The Best Of 2015. 10x10

In terms of longplays it was some kind of a martyr for me to choose the better albums out of the good ones. I've spent hours and hours after hours writing and re-writing the lists. What you see below is the result of many iterations.
So let's go. The 10th place, ten albums, 10x10.

Los Rusos Hijos De Puta "La Rabia Que Sentimos Es El Amor Que Nos Quitan" (p)self-released Listen/Buy

La Perra De Pavlov "Cronica De Un Movimiento" (p)self-released

AMA "Nada Dos Veces" (p)Jabalina Listen/Buy

Perro "Estudias, Navajas" (p)Miel De Moscas Listen/Buy

Bye Bye Lullaby "Origen" (p)self-released Buy

WANN "We Knew It Was You" (p)self-released Listen

Grushenka "La Insoportable Levedad Del Ser" (p)El Genio Equivocado Listen/Buy

Hazte Lapon "No Son Tu Marido" (p)El Genio Equivocado Listen/Buy

Tulsa "La Calma Chicha" (p)Gran Derby Buy Listen

Vacaciones "Soy Tu Fan" (p)Discos De Kirlian Listen/Buy

• The second effort of Argentinean garage/noise punks Los Rusos Hijos De Puta (how could I discard the band with such the name!?) is less psychotic and more controlled than their "Hola" EP that was released 2 years ago. And their song "Fan" is the one you definitely are to listen to. 
• La Perra De Pavlov seems to me a fake pop band in the best sense of the term "fake pop": actually they make pop music in the vein of Two Door Cinema Club but their rock roots are not fully hidden in the sand. The tracks "Huellas" and "Retratos" are the evidences.
• The tight and moody indie pop of AMA's "Nada Dos Veces" was the constant in my playlist all the year through, and most likely will continue to live in there.
• The Murcian noise popsters Perro have released their best release to-date. Being the longtime fan of such bands as Enon and Skeleton Key as well as of many post-hardcore bands, I can embrace the music of "Estudias, Navajas" pretty easily.
• Bye Bye Lullaby impressed me much by their performance on Sonorama 2015. So I've purchased their album "Origen" in iTunes immediately by return a la casa. There is a couple of the traditionalist country tracks ("Gravedad Cero", for example) on the album, but on the most part of "Origen" the band successfully manages to widen the borders of the genre to make more interesting and diversified music. 
• The members of the post-hardcore duo WANN name the releases of the labels Polyvinyl, Jade Tree, Deep Elm and Dischord amongst their main influences. This means alot to me. The place where the new album "We Knew It Was You" was recorded means to me even more. "Recorded, mixed and mastered in La Caterva Grabaciones (Telde, Gran Canaria) by Jose A. Lopez". Just look in the liner notes of Pumuky's "Justicia Poetica".
• The second longplay of the twee/nugaze quintet Grushenka sounds like the twin brother of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart's debut. Sincerity in every note.
• To name the folk pop duo Hazte Lapon a folk pop duo is the wrong way because Hazte Lapon is some kind of avant garde folk pop duo. In fact the band is beyond all borders and is quite difficult to be categorized. The new album is diversified yet tight music that has folk pop only as a base for planting the strangely attractive with-the-smile-in-the-corner-of-the-mouth compositions above it. 
• Miren Iza was silent for enough time to start to miss her. This year she has returned with the new release, and "La Calma Chicha" is the major step aside from her previous country/folk-based releases. Now her music is the somber inward-looking experimental rock with the leanings to the likes as Marina & The Diamonds or Joanna Newsom. 
• 13 years were gone since the previous effort of twee/indie pop combo Vacaciones. This indie-pop-how-it-should-sound-like album "Soy Tu Fan" was released through the bookstore-turned-record label Discos de Kirlian, and now the band runs the crowdfunding campaign to release it physically as LP.

The Best Of 2015. 11x11, The EP's and mini-albums

My official 'best of 2015' selection starts with the Top11 EP's and mini-albums. Yes, I know that ones of Bala and Axolotes Mexicanos are treated rather as longplays than as EP's - but their running time counts in 20 minutes, so I put them into this category.
Here we have fast and furious sludge metal from two Galician girls (Bala), the thoughtful alternative rock with touches of Pearl Jam and Muse (Paciente Cero), the best Canarian-bred electro rock from Estaretega Pencherjevsky, MINIATURa and K0manec1, the lo-fi covers mini-album by one of the best Spanish singers/songwriters (The New Raemon), the new project of ex-Muy Fellini frontman Juan Maravi (Exnovios), the quiet post-rock in its most intimate form (Paracaidas), the twee-pop-goes-punk trio Axolotes Mexicanos, the perfectly crafted post-hardcore by catalanes Pedro Parque, and the fragile sadcore/slowcore you're not going to shake off  from your head once you have a listen (Jon Koldo L. Salas).

