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Показаны сообщения с ярлыком El Hombre Bala Records. Показать все сообщения

суббота, 8 августа 2020 г.

Not A Number "A Life Made Of Wood"

 Not A Number "A Life Made Of Wood" (p)2000 El Hombre Bala Records

The ideal emo-rock of the 21st century as it should be if it only skipped its appalling third wave and jumped from Braid, Rainer Maria & "Clarity" straightaway to the fourth one – the rough, spiny and disheveled as a canary pinetree pictured on the disc’s front cover. With greater exposure this band and this album could rival this year's heatseekers like Sorry or Retirement Party on an equal.

BNDCMP


Ajeeb "Toss And Turn"

 Ajeeb "Toss And Turn" (p)2020 El Hombre Bala Records

This album by a Lanzarote-based threesome is the inflammable – and highly enjoyable – alternative rock seasoned with the lesser amounts of psychedelic rock, post-hardcore and alt-metal much in the vein of the British rockers Pulled Away By Horses and a bunch of American bands that single out Husker Du as their main influence. Genre-wise it’s not the most apparent entry for El Hombre Bala's back catalogue – but this imprint never (and when I say ‘never’ I mean exactly ‘never’) submerges below ‘very good’ notch.

BNDCMP


среда, 23 ноября 2016 г.

Best of 2016. Compilations of Foehn & El Hombre Bala

Below you may find the links to the annual compilations of Foehn Records and El Hombre Bala Records. Both labels celebrate their anniversaries this year (15 years and 5 year, respectively), and for the frequent readers of these pages there's no secret these compilations are the delight for your ears.



среда, 24 февраля 2016 г.

Trinidad "Karma"

Trinidad "Karma" (p)2015 El Hombre Bala
The Replacements. Sebadoh in their rawest (more Eric Gaffney and Jake Loewenstein, less Lou Barlow), Zuzu's Petals (the long-forgotten 90's band of Paul Westerberg's ex-wife Laurie Lindeen), Scout Niblett on speed. Lo-fi? No, mostly it's no-fi. Fuck Wavves, fuck Hinds. It's the real spontaniety and the real honesty transmitted to this world through the mind and soul of the real riot grrrl. This album is mindblowingly fucking cool.

The best tracks: Puto Retrasado Emocional De Mierda, Autoengano A Terceros, Love Song #2, El Jardin Del Gatillazo


четверг, 3 декабря 2015 г.

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).

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













вторник, 26 мая 2015 г.

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



LISTEN/BUY

четверг, 12 марта 2015 г.

20 Key Labels of Contemporary Spanish Indie Scene. Part I

A month ago I incidentally came across an article named "13 Labels That Define Spain's Indie Music History". It briefly covered some truly emblematic labels but also the list included the labels that, on my opinion, had pretty limited impact on the scene. So I decided to make my own list of the key labels of Spanish indie rock. Here below is the 1st part of this list (in alphabetical order). 

Acuarela (Madrid) Sr. Chinarro, Migala, Refree
One of the seminal indie labels of 90s and 00s is led by 'the man of many talents' Jesus Llorente. Formerly being responsible for producing such the 'high profile' artists as Sr. Chinarro and Migala, now the label releases the string of less-known musicians like Manu Ferron or A Veces Ciclon while Jesus tries to diversify the activities by releasing the books and creating the comic strips.
One album to listen to: Migala "La Increible Aventura"

Aloud Music (Barcelona) Fira Fem, The Last 3 Lines, Nothink
The relatively young Barcelona-based label with the roster that could make the Pitchfork reviewers tremble - the genre specialization of Aloud lies somewhere in the wide range between [adored by hipsters] electro, nugaze and so-called 'post-everything'. Pitchfork would definitely like many of the albums released by the label.
One album to listen to: Fira Fem "Fira Fem"

BCore Disc (Barcelona) The New Raemon, Betunizer, Eric Fuentes
Arguably the most important Spanish indie label of today. Launched 25 years ago as some kind of Spain's own Dischord and initially being concentrated on punk and hardcore/post-hardcore now BCore includes many stylistically different bands (let's just take four most recent albums by the label: Dulce Pajara de Juventud's "Triumph" is alternative rock with 'wall of sound' and soul music elements, Margarita's self-titled effort is pop-punk, The New Raemon's "Oh, Rompehielos" is singer/songwriter and Jupiter Lion's "Brighter" is electro).
Also the label maintains the enormous list of officially licensed albums from many of the key North American independent labels where you can easily be drown into for hours.
One album to listen to: Betunizer "Gran Veta"

