them all

Presentando las Bandas de... Records del Mundo label

Last Thursday night was a busy time for me because I was contacted by three labels in a row. I will tell about the latest releases of El Genio Equivocado and El Hombre Bala a bit later (maybe tomorrow), and now I'm going to make a short review of the tiny Madrid-based indie label Records del Mundo.

This label was created by a group of like-minded persons as a music-producing vehicle for three bands only. If you look at the lineup of these bands you'll find the common names - and these names are the core of the label. The key band of RDM is Atencion Tsunami. Frankly speaking, the label is built up around this band. The band formerly appeared on the Spanish indie scene as Healthcontrol in the beginning of 2000's and released its first longplay as Atencion Tsunami ("El Lejano Oyente") in 2009 under Estoescasa! imprint. Stylistically Atencion Tsunami made a junction of such the different music genres as post-'new rock revolution' indie rock and post rock. But time went on, the visions and horizons of the band members widened - so, the other two bands Incendios and Paracaidas have appeared.
Despite the similarities in lineups the music the bands are making is different enough. While Atencion Tsunami stays mostly on the 'space rock arrangements over the indie rock rhythmical textures' railway, Incendios make even more post rock-inclined music, and Paracaidas with their lush yet tight slowcore is the most quiet band of the three.
There are some points I should emphasize. The first is the genrebending music of all three bands is equally intelligent and innovative. The second is Records Del Mundo are the soul brothers of Barcelonian prominent indie label Foehn Records whose bands explore mostly the same moods and touch mostly the same strings of the soul (it's absolutely no surprise that Miguel Bellas, the spokesperson of the label as well as the member of all three bands, is also the participant in last year's fantastic Karen Koltrane EP).

Paracaidas "Pensamiento De Paz Durante Un Ataque Aereo" (p)2015
The freshest one of the three. It presents the sadcore/slowcore basis surrounded with the elegant electronica and weightless guitar arpeggios. The album consists of five songs and one minute-long excerpt from the emotional speech of somebody called Neil. Sometimes the music goes into the habitual territories of guitar-drenched post rock world like in "Pegamento" or in the final part of "Rompehielos" but mostly it is very quiet and intimate music. Very beautiful album with "Pegamento" and "Sans Soleil" as the standout tracks.

Atencion Tsunami "Que Le Corten La Cabeza" (p)2014
As a person who listened to the first album of Atencion Tsunami pretty frequently once, I feel myself absolutely comfortably within the frames of the band's artistical template being kicked and tossed by the rhythm section while having the bird's wing-like guitars floating around my head.
Mixed by Havalina's Manuel Cabezali, "Que Le Corten La Cabeza" sounds warmer and smoother (and apparently more mature) than its predecessor "El Lejano Oyente". The loudest moments of the album remind me of Nudozurdo, another spaceward-looking band from Madrid. The quiet moments (like the song "Cables", for example) are pretty close to Paracaidas. If this album could come to my hands a couple of months earlier it would make it to my TOP30 year-end list without any doubt.

Incendios "Un Cuerpo Humano" (p)2013
But the most shocking [in the good meaning of the term] is this 6-song album. I can't find much words about it except those: it is absolutely fantastic from the moment when the music starts to the moment when it stops. It's the 30-minutes long masterpiece that simultaneously holds your heart tight by one hand and tenderly pats your head by another.

Official RDM site

TIENDA

Muchisimas gracias a Miguel Bellas por contactarme y invitarme al mundo perfecto de Records Del Mundo.

Alborotador Gomasio "Los Excesos de los Niños"

Alborotador Gomasio "Los Excesos de los Niños" (p)2015 Limbo Starr

One of the first albums of the year, this melodic punk/noise pop effort is the sophomore [official] release of Alborotador Gomasio, now under Limbo Starr wing. You know, it's a cool record. For me as a fan of Maryland this is really cool record cos there are so much similarities in stylistics between the bands - except for the moments when the tousled jangle-pop is prevailing over the cohesive and massive guitar pop/punk attacks. Anyway, the juvenile and potential one, this album is brimming with melodies, and most of the songs most likely will stuck in your head for days and weeks.
The provocative video for the first single "Los Residuos de la Sociedad" contains the visual resemblances of such the emblematic female protesting acts as Pussy Riot (Russia, the coloured balaclavas) and FEMEN (Ukraine, the writings on naked tits).