Bala "Human Flesh" (p)Matapadre Buy/Listen

Paciente Cero "Viene" (p)self-released Listen Buy

Estratega Pencherjevsky "Sentinel" (p)self-released Free Download

The New Raemon "El Yeti" (p)BCore Disc Buy/Listen

MINIATURa "Estrategias De Perdicion" (p)El Hombre Bala Buy/Listen

Exnovios "Exnovios" (p)self-released Buy/Listen

Axolotes Mexicanos "Holi <3" (p)Elefant Buy/Listen

Paracaidas "Pensamiento de Paz Durante Un Ataque Aereo" (p)Records Del Mundo Buy/Listen/Free Download

K0manec1 "Retroactiva" (p)El Hombre Bala Buy/Listen

Jon Koldo L. Salas "Tardes de Arena" (p)Miusichole/Ultra-Local Buy/Listen

Pedro Parque "Victoria" (p)self-released  Buy/Listen

The Best Of 2015. Honorable Mention

First of all, I should mention the albums that finally haven't made it into the main 'best of 2015' selection. These are the great albums, and while there are certain reasons that made me to put them aside they deserve to be mentioned anyway.

Nixon "El Ultimo Fuego" (p)self-released

El Lobo En Tu Puerta "Grabaciones Sumergidas 2015" (p)Familia Palmer/Knockturne

Las Ruinas "Siesta Mayor" (p)El Genio Equivocado

Carla Morrison "Amor Supremo" (p)Cosmica

Copiloto "Los Puentes Hundidos" (p)Grabaciones En El Mar

Dover "Complications" (p)Sony

Nudozurdo "Rojo Es Peligro" (p)Everlasting

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

Disco Las Palmeras! "Asfixia" (p)Sonido Muchacho

Spheniscidae "Nuevo Espacio" (p)Animal Iceberg

Automatics "Big Ear" (p)Clifford

El Relevo Aleman "Liberacion" (p)Gran Tigre

Que Bailen Los Demas "El Disco de Que Bailen Los Demas" (p)Discos Del Rollo

Mi Capitan "Drenad El Sena" (p)Music Bus

Harrison Ford Fiesta "Harrison Ford Fiesta" (p)Foehn

Coleccionistas "Coleccionistas" (p)Demian/Gran Sol

Cuello "Trae Tu Cara" (p)BCore Disc

Diego Hdez "Autotrophic Music" (p)Foehn

Alberto Montero "Arco Mediterraneo" (p)BCore Disc

Lupulo "Lupulo" (p)self-released

Ricardo Vicente "Hotel Florida" (p)Cydonia

Wilhelm "How High Lily?" (p)Origami

Za! "Loloismo" (p)Gandula

Tupperwear "Catanga EP" (p)Micromusic

Elena "Concepte Vitrina" (p)Warner

Joaquin Pascual "Una Nueva Psicodelia" (p)Subterfuge

Febrero "Ya!" (p)self-released

Fominder "El Circo Robado" (p)Polar

Las Historias De Una Lagartija "Ahora Que Somos Miticos EP" (p)Animal Iceberg

The Trunks "Bipolar" (p)self-released

The Best Of 2015. A Disclaimer

This situation really needs a disclaimer.

This was a tremendous year. And now it is totally impossible for me to choose my 'classic' Top30 albums out of the great quantities of the perfect examples of what Spanish rock music really is. When I started to summarize the year-end results I discovered that there are at least 96 albums and EP's that, from my point of view, need to be marked out as 'best of 2015'.

So I thought it over and found out the following decision:

- there will be Top10 places,

- the tenth place will contain 10 albums, the ninth place will contain 9 albums and so on up to 1 album in the first place, a winner,

- the certain positions of the albums within the certain place are irrelevant (in other words, the order within the place doesn't matter),

- the best EP's will be put in the separate section as '11x11'.

