Poomse “Les Gravacions De La Pandemia Vol.1”

Poomse “Les Gravacions De La Pandemia Vol.1” (p)2020 Espora Records

The fourth longplay of Mallorcans Poomse was created, recorded and mixed completely within the most severe phase of COVID19 outbreak in Spain, and it marks another shift in the band's convoluted trajectory: 'lo-fi - sadcore - indie - post-rock'. The band returns to show its potential to create overcompetent music within the frames of any given genre along with the ability to cross those frames if the situation needs this. Moreover, those changes seem neither like facelift nor like a halfway station in the desperate searches of its own way. Rather it's like another stage of constant progress, a slice of some unstoppable motion’s current phase.

P.S. The track “Confinament #5” uses a speech of a Russian politician (I can’t identify him via his voice) on a meeting with the president biggest liar in the history of Russia whose voice we can also hear in the very end of the track. I’m unaware of what it could mean, though.

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Biscuit "Negligencia Programada"

 Biscuit "Negligencia Programada" (p)2020 La Castanya

For the first half of “Negligencia Programada” the coastal art-punks from Vilanova I la Geltru switch from the redd kross'y power-pop of the previous self-titled record (the only one of Biscuit’s back catalogue I have been initially familiar with – so I’m kinda destined to compare “Negligencia Programada” to “Biscuit” all the way) to the spaced-out psychedelic rock. Then for a couple of songs they switch back to the “Biscuit” sound only to sandbag a confused listener with flamenco-ed hard rock when the aforementioned couple of songs is over. These stylistic escapades result in the playing time clocking over an hour. It all may sound quite unsettling and cause awareness of getting buried beneath the album’s collapsed structure but, frankly speaking, in case of this particular album it works great as “Negligencia Programada” has got a lot to offer while having no weak points at all.

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Pinpilinpussies "Fuerza 3"

Pinpilinpussies "Fuerza 3" (p)2020 Aloud Music

A nice fem punk record with cool melodies and the sound that's simultaneously elaborated enough for not to be considered 'underground lo-fi' and rough enough for not to be allocated into 'pop-punk' trashbin. "Noventas" is the 21st century's "Devil Came To Me".

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Fred Fredburguer "Fred Fredburguer"

 Fred Fredburguer "Fred Fredburguer" (p)2020 Elefant

Disarmingly charming sunny indie pop/power pop that is the most enjoyable in the form of singles or the Instagram Stories' snippets. Being consumed as a whole the album, though quite short and cushy, sounds relatively samey. But for fans of Cola Jet Set and Los Fresones Rebeldes or, internationally speaking, the bands of Sarah Records/ Shinkansen Records' roster it's a nice piece of music to fall for.

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Mariana "A Partir Del Final"

 Mariana "A Partir Del Final" (p)2020 Discos Delejos

It's sad, it's slow and it's quiet. The dreamlike (and the dream is rather unsettling) acoustic folk songs that sound like the silence occupies the major part of the album, and the music and words are in minority - just like in the earlier Low or Songs:Ohia records.

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Gyoza "Early Birds"

 Gyoza "Early Birds" (p)2020 The Braves Records/ Ciudad Oasis/ Bandicoot Records/ other labels

The band's line-up contains a name that looks familiar: Antonio Postius. You may know him for performing the drumming duties in Mourn – the Catalan band that gained some international exposure in the recent years. Nevertheless, Gyoza and its emocore-tinged alternative rock has little in common with the drummer’s extra job both in music and in international fame potential. It’s just too edgy for getting huge even when the synths are smoothing the picture enough to add some 'big name' flavor, namely of Bring Me The Horizon. “In My Room” starts like Helmet’s “Betty”-era lost song. To round up the list of influences, there is a couple of 'Motorhead-meets-Queens Of The Stone Age' tracks closer to the end of the disc. Well, getting the parts together I’d like to describe this record in the simplest of ways: an epic win. A puzzle where every piece is in its right place.

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Campeon "Dios/Naturaleza"

 Campeon "Dios/Naturaleza" (p)2020 self-released

It's a fantastic album, I'm not kidding. This pack of masterully crafted songs is so melodic, honest and soulful so I can’t help but fall in love with it. Regarding the influences/referential points the first name that comes to mind is obviously Hüsker Dü but the second part of the album rather leans toward the British acts like Echo And The Bunnymen or Teenage Funclub. And if you wonder if switching from angst-ridden art-punk to more textured sound of the Britpop precursors could be quite painful and/or disturbing - please don’t worry, you’re not gonna notice the moment of transition.

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