Discos Humeantes (Oviedo) Fabuloso Combo Espectro, SraSrSra, Farniente
The quirky punky uncompromised Asturian label's releases include, for instance, lo-fi/no-fi garage duo SraSrSra, tight punk band Futuro Terror, mentally unstable post-punks Fabuloso Combo Especto, perfect IDM project Farniente. Getting into your hands any given album released by Discos Humeantes you'll never know beforehands what you're up to deal with. And this is not a bug, it's a feature.
One album to listen to: Futuro Terror "Futuro Terror"

El Genio Equivocado (Barcelona) Las Ruinas, Grushenka, Algora
The burgeoning Barcelonian imprint tends to be one of the most interesting labels of the current moment. Celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2015 the label spearheaded by Joan Casulleras and Rafa Piera has the perfect and potentially groundbreaking (at least in terms of indie world) roster that includes such names as Algora, Burrito Panza, Grushenka, Cosmen Adelaida, Como Vivir En El Campo, Hans Laguna, Las Ruinas... Should I tell you more? Probably no.
One album to listen to: Las Ruinas "Toni Bravo"

El Hombre Bala (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) Resonance, El Viejo Astra, Brutalizzed Kids
You may know nothing about Canarian indie scene but it's not because of the scene's poor conditions. Mostly it's because of the geographic remoteness and logistical issues caused by it. It's energetically and financially devastating to move your gear to and from the mainland, so only few bands from Canary Islands are able to do so. But if there is anything to prove the quality (and quantity as well) of the local bands that have limited live access to remote listener it's El Hombre Bala - the label, the bar, the eventplace.
One album to listen to: El Pilar Azul "La Constante Sin Nombre"
Elefant (Madrid) La Bien Querida, Cooper, La Casa Azul
To say "Spanish indie pop" is to mean "Elefant Records" and vice versa. Initially building its notoriety upon the 'donostia pop' phenomenon (Aventuras de Kirlian, Le Mans, etc) in the 1st half of 90s now Elefant remains one of the most notable and the most significant indie labels of Spain... not only Spain, in fact, but of all non-English speaking part of world being responsible for tons and tons of classics released all through these years.
One album to listen to: Family "Un Soplo En El Corazon"

Ernie Producciones (Vigo) Ninos Mutantes, Julio De La Rosa, Igloo
As I have already said it once, the balancing man stamp is the best confirmation of the quality. You can't deny the fact that Ernie Producciones/Records is one of the key indie labels as for Galicia as for Spain as a whole. Just look at these names: Ninos Mutantes, Julio de la Rosa, Igloo, Maryland, Nino Y Pistola, Napoleon Solo, Pasajero, Novedades Carminha, Holywater...It couldn't be any better.
One album to listen to: Igloo "La Transicion De Fase"


Flor Y Nata (Catalunya) Colorado, Lo Nunca Dicho, Carlos Siles
Having such the stylistically diversified bands as Colorado, Karenin, TanStuPids or Copo in the roster, another Catalan imprint Flor Y Nata has no inclination to any particular genre. But while the genre-based philosophy definitely is not one of the label's strenghts, the variety of supply truly is.
One album to listen to: Carlos Siles "Doce Maneras De Esperar El Final"

Foehn (Barcelona) I Am Dive, Oso Leone, Poomse
Led by red-haired Barcelonian Marc Campillo, Foehn Records is the label with distinct and well-shaped philosophy. If you're looking for the pure entertainment, please, walk away. There's nothing to entertain you but there's a lot to make you think over, make you feel deep emotions, make you drop with the raindrops upon the leaves in the hazy forests, make you see the world by the multifacet eye of the dragonfly.
One album to listen to: GAF & The Love Supreme Arkestra


The next part is HERE.

среда, 17 декабря 2014 г.