To prevent the possible misunderstanding of any kind every 'best of 2015' entry will be preceded by the following header:

The black background of the header would emphasize additionally the importance and the weightyness of the 'best of year' selection. 

No kiddin'.

BALA "Human Flesh"

BALA "Human Flesh" (p)2015 Matapadre

The last aqcuisition to-date of the brilliant Galician indie imprint Matapadre is the female duo (Anxela: giutars and vocals, Violeta: drums and vocals) named BALA. 

Oh, really, the girls? TWO girls? Yes, only two girls are punching hard in the rage of fury making this highly energetic and overtly psychotic [yet never dissonant] mixture of grunge and stoner rock. The vocals are mostly the howling chants with the certain words almost undistinguishably drowned in the boiling meltown of the guitar squawk. The pulse of drums beats irregularly yet unceasingly, giving the music the nerve it demands. The tracks are short so the album rushes through your ears just like the fast cold-hearted bullet*.
These chicks are the Babes In Toyland of the post-industrial civilization.
The pure rapture.

* 'bala' means 'bullet' in Spanish

The best tracks: Tripas + Chained, A.S.A.B, Joan Vollmer

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The Bright "Lineas Divisorias"

The Bright "Lineas Divisorias" (p)2015 Subterfuge

14 months ago two of us were standing before the Plaza del Trigo stage waiting for the first full day of Sonorama 2014 to start. Then The Bright - the band I knew nothing about - came onstage and pretty easily made our lives brighter (additionally, after their set I caught them backstage and asked for the photo, and they didn't decline).
On the new album "Lineas Divisorias" (again under Subterfuge wing) Miryam Gutierrez and Anibal Sanchez have done the same trick that Zahara or Russian Red did before them: they have abandoned their former country/folk roots in favor of [at times] loud guitars, [at times] danceable rhythms, [at times] vintage-sounding synths and [almost everywhere] absolutely timeless melodies. These songs might've been written now or 30 years earlier - the only visible difference is just the quality of production (this time arranged by renowned indie mastermind Paco Loco).
Dunno 'bout the lyrics but the music itself provides you with the freshness of the seaside breeze and the spotlessness of young souls. For me the best tracks off the album are the quite moody "El Final Del Amor" and "Tarde", but there is a lot of more lighthearted hymns of youth and beauty - including the first single "Aire" supported by delicate-yet-provocative video - that can add some splashes of bright colours to the grey everyday life.

The best tracks: El Final Del Amor, Tarde, Aire, Visceral

Cuzin "Problemas Epicos"

Cuzin "Problemas Epicos" (p)2015 Gran Tigre

This metropolitan trio includes the members of such the perfect guitar-driven bands as El Relevo Aleman and Buena Esperanza. I wasn't informed about it when I started to listen to "Problemas Epicos" for the first time. In fact, I've learned about the mere existence of the band only via the poster of their mutual concert with my other Y2015 favorites - Monte Del Oso. The pairing of these two bands on the same poster isn't accidental - the bands wear the same aesthetics on their sleeves, and their roots feed from the same soils: the american indie rock of the 90's. While Monte Del Oso lean to pure 90's indie (Sugar, Dinosaur Jr, etc), Cuzin are more about post-hardcore crossed with 2nd wave emo: Jawbox, Fugazi, Braid and the first two records of Jimmy Eat World, you know the names. And they play this kind of music to the mesmerizing results: "Problemas Epicos" is the absolute winner. Crafted with the distinct DIY approach, this album delivers quite minimalistic rock sound with tunes so tight and catchy* that for the fisrt time I hardly can exstract the best tracks here - they're all perfect.

*Please don't forget that when I say 'catchy' I mean "Frame & Canvas" & "Static Prevails" kind of catchy.

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Igloo "IGLØØ2"

Igloo "IGLØØ2" (p)2015 Ernie Producciones

Igloo have done the same trick that Dorian did a month before them: they took a look upon their career with some extracted songs being refaced, rethought and reimagened - and supplemented with one brand new song (the gorgeous "La Reina Ourensana") along with two cover versions - Family's "El Bello Verano" and "Sugar Baby Love" originally by The Rubettes (#1 UK hit single in 1974). With three last tracks as electro remixes ("Todo", "Han Solo" and "Sin Mentiras") the rest of the songs are the quieter, milder and more stripped-down renditions of original versions - I can't say they're acoustic versions, I'd rather say they're 'acousticized' if there'd be the word.
As for Dorian, the songs chosen to appear on this album are not necessarily the best songs of Igloo, and honestly speaking, the 'election algorithm' for me is unclear. But it's not the point because the band managed to achieve something important that probably could not be achieved through the main hits and 'best in career' songs: it feels like Beni Ferreiro and his pals opened the door and let you inside their living room with its warm frendly and soulful atmosphere. Just imagine yourself sitting in some place that is not your home but it feels like home, that's it.

