Best of 2016. Albums 11-20

I have to speed up the process to finalize it before Christmas. Hurry up, man, hurry up!

Previous entries:
Top50. Albums 21-30
Top50. Albums 31-40
Top50. Albums 41-50
Top10 - EPs and mini albums
Honorable mention #1
Honorable mention #2

20. El Petit De Cal Eril "La força" (p)Bankrobber

BANDCAMP

With the help of his colleagues from Seward and Animic, Joan Pons (one man behind El Petit De Cal Eril moniker) has created the album that is short in timing but large in senses. From Jose Gonzalez/Isasa-esque tiny acoustic renditions to more upbeat tracks with full instrumentation it's easy to fall in love with these songs. Thanks again to iCat.cat radio for getting me acquainted to this band and this album.

19. El Tercer Semestre "33 1/3" (p)Aloud Music

BANDCAMP

Born on a merge of math rock, free jazz and post rock, "33 1/3" is the vessel full of extreme beauty and fascination.

18. Kasparov vs Deep Blue "The Flare" (p)self-released

BANDCAMP

Read this.

17. Big Summer "Trigger" (p)El Genio Equivocado

BANDCAMP

Read this.

16. Monte Del Oso "Existen Moscas Que Se Relajan Durante El Vuelo" (p)Farmway

BANDCAMP

Read this.

15. Leon Benavente "II" (p)Warner

SPOTIFY

Though not being the same sensation as their first longplay, the sophomore album of Leon Benavente is the work of magnificient quality. In equal proportions it is divided onto the cold and angry El Columpio Asesino-like post-punk rockers ("California", "Gloria", etc.) and the melodic bittersweet songs ("La Ribera", "La Vida Errando") but the best results they got when they unite the both ("Aun No Ha Salido El Sol").

14. Viva Belgrado "Ulises" (p)Aloud Music

BANDCAMP

Read this.

13. Las Ruinas "100% Maximum Heavy Pop" (p)El Genio Equivocado

BANDCAMP

I'm not sure this is 100% pop, but if it's really so this pop is 100% heavy. The trio spearheaded by Edu Chirinos (Edu Ruinas) continues their 'an album in a year' run with one more brilliant effort. "100% Maximum Heavy Pop" is one of these records that you may dance to, party to, get drunk to, laugh with, drive in a car with, travel by the train with, or do anything else with (or to).

12. Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna" (p)BCore Disc

BANDCAMP

Read this.

11. Homeless "Solidos Platonicos" (p)self-release

BANDCAMP

The last album to enter the top list (to be honest I kept one blank spot for them till the last moment), Homeless' "Solidos Platonicos" was released the 1st of December, and from the first listen it was clear for me that this album deserves much. The only question was: how much? To find the answer I needed listens number 2 and 3. And then 4. And then in a week I had more listens of "Solidos Platonicos" than most of the albums in a year.
I'm still in love with their previous album "La Ciencia Lo Sabe". The new record differs soundwise (as it incorporates now the elements of the guitar player/producer/sound engineer Juan Antonio Mateos' parallel project The Magic Mor) - but the satisfaction is the same. And it's nice to know that the band doesn't tread the same path over and over again.

Top40 albums of 2016 so far. 9 months report

Three quarters of the year are gone. The summer is gone. The vacation is gone. The creative spark is gone. Even the hope is partly gone. And it's raining out there for hours. But there's always something to keep you going.