The post #101. Comps of Foehn Records and El Hombre Bala Records

It's the post #101, so it's something like starting a new life. And I'd like to start this new life with something good for everyone who reads these words.
Two of the best and most innovative labels of Spain - Foehn Records (Barcelona) and El Hombre Bala (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) - have released recently their compilations of the best 2014's tracks of the bands from their rosters. And you can get them for free on the labels' bandcamp pages (see the links below).






Enjoy.


P.S. I think I should make my own compilation right now. Oh, no - no 'right now'. A bit later.

понедельник, 31 марта 2014 г.

Las Resenas Casuales. Velcro "Hojalata"

Velcro "Hojalata" (p)2014 El Hombre Bala Records


I'm more than excited on this one.
As far as I know "Hojalata" is not album in the whole meaning of the word - it's more like collection of songs from early demos and self-edited works which were revised, renewed and re-recorded to the undeniably wonderful results. From the very first track you find yourself trapped into the velvet walls of post-'Cool Britannia' dance rock (does anyone remember Jesus Jones?) mixed with quasi-industrial electro-wave and leftfield electronica. Some may call them 'the Spanish Primal Scream' and it would be not so far from truth but I suppose that the musical pallette of Velcro in comparison with Bobby Gillespie's drug-soaked angst-ridden cynicism-based vehicle (if not counting PS's stylistical fluctuations back and forth from psychedelia to arena rock to electronica over and over again) is even wider.
You may write off a considerable part of admiration which is more than noticeable here on my general adoration of Canarian rock but even if you divide the emotional component of this review by 3 you will nevertheless get the great tunes and catchy choruses and happiness for everyone in the bottom line.

The best tracks: Me Rompe El Alma, Final, Que Va A Hacer?


воскресенье, 23 февраля 2014 г.

Las Resenas Casuales. Letters From Reykjavik "Kalt"

Letters From Reykjavik "Kalt" (p)2012 El Hombre Bala Records


Another rock band from Canary Islands I have got acquainted with right now. Starting from year 2010 this six-piece indie-rock combo was successfully mixing La Habitacion Roja's translucent pop-psychedelia with shoegaze-touched sounds and angular post-punk bass lines in the vein of Galicians Igloo. The detached vocals of the singer Ruben Guisado made me recall at times The National's Matt Berninger, at times Esteban Ruiz from Sevilla-based band The Baltic Sea (another great band that I have to tell about a bit later).
I have found them some time ago through El Hombre Bala Records' bandcamp page and bought an album for just 1 Euro - but started listening only today while having my weekly trip from my native Tula to Moscow. And I was pretty shocked in a good way. This obscure band produced such the powerful music that within the first minute of the first song I came to conclusion that I was listening to the great band (yes, usually I make this kind of decisions pretty quickly). With every subsequent song I was frightened that the band might not be able to maintain the certain level of greatness they'd already approached - but every time my fears were false. It seemed like all six members of the Letters From Reykjavik had enough imagination to apply the amount of creative freedom into the tight structures of a post-punk based pop song. And don't forget about really cool melodies here.

Overall, "Kalt" is the powerful and melodic guitar-driven music that sounds fresh and can make you nod your head to every beat of the drums. Great album with no strings attached. It's so sad that the band finally called it quits last autumn after 4 years spent together.

The best tracks: Broken Fences, Suddenly, Ballad


понедельник, 20 января 2014 г.

A Brief Overview Of The Canarian Rock, Vol. 1

What makes me wonder about the Canarian music scene the most - is that dichotomy between this impression of the enclave of Heaven on Earth which Canary Islands appear in the eyes of the outside beholder, and the gloomy music this place generates. Really, instead of being as merry and sunny as the beaches of Las Americas or Maspalomas the music is mostly dark and inward-looking and unconventionally structured and convoluted as the bound limbs in the forests of Anaga.

San Borondon
This project of another local band Malcortado participant Jorge Miranda plays folksy and at times quirky yet tuneful lo-fi indie-rock. Their music is simple enough to easily attract a listener while having its own roughnesses and angles left unpolished.