The best tracks: La Reina Ourensana, El Bello Verano, Hada, Han Solo (Rework by David Kano)


ERNIE PRODUCCIONES

Estratega Pencherjevsky "Sentinel"

Estratega Pencherjevsky "Sentinel" (p)2015

Estartega Pencherjevsky is the solo project of Jose J. Martin, one of the components inside the universe of GAF y La Estrella De La Muerte. So what we've got here is the Canarian-bred sci-fi electro rock - the music that derives from old school 70's synth pop experimentators Tangerine Dream ("I Can't Remeber") as well as from the present day Grammy nominees Daft Punk ("Neon Shield"). As eclectic as the 5-song EP can be, "Sentinel" creates and incorporates 8-bit Nintendo sounds on par with Eastern Block cosmic television dramas' soundtracks ("Apocalyptic Rhythm Machine" could work well for some Stanislaw Lem adaptation) to receive the dizzy, foggy and warm soundscapes with the large portion of nostalgia.

The best tracks: The Neon Shield, Sentinel

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Maicalles "DSPRXR"

Maicalles "DSPRXR" (p)2015 self-released

The solo project of Poomse leader Llorenç Rossello delivers the intelligent and slowly evolving kind of lo-fi music that could be represented by the term 'folktronica'. Most of the songs are so suave and quiet that it sounds like they are afraid of breaking the silence and disturbing the homeostasis of the spheres ("Pla B", "Millor", "Civilitzacio", most of others). But sometimes ("Desapareixer", "Sendak") they dare to get more straightforward approach that leads them somewhere into the territories of Lou Barlow's solo work "EMOH".
The album also includes the track named "Bill Callahan" probably intended to showcase one of the main influence for "DSPRXR". As I don't understand Catalan at all I can't tell you if Llorenç addresses directly to Bill in this song or the name of American lo-fi pioneer is just some kind of lyrical allegory.

The best tracks: Desapareixer, Branques Primes, Bill Callahan, Sendak

Maicalles BANDCAMP

Paciente Cero "Viene EP"

Paciente Cero "Viene EP" (p)2015 self-released

My yearlong attraction to Paciente Cero began when I saw the band playing the tiny "Hangar Stage" at Sonorama 2014 with my initial intention to try to catch them for a song or so before Belako main stage set - the intention that had turned completely opposite when I was nailed down to the ground for the full set of Paciente Cero and was able to see Belako onstage only for the final couple of songs.
Their first demo "Dia 1" was a pleasurable set of songs stylistically close to neoprog-influenced alternative rock with Dredg as probably the best reference point. You know those 7-minute long songs with guitars galore and strong pop feel that have enough twists and turns to never appear on pop rock radio stations. Honestly speaking, I've expected "Viene" to be the logical proggression of "Dia 1" ideas - the expectation that has not actually come true.

"Viene" starts with "Llevame" - the track that was also present on demo album. So it is pretty easy to compare two versions of the same song and to make the preliminary conclusion on what was changed in terms of sound. For my ears the new version sounds definitely richer, the production is clean and stark. The vocals of the charismatic frontman Rafa Tunon are shifted to the forefront while the drums are pushed to the background of the final mix. This makes the song to sound relatively lighter as compared to the demo version.
The next track "G&M" sounds like the band invited Mike McCready and Stone Gossard to play in the studio so I can almost hear Eddie Vedder singing the verses.
"Mentiras" is probably the song with the most hit potential here - when Rafa starts to sing the first line of the chorus: "Con las manos vacias..." - my head goes banging spontaneously.
It seems like "Reverso", the track #4, lacks the fresh air around being trapped between two bright and powerful hit songs - the circumstances in which the most complicated track on this EP has no opportunity to blossom.
The final track "Solsticio" starts with Muse-influenced guitar solo (do you remember that one from "Plug In Baby"?) but the evolution of the song has nothing in common with Matt Bellamy-led prog-pop neo-Queen vehicle. This is the second track off "Dia 1" to appear here.

