Havalina "Muerdesombra"

Havalina "Muerdesombra" (p)2016 Ernie Producciones

This is the first Havalina album where, whilst listening, you may go to the kitchen to make yourself some tea and then start brushing your panels after noticing some spots on them, and then to be like: ‘Gosh, I've been listening to Havalina! How many songs I've missed?’ “Muerdesombra” has everything you may want from the band - the great melodies, the intricate guitar work, the sound that can take you far far away, the rhythm section that could beat the shit out, the crisp production – it’s got all you need except nerve. It’s got little emotional lows – and in reverse it’s got little emotional highs. For everyone else it could be the favorite album of Havalina, but for me at the time it’s just too plain being compared to any other release in their perfect back catalogue. Maybe it will grow on me a bit later.

Ernie Producciones
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Rufus T. Firefly "Magnolia"

Rufus T. Firefly "Magnolia" (p)2017 Lago Naranja

When “Nueve” ((p)2015 Lago Naranja) was put out it became apparent it’s a great record. The production of Manuel Cabezali, the sophisticated melodies that never ever come close to the point where oversophisticated turns into clueless, the songs like “El Problematico Winston Smith” (the closest Rufus T. Firefly gets to The Hit) and “Demerol Y Piedras” (my own favorite)… It was really great, but it nearly killed the band as the five-piece combo was successfully cut short to trio right after the supporting tour was finalized. As Victor revealed later in an interview, his first thought was like “Well, it’s not Rufus anymore…” Anyway, somewhere in between “Ø” and “Nueve” Victor Cabezuelo appeared as the man of many talents being hired by other bands for studio sessions, production duties and live performances – which led to established friendships with many of the scene’s key persons. For our script the most important was one with Marti Perarnau, the frontman of Mucho, whom Victor co-worked with in [at least] Tulsa and Zahara’s live band (maybe in many others - but I name the ones I beheld with my own eyes). When back in 2015 Marti’s primary vehicle was going through the same kind of problems Victor Cabezuelo was one of those to step aboard and help his friend to keep the band afloat. When Rufus was put on the verge of calling it a day Marti Perarnau returned a favor. So the reformed band - Victor, Julia Martin-Maestro (drums) and Carlos Campos (guitars) now teamed up with Marti and Miguel de Lucas (bass, also of Mucho) along with Manuel Cabezali again at the dashboard – started to prepare the material for what should be the next longplay of Rufus T. Firefly.
Coincidentally or not, on “Magnolia” the sound of Rufus T. Firefly has undergone the same changes the sound of Mucho went through between “El Apocalipsis Segun Mucho” and “Pidiendo En Las Puertas Del Infierno”: most obviously – less guitars, more synths. As you might know from the interviews, at least 40 different versions of the tracks were recorded to choose from – at the end of the day the band and the producer have come to understanding that only this soaked-in-the-70’s-lucid-psychedelia version really clicked, really got ready to send the message they wanted to spread.
If the metamorphoses in arrangements were substantial, the structure of the songs has been changed to the lesser extent. Structurally it’s the same Rufus we fell in love with on “Nueve” with the long compositions (that rather sound long - in fact only two tracks on the disc exceed 5 minutes, but when you listen ti them they all seem to be 7+ minutes), unpredictable rhythm changes and non-cyclic progressions that pair the band with the neo prog subgenre. So if you come to terms with the new synth-laden sonic direction - without a doubt you'll be OK with "Magnolia".

A remark: after having listened to the album in the headphones with the noise reduction system you may feel like the protagonist of Pulp's "Sorted Out For E's And Wizz": '...and you want to call your mother and say Mother I can never come home again cos I seem to have left an important part of my brain somewhere, somewhere..." Please don't tell you haven't been warned.

The best tracks: Rio Wolf, Nebulosa Jade, Cisne Negro, El Halcon Milenario

BNDCMP
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Exquirla "Para Quienes Aun Viven"

Exquirla "Para Quienes Aun Viven" (p)2017Superball Music

Niño de Elche (Francisco Contreras) is the man of a kind. If you’d observe him from the ‘classic’ flamenco point of view, chances are you'd consider him a young freak who mostly abandoned his roots and now is being allocated to the genre by mistake. But if you would look at him from the point of view of a certain person who’s not both legs into flamenco, he could be the scene’s only singer whom you may listen to. Toundra, on its turn, is by all means the #1 post rock band of Spain. The cooperation of renowned instrumental combo and the flamenco outlaw may sound strange on paper, but in fact it is absolutely enormous. 

With the Niño de Elche's chants over Toundra's groundshaking instrumentations, the strongest feature of "Para Quienes Aun Viven" is the equality of its parts involved. There’s no question what’s more important in this amalgam of two worlds so distant that you hardly might expect their junction before it really appeared – both parts matter equally. There are moments on this record when Toundra members are switching off their walls of sound leaving present only the tiny drops and easy strokes, and all the nerve grows on from the voice of Francisco. There are moments when the singer stays silent, and the emphasis shifts to the galactic-scale crescendos Toundra is known for – but there’s always the clear vision of what they are doing together. Despite the obvious differences in participators’ habitual modi operandi, the album never tends to fall to pieces being torn down by the internal contradictions.