40. Edui Bercedo "Historias De Calor" (p)Los 80 Pasan Factura

39. Parade "Demasiado Humano" (p)Jabalina Musica

38. Higinio Orduña "La Cuesta Del Recinto" (p)Discos Imaginarios

37. Nocturnos "Hemos Visto Lobos" (p)self-released

36. Kill Kill "Reacciones A Distancia" (p)Miel de Moscas

35. Stay "The Mean Solar Times" (p)Rock Indiana

34. Fira Fem "Vida Nueva" (p)Subterfuge

33. Postman "Life Can Change In A Moment" (p)Keroxen

32. The Levitants "Coimbra" (p)self-released

31. Apartamentos Acapulco "Justo Y Necesario" (p)Discos Imaginarios

30. Disciplina Atlantico "Disciplina Atlantico" (p)Limbo Starr

29. San Borondon "POP!" (p)self-released

28. Fiera "Aljarafe" (p)Humo

27. Escuelas Pias "Nuevas Degeneraciones" (p)El Genio Equivocado

26. Keep Out "Spicy Mud Cake" (p)self-released

25. The Prussians "Kerala" (p)Green Ufos

24. Biscuit "Biscuit" (p)La Castanya

23. Murciano Total "Enquinias" (p)El Genio Equivocado

22. Delbosque "Interferencias" (p)self-released

21. Retirada! "Victoria Derrota" (p)self-released

20. Bestlife (Under Your Seat) "Invincible Anymore" (p)self-released

19. Cala Vento "Cala Vento" (p)BCore Disc

18. La Habitacion Roja "Sagrado Corazon" (p)Mushroom Pillow

17. Kasparov vs Deep Blue "Flare" (p)self-released

16. El Tercer Semestre "33 1/3" (p)Aloud Music

15. Leon Benavente "2" (p)Warner

14. Monte Del Oso "Existen Moscas Que Se Relajan Durante El Vuelo" (p)Farmway

13. LostTapes "Let's Get Lost" (p)Mushroom Pillow

12. Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna" (p)BCore Disc

11. Big Summer "Trigger" (p)El Genio Equivocado

10. Poomse "This Is How We Fail" (p)Espora

09. Sorry Kate "Haven Hood" (p)Foehn

08. Pasavento "Tuvo Su Momento" (p)self-released

07. Sr. Chinarro "El Progreso" (p)El Segell De Primavera

06. Joan Colomo "Sistema" (p)BCore Disc

05. Trinidad "Karma" (p)El Hombre Bala

04. Viva Belgrado "Ulysses" (p)Aloud Music

03. Berlina "Desertico" (p)Grabaciones A Montones

02. Linda Guilala "Psiconautica" (p) Elefant

01. Viva Suecia "La Fuerza Mayor" (p)Subterfuge

The new list is twice as long as the previous [semi-annual] version. There's a lot of 'old friends' in there (and the leader is still intact), but some newcomers have made it to the top10 in the third quarter. The most unexpected of them is, without a doubt, Pasavento's mini album "Tuvo Su Momento". Produced by the men of many talents Marti Perarnau and Ramiro Nieto the debut release of Madrid-based combo fronted by Ignacio Quintero is the noise pop perfection in the vein of Teenage Funclub and their peers with the beautifully jangling guitars and sublime melodies. Never heard of them before the moment when this album suddenly appeared in one of my friend's Facebook post, but now Pasavento are in the forefront of my 'bands to watch' list. 

Also I should point out "This Is How We Fail", the perfectly crafted new album of Poomse (this time on mallorcan indie label Espora Records). Less dramatic, more Centro-matic - and it seems like to-date this album received more reviews from international reviewers than from local ones. The song that you may find below fucken blows my mind. 

There's still over 60 albums to come out up to the end of the year... A lot of stuff to listen to (and to choose the best from).

Top20 albums of 2016 so far. Half-yearly report

The year is half over, so please find below the semi-annual results according to this blog.