Overall, "Viene" as a whole is a good promise for the future and the good reason to wait for the moment when Paciente Cero are to record their first studio full lenght  - because it would be a killer. The only regret is that two of my favourite songs from "Dia 1" - "Signos Clandestinos" and "Llanto De Acuarela" - weren't chosen to appear on "Viene".

The best tracks: Llevame, Mentiras, Solsticio

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Zahara "Santa"

Zahara "Santa" (p) G.O.Z.Z. Records

The new album of Ubeda native Zahara Gordillo Campos (the musician, the actress, the photo model, and the one of the most beautiful creatures in the world history) is definitely the most diversified one in her back catalogue. If Zahara's previous works more or less followed the female singer/songwriters' classic 'a girl + guitar + small backing band' pattern then "Santa" has a lot of influences in itself that can be extracted and categorized. So I'd say that "Santa" is a plate where "Crash", "Deshielo" and the title track are the upbeat and sparkling rockers paired to pure 80's pop hits "Oh Salvaje" and "Caída Libre" before being mixed in with "Inmaculada Decepcion" and "Donde Habitan Los Monstruos" that are the modern rock songs whose vibe depends more on digital effects and pulsing rhythm than on guitars - and don't forget about acoustic folk pieces "La Gracia" and "El Frio". It's a pure artistic achievent that these seemingly detached elements and details are amalgamated into one solid entity that you can listen to without any feelings of  'there are some parts missing' or 'too much for me' kind.
But what makes this cool album really great is "Bestiario" -  the second disc included into the deluxe edition of "Santa". Consisting of demo tracks as well as the live and acoustic versions, "Bestiario" shows that Zahara's songs are working perfectly even being stripped down to the core and peeled off of any studio production gloss.

The best tracks: Crash, El Deshielo, Santa, Inmaculada Decepcion, Int. Noche, Circulos Concentricos (demo), El Universo (directo)


ZAHARAMANIA, Zahara's official site

Seward "Second Two: Chapter Home"

Seward "Second Two: Chapter Home" (p)2015 Foehn

Enigmatic (no Facebook, no twitter, no other redes sociales) Barcelonian quartet is set to release their third effort. Honestly speaking, I'm not even sure that these four tracks on the Foehn Records' bandcamp page are completing the album in its fullness - two more songs are promised to be presented along with the limited vinyl release of "Second Two: Chapter Home", or I just got it wrong.

This is psycho folk. This is pure 'stream of consciousness' experimental psycho folk alot like the early works of Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear crossed with the sounds of Seward's labelmate Cherry. This music has no borders and frames - strange, uncommon, fractured, overtly theatrical, flowing freely back and forth, leaving you with headache and prescribing the pain reliever in the same time. 

The best track: So To Soon

BUY/LISTEN

Xoel Lopez "Paramales"

Xoel Lopez "Paramales" (p)2015 Esmerarte

The bitter truth about this album is that I don't like it. It's sad to say so about the musician that - unbeknownst to himself - invited me to the world of rock espanol 8 years ago. My soul is crying and my fingers are bleeding over the keypad of my laptop when I type these words here but that's what I really feel like: I don't like "Paramales". I liked "Atlantico", and I can't say that there are lots of changes on the new album being compared to "Atlantico". From the first track "Patagonia" (definitely the best song here) it seems like "Paramales" picks up where "Atlantico" left off. And if the whole album followed the steps of "Patagonia" there would not be any problem. The next song "Yo Solo Queria Que Me Llevaras A Bailar" is also quite pleasurable... and that's the point: the rest of "Paramales" is full of songs that are 'quite pleasurable' at best. That's how I feel it. Maybe I'm not just fine-tuned for it. I appreciate the fact that the album might look great being considered within the context of Spanish roots-folk song tradition (in comparison with any 200 years old song of a seaman leaving his darling so far away it could even be considered 'inventive'), but it's just not the way I'd like Xoel to be considered.

UPDATE: after the multiple auditions the album starts to grow on me. So maybe I will finally fall for it sometimes later.

