The Best Of 2015. The One And Only #1

See also:

11x11 (EP's and mini albums)

10x10

9x9

8x8

7x7

6x6

5x5

4x4

3x3
2x2

With this last post of the year I'm going to tell you what album is on the top of the list. I could make some kind of secret, or a prank ("Hey! It's PXXR GVNG!!!") out of it, but it's apparent that the best album in Spanish rock music this year is Pumuky's "Justicia Poetica". According to this blog, it was on the very top since the day it was presented to public, and nothing in this world could put it down.

Pumuky "Justicia Poetica" (p)2015 Jabalina Musica Listen/Buy

The Best Of 2015. Editor's Pick

See also:

11x11 (EP's and mini albums)

10x10

9x9

8x8

7x7

6x6

5x5

4x4

3x3
2x2

Dorian "Diez Anos Y Un Dia" (p)I*M Records Buy Listen
Igloo "Igløø2" (p)Ernie Producciones Listen/Buy

Before the name of the one and only best album of the year 2015 is revealed I should declare two more albums that really made my year. In fact, for me and my small family these are the most played albums at home or in our car (or in a car rented while travelling by Spain). It is my decision to put them in the separate category as the songs they contain (mostly) aren't new. But these are not the compilations in the pure sense of the term because every old song is rethought, remade and refaced. In other words, both bands made some kind of the cover versions of their own songs in a way which was apparently different to these bands' modi operandi.  So I have no idea how to treat these albums in terms of categorization.
Anyway, this is not the most important thing about "Diez Anos Y Un Dia" and "Igløø2". The main thing is that Igloo and Dorian sound absolutely natural in the new found formats and it gives an additional dimension to their art. Which means that if they were already three-dimensional before this, then now they are the tesseracts.

The Best Of 2015. 2x2

See also:

11x11 (EP's and mini albums)

10x10

9x9

8x8

7x7

6x6

5x5

4x4

3x3

Cuzin "Problemas Epicos" (p)Gran Tigre Listen/Buy
Incendios "Las Sillas Voladoras" (p)Records Del Mundo Listen/Buy

This could be the top list of any Deep Elm Records junkie - a post-hardcore album and a post-rockily cinematic shoegaze album. The DIY-aesthetics and the massive sonic grandeur. Two monolith records you'd better not miss, because if you miss them - your year 2015 wouldn't be full. Just imagine you've spent the whole September in a coma.

The Best Of 2015. 3x3

See also:
11x11 (EP's and mini albums)
10x10
9x9
8x8
7x7
6x6
5x5
4x4

Anni B Sweet "Chasing Illusions" (p)Subterfuge Buy

Zahara "Santa" (p)G.O.Z.Z. Listen/Buy

The Bright "Lineas Divisorias" (p)Subterfuge Buy

Is it a coincidence or a new trend? When Russian Red released her "Agent Copper" last year turning her face from mostly acoustic singer/songwriter folk to the vintage pop wrapped up in all these 70's sounds and the smoke of Nancy Sinatra's cigarettes - did any green light flash out somewhere as a sign? Or some ribbon was cut?
The three presented albums are standing in a line with "Agent Cooper", and, fortunately, still it doesn't look like a fashion trend because though these albums are pretty close in aesthetics, in details there are less similarities than differencies. The one thing is common anyway - these are the works of true beauty and overwhelming perfection.
One more common thing is that Ana Lopez, Zahara Gordillo Campos and the duo of Miryam Gutierrez and Anibal Sanchez considerably shifted their stylistic approach with the new albums. But what I'm really trying to say is that this shift means something more than a course correction or just the three great albums at a time. I mean, globally speaking, there is a larger sense to that: right now, right before our eyes something is happening - and it's the birth of Divas.

The Best Of 2015. 4x4

See also:
11x11 (EP's and mini albums)
10x10
9x9
8x8
7x7
6x6
5x5

Monte Del Oso "Esto Tiene Que Doler" (p)Farmway Listen/Buy

Los Ultimos Banistas "Expedicion" (p)Son Buenos Listen/Buy

Homeless "La Ciencia Lo Sabe" (p)Discos Del Rollo Listen/Buy
Clara Plath "Grand Battement" (p)RockCD Listen/Buy

Climbing higher and higher up the podium now I'm getting close to the pack of albums that surprised me the most. 12 months ago I wasn't learned about these 4 bands. Moreover, I had no idea about these 4 labels these bands were on.
Being nothing more just a devoted listener and music fan the main thing I like about music is when you suddenly get astonished by what you're listening to in this particular moment of time. I'm constantly seeking for the surprise, and when I got it from any certain song it makes the strongest emotion, it makes me shiver, it makes me go goosebumps, it gives me these good vibrations much talked about. So the most important thing I feel about these albums is that each of them - be it the true 90's indie rock (Monte Del Oso) or psychedelic pop brilliance (Los Ultimos Banistas), be it noise pop in its catchiest form (Homeless) or female-fronted guitar-driven rock charged with both emotion and sexuality (Clara Plath) - became a great astonishment for me. I hope they'll be the same for you.

The Best Of 2015. 5x5

See also:
11x11 (EP's and mini albums)
10x10
9x9
8x8
7x7
6x6

La Maravillosa Orquesta Del Alcohol "La Primavera Del Invierno" (p)Mus Listen/Buy
Breis "14 Pla De Palau" (p)Sweet Song Free Download

Nino De Elche "Voces Del Extremo" (p)Telegrama Free Download

Reina Republicana "El Despertar" (p)Limbo Starr Buy Listen

Combray "Ullapool" (p)Foehn Listen/Buy

• I've never supported the idea of European bluegrass at all, but look now at Mumford & Sons who abandoned their bluegrass roots on their new album almost completely. They became one more band of 'quite interesting but nothing special' kind while La Maravillosa Orquesta del Alcohol just took a couple o' steps aside - but not outside - on "La Primavera Del Invierno" to the perfect results.
• To start the year with the new album of Manolo Breis becomes a good tradition. To start the year with the album such good should be the best tradition ever.
• The most unexpected cut in my top list. Built around the merger of spoken-word, flamenco and quirky noise pop the music of Nino De Elche is disturbing, invigorating, soul-scratching and irritating al in the same time. An adventurous but fascinating listening.
• The second longplay of Reina Republicana, a Pamplona-based duet of Israel Medina (Half Foot Outside) & Maite Rodriguez, is going to make absolutely happy those who are fond of such bands as Stereolab, Lush, Film School, Electrelane and, first of all, Broadcast. Just put your headphones on and give yourself a controlled dive into the dreampop soundscapes led by the voice of Maite.
• I consider "Ullapool" the best electronic release of the year. 6 perfect tracks of the masterfully crafted sound born in complexity, intelligence, tranquillity and cinematically visualized depths.

The Best Of 2015. 6x6

The occasional sickness provides me with the chance to speed up the process somehow. So, only in a day from the previous entry please find below the next one.

See also:
11x11 (EP's and mini albums)
10x10
9x9
8x8
7x7

El Lado Oscuro De La Broca "Beta" (p)El Genio Equivocado Listen/Buy

Second "Viaje Iniciatico" (p)Hook Listen/Buy

Belize "Belize" (p)Warner Listen

Detergente Liquido "Ponte Lo Peor. Llamame El Lunes" (p)Discos del Rollo Listen/Buy

Izal "Copacabana" (p)Hook

Maicalles "DSPRXR" (p)self-released Listen/Buy

• The most fierce and furious shoegaze album this side of A Place To Bury Strangers' "Exploding Head". Once you dive into it you wouldn't get up for air again until the music stops.
• Fortunately, Second have returned to what they can do best. Recorded and released via the massive crowdfunding campaign (the band has set a new record for the French crowdfunding platform MyMajorCompany reaching the 15000 Eur limit literally in hours) "Viaje Iniciatico" visibly abandons "2502"'s straight-forward dance rock approach turning out the well-balanced album where intelligent electronica warmly befriends the new bettersweet mid-tempo hymns "Nivel Inexperto" and "Lo Unico". And I'm proud of the fact that somewhere in the liner notes to this album there's my name too.
• One of the main entries to this year's 'Breakhrough' category - the juvenile Pamplona-based sextet Belize delivers the breezy sunshine pop with the touches of indie rock, lounge and acid jazz. The best choice to give rest to ears after El Lado Oscuro De La Broca or Disco Las Palmeras! 
• As honest as sarcastic (just look at the song titles and you'll find something like "Everything Is As Fantastic As A Drugstore Poster"), the music of Detergente Liquido is a bug gulp of the fresh Atlantic air (the band is from Cadiz that looks like a perfect place to soak yourself in the fresh Atlantic air) tasting like pre-Cool Britannia jangle pop along with slight twee notes in the aftertaste.
• In fact there's some kind of duality about "Copacabana". In one hand, Izal as a band has reached the level of masterfulness and internal chemistry where everything is possible and you can do every trick you intend to do. In other hand, apart from a couple of tracks (most notably "En Aire Y Hueso" and "Oro Y Humo") the songs are sounding less complicated than those on two previous longplays. By structure some songs here are closer rather to "Teletransporte EP" than to "Agujeros De Gusano". Anyway, in terms of complexity "Copacabana" is 'the major league of Spanish indie' album which can provide you with the great listening pleasure without any doubt. 
• Recorded by Poomse's Llorenc Rossello en solitario "DSPRXR" is the perfect example of lo-fi folktronica much in the vein of Lou Barlow solo works. By the way, it's the second album of this year that mentions another lo-fi pioneer Bill Callahan. But if Hazte Lapon have only sung his name once, then Llorenc has penned a full-fledged homage to the lo-fi mastermind turned out to be the Pitchfork-embraced indie darling.

The Best Of 2015. 7x7

Step by step we are getting closer to the end very top.

Alborotador Gomasio "Los Excesos De Los Ninos" (p)Limbo Starr Buy

Nueva Vulcano "Noveleria" (p)BCore Disc/La Castanya Listen/Buy

Papaya "No Me Quiero Enamorar" (p)Jabalina Listen/Buy

Blacanova "Regiones Devastadas" (p)El Genio Equivocado Listen/Buy

L.A. "From The City To The Ocean Side" (p)Sony Buy

Pasajero "Parque De Atracciones" (p)Ernie Producciones Listen Buy

(lo:mueso) "Hoiden Limother Petity Vefucker" (p)Aloud Music Listen/Buy

• The energy, the cool melodies, the provocative videos and a lot of noise around. The sophomore release of Alborotador Gomasio was forged on the noisey side of Madrid punk rock.
• Another post hardcore-fueled fruit in my top lists garden. If the previous album of Nueva Vulcano "Los Peces De Colores" sounded quite edgier and stripped-down, "Noveleria" is a smoother record. There's more space in it, and while "Los Peces..." was really cool record, the new one is just better by all measures. 
• Tight and gorgeous yet quite minimalistic country-soaked baroque pop from the latest bird of the Jabalina Musica nest. Papaya's Yanara Espinoza seeks for happiness in more or less traditional formats of a song but somehow she manages to sound absolutely unique. 
• Before recording the new album the Sevillan post shoegaze rock outfit Blacanova moved from Foehn Records to El Genio Equivocado but did not change the artistic vision. Subtle и slow-paced tracks with psychedelia, shoegaze, post rock and dark folk influences for the fans of the band's previous works. 
• Luis Alberto Segura slowly moves towards his painfully underappreciated "Heavenly Hell"'s sound back from the stripped-down-to-the-core "SLNT FLM" template.
• "Parque De Atracciones" definitely is the step forward for Pasajero. The band has matured for these three years that divide the second album from the first one. The songs got stronger, the arrangements got wiser, the sound got more concerned in nuances. Another success for Manuel Cabezali as a producer.
• Experimentation with (or refusal of, in better words) the standard rock song format, flirting with pure stream of consciousness noise, and skipping between genres. With these things involved it's a pure artistic achievent for (lo:mueso) that this album doesnt sound quirky or pretentious. 

The Best Of 2015. 8x8

Hey! Beware! There's a guy  from the land far far away who takes our albums and makes lists of 'em! He's crazy!"

The previous entries:

11x11 (EP's)

10x10

9x9

La Maniobra De Q "El Dano Esta Hecho" (p)Clifford Listen/Buy

Moonflower "Round Trip" (p)Sello Salvaje Listen/Buy

Havalina "Islas De Cemento" (p)Origami Listen Buy

Correos "Seres" (p)Warner Music Listen/Buy

Jorganes "The Science Was Wrong Before" (p)El Hombre Bala Listen/Buy

Penny Necklace "Este Es El Disco De..." (p)self-released Listen/Buy

Bullitt "Sparks" (p)BCore Disc Listen/Buy

Autumn Comets "We Are Here/You Are Not" (p)Subterfuge Buy

• The first longplay of La Maniobra de Q evokes the spirit and soul of the most prominent years of shoegaze with the swirling guitars, multi-layered wall of sound and male/female dueling vocals. 
• Singing in English may not be the strongest skill of Maria Perez, but the ability to create the honest americana-tinged college rock songs successfully avoiding the not-so-innovative genres' cliches - definitely is.
• Lyrically based on "A Drunken Driver's Guide", the novel written by J.J. Cabezali (Manuel's father), "Islas De Cemento" is Havalina's heaviest album to date where the catchy tracks ("Luces", "El Reloj De Pulsera Con La Esfera Rota") are neighbours with the louder bombs like, for instance, neurotic shout-out "Donde" or the pure sludge "Cementerio De Coches".
• Call them punk ("No Creas Las Promesas", "Snobs"), call them powerpop ("Todo El Mundo Necesita Un Corazon"), call them alternative rock ("Como Si Fuera Ideal") but there's a fact about "Seres" which is hardly debatable - this album can offer something for everyone.
• Just let me copy/paste the sentence that I've written on Jorganes' "Science Was Wrong Before" half a year ago: "the beat, the scratch, multiple references in the range from Leftfield to Dilated Peoples, and a lot of good vibrations inbetween".
• With Manuel Cabezali (Havalina) and Victor Cabezuelo (Rufus T. Firefly) at the control panels these three chicks have created the beautiful, intimate, vulnerable and dreamy album I fell in love with from the first listen.
• The 'Interests' section on the Bullitt's Facebook page contains such names as Starmarket, The Promise Ring, Hot Water Music, Jets To Brazil and a bunch of other names that could make my heart go wild. So does the music of "Sparks" which is melodic, upbeat and extremely catchy.
• Eastbound from Appleseed Cast, northside to Silversun Pickups lies the territory of Autumn Comets. This way Smashing Pumpkins should have walked after their promising (but turned out senseless) reunion. But despite such the remarkable names in influences the Madrid-based band manages to create multi facet music with tons of guitars and lots of changes in dynamics without losing their identity.

The Best Of 2015. 9x9

The previous entry: 10x10

Les Sueques "Educacio Fisica" (p)El Genio Equivocado Buy/Listen

Maronda "Vibraciones" (p)self-released Buy/Listen

Christina Rosenvinge "Lo Nuestro" (p)El Segell Del Primavera Buy Listen

Tachenko "El Comportamiento Privado" (p)Limbo Starr Buy Listen

Isasa "Las Cosas" (p)La Castanya Buy/Listen

Nothing Places "Tidal Love" (p)Foehn Buy/Listen

The Birkins "Souvenirs" (p)El Genio Equivocado Buy/Listen

MOR "The Magic Boooooom!!!" (p)Familia Palmer/Discos Del Rollo Listen

Morenas "Tres" (p)Discos Humeantes Buy/Listen

• They're from Barcelona, and they got vibe. Meet Les Sueques, a post-punk quartet with Dadaist attitude!
• La Habitacion Roja's "Fue Electrico" is the great album by all means. "Vibraciones", which was created much in the vein of "Fue Electrico", is great too. And it's no surprise that Marc Greenwood who plays bass in LHR is also the co-leader of Maronda.
• The Spanish indie rock's most renowned woman has added another remarkable album to her back catalogue. Nuff said.
• Without applying any major changes to their core sound Tachenko have recorded the albumful of their tightest and the most consistent songs to date.
• The completely wordless and extremely beautiful album from the former A Room With A View guitar player.
• The moody dreamy psychedelic band Nothing Places is alter ego of the constant Ivan Ferreiro collaborator Emilio Saiz here backed by such the relevant personas as Marti Perarnau (Mucho) and Ricky Falkner (you know, he's a man of many talents). If you think these names are setting the coordinates or frames for what you could expect as the final result - that's a complete mistake. There's something you couldn't have expected at all.
• One of the most prominent Canarian bands has returned with the new album. 10 songs with the lyrics in English and French (as usual) and the great potential of growing up on you. One more El Genio Equivocado's album in my list - this label is responsible for the large part of this year's great music, I swear.
• The space rock from Cadiz (that seems to be this year's most musically burgeoning town). Spearheaded by Juan Antonio Mateos (Homeless, Grabaciones Sumergidas recording studio), the band MOR delivers the multy-layered and breezy psychedelia that for these days is probably the most cutting-edge genre in the rock world. Being not so flamboyant and dazed as one that Kevin Parker has made us familiar with, the music on "The Magic Booooom!!!" is well-nuanced and cohesive enough to really hear the songs here, not these free-form compositions the most of the top psych contemporaries are well-known for.
• One of the last releases by now-defunct Oviedo-based garage/punk-oriented indie label Discos Humeantes. The creative source of "Tres" lies somewhere in between Biznaga and labelmates Futuro Terror, definitely it's not that fast short and shiny guitar pop music you might now associate with the term 'punk'.