20. Keiko "Within Keiko" (p)El Hombre Bala

19. Yes I M "Bora Bora" (p)Foehn

18. Biscuit "Biscuit" (p)La Castanya

17. Murciano Total "Enquinias" (p)El Genio Equivocado

16. Brian Hunt "Love", "Unlove" (p)self-released

15. Bestlife (Under Your Seat) "Invincible Anymore" (p)self-released

14. Leon Benavente "2" (p)Warner

13. Cala Vento "Cala Vento" (p)BCore Disc

12. Kasparov vs Deep Blue "Flare" (p)self-released

11. Monte Del Oso "Existen Moscas Que Se Relajan Durante El Vuelo" (p)Farmway
10. El Tercer Semestre "33 1/3" (p)Aloud Music

09. LostTapes "Let's Get Lost" (p)Mushroom Pillow

08. Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna" (p)BCore Disc

07. Big Summer "Trigger" (p)El Genio Equivocado

06. Sorry Kate "Haven Hood" (p)Foehn

05. Linda Guilala "Psiconautica" (p) Elefant

04. Joan Colomo "Sistema" (p)BCore Disc

03. Trinidad "Karma" (p)El Hombre Bala

02. Berlina "Desertico" (p)Grabaciones A Montones

01. Viva Suecia "La Fuerza Mayor" (p)Subterfuge

I've never been a massive fan of shoegaze/dreampop movement embracing only pretty limited number of the fish (Slowdive, Ride, Catherine Wheel, early Lilys and Starflyer 59, to name a few) in the vast ocean. But this current top makes me feel like I've always been hiding the pack of Mazzy Star CDs under my pillow, as at least one third of this list can be [more or less directly] allocated to dreampop category. 

Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna"

Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna" (p)2016 BCore Disc

A couple of weeks ago we were sitting on a couch in the hotel room in Barcelona. We were drinking wine and listening to the local radio station iCat.cat via the plasma TV set giving ourselves the rest after daylong walk through the streets of the beautiful city. There was a program called Songhunt on the radio, and there was some band presented in this program. This band caught my attention but I couldn't realize the name so I shazamed a track and discovered that the band's name was Power Burkas. Then I searched for the name in facebook and it was revealed to me that Power Burkas had just released their new album through the BCore Disc label. I was like 'Holy fuck, we've just visited BCore store, we've just visited Ultra-Local record store - I remember this sleeve, I saw this album in both stores! If I only knew, if I only learned of them before!'

The band delivers highly energetic and overtly melodic amalgamation of punk, power pop, hardcore and 1st wave emo. The full-throttle shout-outs ("Potser", "Atzucac" and "20") befriend slower tracks ("Senat", "Gerard Quintana") here along with growndbreaking numbers ("Miracles del Passat", "Pares Fills I Nets"). At their funnier side they remind me of the 90's independent combos such as Camber and Knapsack while at the most hard-punching moments you may recall Melvins or even Fudge Tunnel.

Overall, Power Burkas have managed to absorb the best features of the labelmates Cuello and Nueva Vulcano in adition to fellow countrymen Las Ruinas and Juventud Juche. The first contender to the Banda Revelacion prize of this year.

The best tracks: Sangoneres, Ferralla, La Missio De L'home Es Ser Patro, Miracles Del Passat

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BUY/LISTEN on BCore Disc bandcamp page

Best of 2016. Top10 albums of Q1

The 1st trimester of 2016 is gone, so it's time to prepare the first top list of the year, isn't it?! Exactly! Now, while we're still waiting for the new slabs by Leon Benavente, La Habitacion Roja and Sr. Chinarro, there's enough to embrace apart of them. The new albums of Belako, Triangulo de Amor Bizarro, Full, Miss Caffeina, Grises, Hinds, Love Of Lesbian are already out - and you know what? None of them is in my list!

10. Niño Burbuja "El Futuro No Existe" (p)self released

09. Tucan Morgan "Moon Cabaret Rooms" (p)self-released

08. We Were Heading North "We Were Heading North" (p)El Hombre Bala

07. Odio Paris "Cenizas Y Flores" (p)Mushroom Pillow

06. Parade "Demasiado Humano" (p)Jabalina Musica

05. Kasparov vs Deep Blue "Flare" (p)self released

04. Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna" (p)BCore Disc

03. Sorry Kate "Haven Hood" (p)Foehn

02. Trinidad "Karma" (p)El Hombre Bala

01. Viva Suecia "La Fuerza Mayor" (p)Subterfuge