The best tracks: Patagonia, Yo Solo Queria Que Me Llevaras A Bailar, Caracoles, Almas Del Norte

Axolotes Mexicanos "Holi 3"

Axolotes Mexicanos "Holi <3" (p)2015 Elefant

The debut full lenght of Asturian indie pop trio Axolotes Mexicanos starts with the fast and furious drumming like it is a hardcore/punk act. But as the album goes on the pop sensibilities win over, so the music becomes more aligned to twee pop and - thanks to synths operated by the female vocalist Olaya - to Japanese wing of indie pop music known as 'Shibuya-Key'. Hence it becomes apparent that Elefant Records had no intentions of switching to rough punk scene while releasing this album, and the bands that create such pure pop tracks as "El Basurero" and "Villalpando" and breezy melodies as "Te Miro Mientras Duermes" and "Interestelar" are still its focus of attention. Anyway, the punk roots aren't abandoned completely, and the album comes to end on the same rails where it started with "Hay Una China Que Vive En Mi Piso" which is the short fast and minimalist punk chant. So, for those of you who are into Shonen Knife or Los Fresones Rebeldes this album would be a good fit.

The best tracks: Te Miro Mientras Duermes, Interestelar, El Basurero

Jorganes "Science Was Wrong Before"

Jorganes "Science Was Wrong Before" (p)2015 El Hombre Bala

Can you imagine how many great music acts are there on Canary Islands? A lot of, really. For me it's like there's something special in the atmosphere: all you need is just to wake up, open your eyes, breathe the air - and you're already high on fresh ideas.

"Science Was Wrong Before" is another bright example of Tenerife-bred electronica released by local label El Hombre Bala that stands at the forefront of Canarian indie surge. Juanjo Jorganes masterfully mixes, crosses and pairs 'Chicago school' trance, Ninja Tune-esque electronica-based free jazz, lazy beats and analogue noise to the perfect results. Unlike his pal/labelmate Postman whose strangely attractive abstract/break-core experiments stand in relative contradiction to pop phenomenon, the music of Jorganes showcases enough pop elements to dance along to or at least to nod your head to the beat.

The conclusion is as follows: the beat, the scratch, multiple reminiscences in the range from Leftfield ("Unprotected", "Long Coffee") to Dilated Peoples ("Flames") and a lot of good vibrations inbetween.

The best tracks: Unprotected, Flames, Sun & Sand, Watch



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(lo:muêso) "Hoidên Limother Petity Vefuckêr"

(lo:muêso) "Hoidên Limother Petity Vefuckêr" (p) 2015 Aloud Music

The new effort of (lo:muêso) starts with 11 minutes long "Katazome Falls" where it takes almost 4 minutes to desarrolar from quasi-ambient intro to powerful & melodic shoegaze explosion. The next "Amarillo Mortimer" is compulsive emo/screamo/post-hardcore track that can beat the shit out of anyone who isn't warned. The third track "Black Scissors" contains more than 17 minutes of creepy post-everything guitar noodling replaced by the bursts of A Place To Bury Strangers-like noise. So, how many bands do you know that can start the album with the tracks of 11, 6 and 17 minutes duration? It quickly becomes apparent that the members of this Barcelonian quartet do not want to fetter their creative visions - the compromise is not their aim, and to pleasure the occasional listener isn't one of their commitments.
The album's title consists of the words "hope", "identity", "live" and "motherfucker" mixed to relatively unpronounceable results. The strange creature on the cover also wants to tell you something. Possibly, his words are like these: "Beware! This album is the mindwrenching mixture of post-hardcore, metal and shoegaze. And it's so addictive anyway!" What should I add... the fresh air in the stagnated forests of guitar-driven indie rock can be quite addictive, yes.

The best tracks: Katazome Falls, The Swindle, DeadSeaHorses

BANDCAMP

Presentando La Banda. Fifteen Years Old

Meet Solange Jacobs, the architect.
Under Fifteen Years Old alias this Lima, Peru native/Barcelona inhabitant creates the fragile soundscapes accompanied by the lyrics referring to controversy, self-sacrifice, sex, and politics.

Fifteen Years Old "The Image Lovers" (p)2011
Fifteen Years Old "Abecedario" (p)2015

I'm here to propose the following triangulation to understand what it's like: 1) thin as ice vocal vibrations of Julie Cruise 2) the quieter moments of the provocative tales of Jenny Hval  (or the most adventurous anti-pop excerpts in Bjork's career); 3) 'I-wear-my-heart-on-the-sleeve' artistic approach and short spoken-word excercises of Miranda July.

The first short album "The Image Lovers" is sung in English, and I'd call it more accessible for the 'untrained' ear. The tracks here really are the songs: though they are hardly about the classic 'verse-chorus-verse' template, they have the clear and distinct melodies you can easily be nodding to.

"Abecedario" is far more based on intuition, far more about impromptu feel, and far more minimalist and uncalculated. It feels like these crawling, nervous, fractured hymns of vulnerability, possession and sacrifice sung by Sol's childish vocals draw the pieces of transition from 'girl' to 'woman'. Sol here abandons the cyclic structure of composition completely, leaving the things flow freely from point 'A' to point 'Somewhere not here'. As a part of audiovisual performance act this album would work the best, but even being separated from the visual component it may give you the right impression. There's a certain complaint of the reviewer used when the album is way too long to feel comfortable with: "This could be the greater EP". For "Abecedario" I should declare the opposite: "This could be the greater full lenght" because the music of this kind needs time to embrace you, and now when you are just feeling embraced - all of a sudden, the music stops.

"Performance Poetry, Political Pop, Experimental Pop, Moon Music, and Autobiographical" - these tags Sol uses to describe her own path in music. I consider "moon music" the key one because her music is as trembling and dizzy as the moon shadows are.

Fifteen Years Old on Tumblr
Fifteen Years Old on BANDCAMP
Fifteen Years old on Facebook

Muchas gracias a Sol Jacobs por contactarme y invitarme al mundo de Fifteen Years Old

Diego Hdez "Autotrophic Music"

Diego Hdez "Autotrophic Music" (p)2015 Foehn

The new album of Canarian-born singer/songwriter Diego Hernandez (the participant of folk band Keiko as well as the dub orchestra Pachumba) follows the steps of his first solo record "Small Songs For New Beginnings" (p)2012 also on Foehn. It's a free-form 'stream of consciousness' psycho folk - sometimes dreamy, sometimes noisy, sometimes trippy. Being seemingly unstructured for an unprepared ear, these songs are constructed of tiny sounds (hisses, clicks and cracks, etc) placed here and there using athmosphere as glue. But though the parts are glued by such the fragile (read: unreliable) substance, the music never stands on the verge of falling apart.
There's nothing about 'introversion as amusement'. It's not about amusement at all. It's about thinking, it's about looking inward, it's about pulling together the things that you'd never thought to be pulled together.

The best tracks: Come The Summer, 9 to 5, The Map, Heisenberg

BANDCAMP page

Copiloto "Los Puentes Hundidos"

Copiloto "Los Puentes Hundidos" (p)2015 Grabaciones En El Mar

The fourth full lenght of Zaragozan singer/songwriter Javier Almazan who hides himself under Copiloto moniker is set to release 4 years since his previous effort "El Inicio, El Desencanto Y El Circulo De Confianza" was out. Such the long hiatus usually means a lot of time to think it all over, so there wouldnt't be any surprise if "Los Puentes Hundidos" sounded opposite to his past achievements. Fortunately, if Javier had an intention to start the new life in music with this new record, then apparently he had no plans to erase all his previous career out.
The rocker tracks such as "Crecer Es Matar A Un Nino?" easily resemble the Copiloto's first effort "Defensa Del Artista Que No Existe". In its calmer moments ("Fulminado","No Me Reconozco") the new album sounds comparable to more pop-oriented "El Inicio...". The ghost of Deluxe (mostly of "If Things Were To Go Wrong" era) is floating in the air somewhere behind the right shoulder. The quiet acoustic "Ella Dice" is followed by the stormy "Uno Vs. Mundo Formal" (possibly the loudest track ever recorded by Copiloto - in this moment the ghost of Deluxe takes a step behind being replaced by the vision of the Canadian indie glam superstar Hawksley Workman). The tempo changes like in this particular pair of songs could make you feel like you're on the boat trip rocking on the waves until the synth-based slowburner "El Miedo (II)" marks the end of the journey.
Generally speaking, the sound of "Los Puentes Hundidos" is seemingly less polished, more edgy and psychedelic than on the previous albums - and it's good cos it sounds sincere, and the overall quality of songwriting makes me regret about four-year long absense of any material from this talented and creatively free musician.

The best tracks: Los Puentes Hundidos, Crecer Es Matar A Un Nino?, Uno Vs. El Mundo Formal, Ella Dice

"Los Puentes Hundidos" on Bandcamp