Best of 2016. Honorable mention #1

To put it clear, it was a busy year. I rarely posted to this blog cos for the most of 2016 I was suffereing the writer's block but I never put myself out of the discource. So I spent a lot of time listening to the new records and a lot of money purchasing the new music - both physically and digitally. I've listened to 300+ albums - more than in any previous year. So now I'm not that easy-minded guy who tried to select 30 good records out of overall 55. Now the task is way too complicated.
Initially my aim was to select 50 best albums and say 'enough' but the more I dove into the more I felt like this aim is indistinguishable. There's huge amount of albums that didn't make it to the main Top50 list, but it would be the greatest injustice if their names were not pronounced. Respectively I've corrected the plan and added 40 more albums (that in sum with Top10 EPs and the main Top50 list will give us the amount of 100 albums in total). That's why the 'Honorable Mention' section is so wide this time. I've decided to divide the whole section onto two tiers only to keep the posts readable. There are no certain places within the tier as well as certain differences between the albums from the different tiers. All the albums within the tier are presented in alphabetical order (by band name). So you could presume all these 40 albums are allocated to the place #51.

Atlantic "1976" (p)self-released
BANDCAMP
This band is the other side of one of my last year's favourites - Moonflower. And this incarnation (fronted by Josep Bartual instead of Maria Lopez) is equally great.
*walks around singing along to "...no pueda superarmeee..."*

Amaro Ferreiro "Biologo" (p)A Records
SPOTIFY
Please omit the fact that Amaro's creative abilities are often overshadowed by the stature of his elder brother. The main thing about "Biologo" is that you can listen to these songs without imagining them being sung by Ivan.

Chicharron "Postal" (p)Prenom
BANDCAMP
Very warm and beautiful indie pop/slowcore album by a Galician band. Low and Yo la Tengo influences are on the sleeve.

Como Vivir En El Campo "CVEEC3" (p)El Genio Equivocado
BANDCAMP
The freak folk pop trio is strangely attractive and beautifully quirky as ever.

Delbosque "Interferencias" (p)self-released
BANDCAMP
The burgeoning dreampop/shoegaze wave meets southern psychedelia.

Doctor Lobo "Metodologia" (p)self-released
BANDCAMP
The Valencia indie rock/dreampop quintet fronted by Pablo Naharro makes the big step forward since their 2014's mini album "Reiniciar".
"Mastered by Manuel Cabezali" is the trademark.

Fiera "Aljarafe" (p)Humo
BANDCAMP
The experimental duo from Sevilla makes minimalistic and uncomfortable noise rock/electro that causes dependence in high doses.

Kill Kill "Reacciones A Distancia" (p)Miel De Moscas/Gran Sol
BANDCAMP
The Spanish Black Keys with digital effects.

KUVE "Kuve 3.0" (p)EO! Musica
SPOTIFY
This work reminds me of the last efforts by Zahara and The Bright.

Lecciones De Vuelo "Caza" (p)self-released
BANDCAMP
Lecciones de Vuelo play quite original mix of shoegaze and twee with distinct elements of post punk. For me, some melodic decisions are questionable - but mostly the band is good at what they do.

Los Amantes "Open 24 Hours" (p)Lucinda
BANDCAMP
The new power pop band fronted by Pat Escoin follows the pattern of any other band fronted by Pat Escoin: melody, high voltage energy, 'take no prisoners' approach. The voice of Pat is the national treasury.

Malandromeda "Os Corenta E Oito Nomes Do Inimigo" (p)Matapadre
BANDCAMP
The alternative form of hip hop from Galicia is something like the median of Delafe and Malaspecto.

Matoll "Matoll" (p)Repetidor Disc
BANDCAMP
All I know about Matoll is that they play the 90's indie rock. This album is a good reason to learn more about them.

Noiseed "Almost Human" (p)El Hombre Bala
BANDCAMP
The catchy Canarian-born electro-industrial with aggro elements (mostly in vocals).

Novedades Carminha "Campeones Del Mundo" (p)Ernie Producciones
SPOTIFY
Their best record by far. Been way too simplistic before, now Novedades Carminha have got that cool vibe that makes the heart beating harder.

Odio Paris "Cenizas Y Flores" (p)Mushroom Pillow
SPOTIFY
[At times] the lightweight drums' sound, [at times] beautifully jangling guitars and [at times] thick layers of synths give this record the possibility to cover the vast spectre of genres.

Parade "Demasiado Humano" (p)Jabalina Musica
BANDCAMP
Probably the best Parade album.

Pinocho Detective "La Vida Privada de..." (p)Delia
BANDCAMP
The angles of this record are too rounded to produce really strong emotions, but it's beautiful and pleasant anyway.

Solletico "Erra" (p)self-released
BANDCAMP
The twee/indie/folk pop band from Madrid released the new album pretty quietly, and it came relatively unnoticed. But it's warm and beautiful enough to be the good companion to the glass of whisky and a twist of good grief.

Tucan Morgan "Moon Cabaret Rooms" (p)self-released
BANDCAMP
Read this

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.