Album page on Superball Music
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Havoc "Amado Lider"

Havoc "Amado Lider" (p)2017 Subterfuge

"The ideal pop music for the better world" - that's exactly what I wrote about "Lo Saben Los Narvales", the previous album of Pedro Gracia Perez de Viñaspre aka Havoc. It was released in 2014, and between now and then there was an event that consolidated my opinion on Havoc as one of the most promising indie musicians of the nation: his performance at Sonorama 2015. Back then in August 2015 there was the twinkle of miracle when I decided to escape from the show of Xoel Lopez (whom I really adore) to see Havoc whose show unfortunately coincided with Xoel's in the time schedule. That was one of those decisions you recall for years because Pedro and his band were undoubtedly amazing. So for me personally his new album was one the most anticipated records set to release in 2017.
Now I am happy to declare that my expectations were not in vain. “Narvales” were good but “Amado Lider” is the way better. The first thing I’d like to emphasize is that Pedro walks against the common trend and - while many of his peers are drifting from guitars to synths - he adds more guitars to the mix, thus creating one of the most intelligent noise pop albums I ever heard. Next thing to enjoy is the perfectly balanced sound production: it is clean and shiny, but it's not too polished to be considered overproduced. And, finally - this album consists of the great tunes composed with the precise pop feel. In the better world every single song on this album (with possible omission of "Oh, Master!") could be a hit.
A mandatory listen and one of the best records of the year.

P.S. "Sabotage" really knocked me off my feet.

The best tracks: Sera, Siberia, Cometas, Fluor, Sabotage

SUBTERFUGE
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Top30 albums of 2017 so far. Semi-annual poll

(in alphabetical order)

Aldrin Y Collins "Escuchas" (p)BCore Disc - bandcamp

Arista Fiera "Simetria Par" (p)self-released - bandcamp

Anchord "As A Real Return" (p)Saltamarges/BCore Disc - bandcamp

Black Mirrors "No Colours For Concern" (p)El Hombre Bala - bandcamp
Cala Vento "Fruto Panorama" (p)BCore Disc - bandcamp

Captains "Captains" (p)Jabalina Musica - bandcamp

Clara Plath "Yes, I'm Special" (p)Flor Y Nata - bandcamp

Cosmen Adelaida "Dos Caballos" (p)El Genio Equivocado - bandcamp

Diola "Diola" (p)BCore Disc - bandcamp

Disciplina Atlantico "Gran Oriente" (p)Limbo Starr - spotify

Exquirla "Para Quienes Aun Viven" (p)Superball Music - spotify

Havoc "Amado Lider" (p)Subterfuge - spotify

I Am Dive "Music For The Silent Running" (p)WeAreWolves - bandcamp

Jay "Fuimos Nosotros" (p)Matapadre - bandcamp

Karen Koltrane "Album" (p)Foehn - bandcamp

Les Sueques "Moviment" (p)El Genio Equivocado - bandcamp

Maresme "Golden Coast" (p)Foehn - bandcamp

Me And The Bees "Menos Mal" (p)La Castanya - bandcamp

Niños Mutantes "Diez" (p)Ernie Producciones - official site

Os Bru "Hvala" (p)Indian Runners - bandcamp

Oso Miel Oso "Debut" (p)Discos De Menta - bandcamp
Pau Vallve "Abisme Cavall Hivern Primavera I Tornar" (p)self-released - bandcamp

Ran Ran Ran "L'Hereu" (p)Bankrobber - bandcamp

Rufus T. Firefly "Magnolia" (p)LagoNaranja - bandcamp

Saïm "Accidents" (p)Bubota Discos - bandcamp

Shepherd "Mystic Wave" (p)self-released - bandcamp

Tuya "A War Is Coming" (p)El Rayo Verde - bandcamp

Ultim Cavall "Records De Kyoto" (p)Discos De Kirlian - bandcamp

Vol Menor "Contracorrent A L'Instint" (p)self-released - bandcamp

When Nalda Became Punk "Those Words Broke Our Heart" (p)Discos De Kirlian - bandcamp

Jay "Fuimos Nosotros"

Jay "Fuimos Nosotros" (p)2017 Matapadre

I recall listening to the previous Jay's disc (released via now defunct Discos Humeantes imprint) "Los Colegas No Te Olvidan". I recall finding that record lacking form and core and essence - the malfunction many neo-psych albums are suffering from. But, fortunately, the new album is much more concentrated effort where all components look neither like disjointed needless extras falling apart like the crumbs falling off the plate, nor like the aimless sonic porridge, a cock-a-hoop of sounds drowning in its own helplessness. Apparently "Fuimos Nosotros" was made with the clear vision what the final result should be. So the result is another strong addition to the faultless Matapadre catalogue with few weaknesses ("Potrera") and a lot of really enjoyable moments.

Best tracks: El Fondo Del Mar Esta Lleno De Valientes, Crisis de Indentidad, Si Te Desanime


MATAPADRE
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Les Sueques "Moviment"

Les Sueques "Moviment" (p)2017 El Genio Equivocado

"Educacio Fisica" was the pretty nice album, but in comparison to the new effort it sounds just like a try, like an attempt at writing. "Moviment" is denser, louder, catchier and more multilayered. It is more refined almost in every possible way (it was partially recorded in London - maybe this fact affected the final result. Maybe not). While the songs improved this didn't affect the fact the band's still got the vibe that could cause unintentional dancing while listening to the album. And I can't help but feel this is how 'the next step' should sound like.

P.S. Just to remind you: "Educacio Fisica" itself was really nice album, and the superiority of the new record doesn't make it any worse. 

The best tracks: Accio, Tu Em Caus Molt Be, Dones Antigues, Res, Tu Parles Molt

BANDCAMP