The best tracks: 14, Si Te Matas, Los Excesos de los Ninos, Los Rastros de Nacho

Breis "14 Pla de Palau"

Breis "14 Pla de Palau" (p)2015 Sweet Song

"The way was nothing more than an illusion..."

(c) Breis "El Camino"

This is the fourth album of Manolo Breis released four last years in a row - and the eighth overall. With such the considerable artistic background, the Murcian singer/songwriter returns with his most complex work to date.

The album starts with more than six minutes long "Olfato, Tacto y Gusto", a song that showcases the whole album the best with its dark mood, the changes in tempo, the internal suspense and the thick layers of synths. The song structures are visibly more convoluted here than on the previous efforts. The arrangements as well are the lushest in Breis' history. With the heavy use of vintage sounding keyboards, the influence of 70's pop progressive acts (Procol Harum is probably the first name that comes to mind) is one of the major dominants in "14 Pla de Palau" sound. Taking into account the fragile voice of Manolo, at times the album sounds pretty similar in tone and structure with the final Elliott Smith's release "From A Basement On The Hill" - like if Elliott wanted to record it as a "soft progressive"/art rock album.

In the release notes Manolo Breis says that "14 Pla de Palau" is the closing part of the three album concept that started with "Invisibles" two years ago. So, the new album is the perfect logical successor of "Invisibles" and "Verna" not only proving the musician's ability to progress with every subsequent release but also making him one of the Spainish indie rock's best kept secrets.

The best tracks: Si Pudiera, Contigo Que Sin Ti, Olfato, Tacto Y Gusto, 5 de Mayo, El Camino

14 Pla de Palau in Bandcamp - you can download the album for free.

The 1st post of the year

Upon my return from 'dolce vita' of the holidays to the zombie-like cold hands of reality I must admit one important thing: the impact of the ruining Russian financial/economic system on the everyday life of one given Spanish rock lover is drastic - and is going to be more and more drastic during the newborn 2015. Gone are the generous crowdfunding donates and vinyl LP purchases - the only acceptable kind of the music purchase for me now is iTunes. Also, the growth (almost by 50% to middle-2014 indices as of now) of Rouble/Euro exchange rate kills all my intentions to attend more festivals in Spain this year (I'm forced to say farewell to PortAmerica, ContemPOPranea and Keroxen) - it all would be too expensive in roubles equivalence with my salary blocked on its current level. The alienation of Russia also has the psychological effect - for me as a person who always has pro-European vision it's painful enough to live within the society whose most part openly hates the ones like me. If the common proverb says that politics is dirt, then contemporary Russian politics is the pure shit. So, taking in mind the aforementioned, I should try harder to find something good in what the new year may propose to me.

Anyway, the 2015 has much to offer.

AMA, Pasajero, Alborotador Gomasio, Havalina, The New Raemon, McEnroe, Grushenka, Anni B Sweet, Dover, Dorian, Pumuky, Xoel Lopez - they're all going to release new albums this year. So it's gonna be the fantastic year in terms of amounts of the great new music.

The new cartel of Sonorama shows the first part of the bands confirmed - with Newman, Marlango, Zahara, Mucho, Supersubmarina, Xoel Lopez and the newly re-born Mercromina amongst them. So it's gonna be the great new edition of Sonorama.

And in addition I have the plans to undertake some 'rock espanol'-connected activities which would [probably] make me short of money and [most likely] never occur - but my hopes are high so I should keep my fingers crossed and my mouth shut.

Just look at the Sonorama poster - it's so cool, isn't it?

Some new songs to catch your attention: the pseudo chamber detective story of Anni B Sweet...


and Dover's foray into the territory of Veruca Salt: