Lepora "Zulotik" (p)2023 Bonberenea Ekintzak

Days ago the Basque DIY post-hardcore mainstays Lisabö announced their sixth longplay set for release for 12/01/2023. Those news made me wonder if I could find something to brighten up my day in the meantime, and after quite superficial study I've found this: a 20 minutes long jazz-oriented post-hardcore album sung entirely in euskera.

Along with some obvious comparisons to aforementioned Lisabö whose helmsman Carlos Osinaga produced this record, there is also strong resemblance to Midwest emo - especially to the bands that used time signatures like it was their playground (in other words, more Cap'n Jazz and Faraquet than Benton Falls or The Get Up Kids). The early screamo influence is palpable as well. The first two tracks ("Ez Dago Inor", "Zulotik") I like the most as they're the most fierce and uncompromised ones here. 

Punk/hardcore itself is something of a commonplace in the music landscape of Basque Country but Lepora can easily be singled out of their peers as evidenced by this abrasive yet memorable mini album.

BNDCMP

BCore Disc 30

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the seminal Barcelona-based indie label BCore Disc. Upon learning of this fact I made a rush decision to make the ultimate list of the label's best releases as a means of celebrating. This intention was eating me for months. Initially I intended to use 'an album a year' approach. Then 'ten albums per decade'. Then I tried to make a selection of ideological milestones, as the label broadened the array of 'goods for sale' introducing step by step not only the genres previously missing in its DNA but also the people who would be widely associated with BCore in subsequent years. Then, in contrary, I tried to single out the albums that deviated the most from the label's course. And every time it turned out to be unbearable task cuz, man, we’re talking about 350+ releases! It’s quite significant quantity - even without speaking of the top notch quality of the majority of them. It took a little while for me to listen to the most part of the back catalogue to form the weighed opinion. Before I started this I had thought I was in good terms with the label's legacy. It turned out wrong so it appeared as a path of discoveries all the way through. The final list is the mix of all aforementioned approaches. Please take in mind that one can create a plenty of equally valid lists but whatever list you make it's absolutely impossible to cover the full spectre of BCore's vast cache of jewels.

The one last thing I'd like to say: the times are demanding to frame it into the Spotify playlist but I'm the old-fashioned 'album kind of guy' and I like it the old way because it needs some more than just one song per album to tell you the story. So, this is the list of 30 essential records in their fullness, in chronological order.

Trip Inside "Trip Inside" BC008 (p)1992 listen

Corn Flakes "Tracklist" BC017 (p)1993 listen

Passion Fish "Thank God It's Friday" BC023 (p)1995 listen

Swinepox "TV Shop EP" BC024 (p)1995 listen

Xmilk "Function" BC046 (p)1996 listen

No More Lies "Seeds Of Enthusiasm" BC055 (p)1998 listen

Slang "The Day The Sun Shone Cold EP" BC062 (p)1998 listen

Aina "Aina" BC064 (p)1998 listen

24 Ideas "Discografia Completa" BC075 (p)2000 listen

Zeidun "001" BC077 (p)2000 listen

The Unfinished Sympathy "The Unfinished Sympathy" BC080 (p)2001 listen

Les Philippes "Philharmonic Philanthropy" BC107 (p)2003 listen

Standstill "Standstill" BC113 (p)2004 listen

Delorean "Into The Plateau" BC139 (p)2006 listen

Sibyl Vane "Turismo De Interior" BC142 (p)2006 listen

Madee "L'Antarctica" BC150 (p)2007 listen

Charades "En Ningun Lugar" BC153 (p)2008 listen

The New Raemon "A Propósito De Garfunkel" BC159 (p)2008 listen

La Celula Durmiente "Miente!" BC163 (p)2008 listen

Persona "Dead Make-Up" BC168 (p)2008 listen

Jeremy Enigk "Vale Oso" BC170 (p)2009 listen

Nueva Vulcano "Los Peces De Colores" BC180 (p)2009 listen

Muy Fellini "Muy Fellini" BC182 (p)2009 listen

Vistalegre "Vistalegre" BC193 (p)2010 listen

Betunizer "Gran Veta" BC248 (p)2013 listen

Eric Fuentes "Barcelona" BC255 (p)2013 listen

Bullitt "Sparks" BC273 (p)2015 listen

Cala Vento "Cala Vento" BC285 (p)2016 listen

Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Tarannà" BC286 (p)2016 listen

Aldrin Y Collins "Odisea En El Espacio De Confort" BC334 (p)2018 listen

Nueva Vulcano "Ensayo"

Nueva Vulcano "Ensayo" (p)2020 BCore Disc/ La Castanya 

It's been five years since critically acclaimed "Noveleria" was brought to light. In the times of streaming such the long span of dormancy (though they’ve never been completely silent during this time) could be detrimental for any career in music but it’s obviously not the case of Nueva Vulcano. It's time to declare the following: despite the significant time gap between records little has changed for the leaders of Catalan post-hardcore scene. Picking up right where they left off back in the year 2015 they are stepping into the new decade with another piece of solid gold full of off-key vocals, angular bass lines and guitars that flow freewillingly around the rhythm section. You're not gonna confuse it with anyone else's. As far as I can see, in terms of critical acclaim "Ensayo" is destined to follow the path of its predecessors marking one more milestone in the career of the Barcelona underground kingpins.

BNDCMP

Lullavy "Ruina"

Lullavy "Ruina" (p)2017 self-released

Sometimes you need just a few seconds to fall for something so i fell in love with the Lullavy's "Ruina" within the first 5 seconds of "Quien Este Ciego Para Ver". 

Just to put some reference points: if you ask me what albums released within the new millenium I consider the best then I'd tell you it's Rival Schools' "United By Fate" for years 2001-2010 and The Jealous Sound's "A Gentle Reminder" for the years 2011 to-date. These albums are closely related to post-hardcore, and despite being, you know, 'radio-friendly' in certain terms they represent successfully what this genre has converted into since its early times.

"Ruina" is not radio-friendly (if we're not talking about iCat.cat - for this radio station it surely is a piece of pie) but it shouldn't scare you off cos it has the distinct emotion through rawness - the same emotion the early records of The Appleseed Cast or Braid had. It's so fucking great when the band you know nothing about builds the song and sound of such the natural greatness that it knocks you off and stomps you down. There's nothing about lush production, there's nothing about experementation in experementation's sake. The trio uses quite minimalistic approach to create the melodies that are burning inside while being locked within the 3-4 minute guitar-driven song - sometimes harsh and loud, sometimes tiny and subdued.

By the way, it's totally my fault that I wasn't learned of Lullavy before as a) the band has 'the family ties' to WANN whom I like alot, b) the album was recorded by Frank Rudow (of Manta Ray fame), and c) the album was mixed and mastered in the Canarian La Caterva Grabaciones where some of the great albums (for example, Pumuky's "Justicia Poetica") were baked.

The best tracks: Este Silencio, Intruso, Quien Este Ciego Para Ver, La Contencion

FCBK

BNDCMP

P.S. When I tried to find a video to any of the songs from the album the youtube's 'artificial intelligence' has led me then to the videos by Jawbox, Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate.

P.P.S. When I come into the Ultra-Local record store in Barcelona the next time I will wear the "Catalan post hardcore wanted" plate across my forehead.