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
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"
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 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"
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"
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.