Cabeza Borradora
One of the most longstanding musical projects of the Canary Islands, Cabeza Borradora, named after the David Lynch's enigmatic "Eraserhead" movie, appeared from the hot and heavily inclined streets of La Orotava, Tenerife, in 1993 to spread around the sound of Madchester wearing the influences of Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, New Order and Jesus Jones on their sleeves. The band went on to hiatus in 2000 and stayed silent for almost 13 years when returning in the very end of 2012 with the updated line-up, new concerts schedule and new release named "The Jack Nance EP" planned for 2014.

Malaspecto
The idyosynchratic duo focuses on Casiotone-based cartoon-voiced lo-fi techno pop. The band left several years in hiatus but recently returned to making music and released their reedited 2002 album through the local El Hombre Bala imprint in 2013.

Malcortado
This band from Gran Canaria island pays homage to 90's american indie movement playing loud and fresh indie rock in the vein of Superchunk and others of that generation proving that this type of music is not dated. The band only is to record a full lenght.

GAF & la Estrella De La Muerte
Led by Mladen Kurajica, the loose psychedelic and mostly instrumental combo emerged from Santa Cruz de Tenerife. GAF is another Canarian band well-known on the mainland, having 4 LPs in the background - all issued via Barcelona-based Foehn Records - and gigs in such countries as Japan and Mexico. The most recent album, "Sunriser" (p)2013 has received favourable reviews all over Spain. The centerpiece of this record is the gorgeous 20-something minutes long track "Yannakis" which amalgamated almost all basic elements of GAF's music: dreamy pipes and other winds, trippy translucent guitar drones, athmospheric ambient sounds, quasi-ritual drums - all this comes through lightweight first half of the track twisting and coiling up and down to become the armor-crashing wall of sound in second half. And it makes me recalling little-known space rock bands like Poem Rocket or SIANspheric4.

El Pilar Azul
A solo project of Pumuky's current line-up guitarist Adan Zeus. "El Constante Sin Nombre", the debut longplay of the band, reached #14 in my 'Top30 of 2013' list, but now I think that it should have a bit higher ranking - as long as I'm listening to it on an everyday basis. The slow evolving post-rock-oriented music of rare beauty.

Pumuky
Formerly raised from Ycod de los Vinos, Tenerife, this musical vehicle of Jair Ramirez quickly became the most notable band ever emerged from Canarias. Having 'revolving door' cast of musicians in the band (the only constant member of Pumuky besides Jair is his brother Noe) now Pumukies include Adan Zeus from El Pilar AzulDani Benavides (one-time member of El Pilar Azul, who also has the project of his own, LuzFuturo), Acaymo D and Jose A. Lopez from Malcortado.
Working for several initial years with no visible results, Jair had crystallized his music vision which resulted in building up the sound of his own. The first longplay "De Viaje Al Pais De Las Tormentas"  ("From The Travel To The Country Of Thunders") (p) 2006 was somewhat of a halfway to the perfection. The album had minor impact on the music scene but established Pumuky as 'persons of further interest' as well as allowed the band to make new connections within the scene.
The things roughly changed in a good way in 2009 when the second full lenght named "El Bosque En Llamas" ("The Forest In Flames") entered almost all the year-end national music polls, and along with the mainland longstays Vetusta Morla who released their debut LP "Un Dia En El Mundo" that year Pumuky were marked as the biggest national indie-rock sensations.
The next full lenght effort "Plus Ultra" deserved 2 years of working, and when being released it marked the slight change of the musical direction with the band now mostly focusing on dreampop sound.
Two years later the band released an EP "Pumuky Y El Eterno Femenino" for their label Jabalina Musica 'Dedicatessen' series. So now Pumuky is the band of absolutely unique sound - unique not only for Spain but for the worldwide music scene as well. The nation's property, not less.

Saletile
The ambient noise post-rock/krautrock duo from the town of Los Realejos, Tenerife. They have several EPs ("Trilogia Acustica", "Trilogia Noise", "SALE TILE") in back catalogue, all of them are up for free download from their BC page. The interstellar travels-inspired music of Saletile sounds interesting and innovative and seems to be free from the shortcomings which are common for the music of such type - it doesn't put you into that totally drugged-out state of mind.

A sampler of the actual sounds of Canarian scene you can obtain now from the BC page of local label El Hombre Bala Records.