понедельник, 11 декабря 2017 г.

Best of 2017. EPs and mini albums

Just a wordless presentation of my choice in EPs.

10. Amphetamine Discharge "Raise Your Addiction" (p)Clifford 

09. Lua Gramer "Dia Del Centro" (p)Clifford 

08. Espiritusanto "Casa Mayor" (p)Jabalina Musica 

07. Echo "El Sistema" (p)self-released 

06. When Nalda Became Punk "Those Words Broke Our Hearts" (p)Discos De Kirlian 

05. Llacuna "Llacuna" (p)Saltamarges 

04. Glitterhouse "Pre-Shrunk" (p)self-released

03. Leon Benavente "En La Selva" (p)Warner Music Spain 
SPTF 

01-02. Polseguera "Sa Mata Escrita" (p)Famelic/ Bubota Discos/ Discos Walden 

01-02. The Weeird "In The Garden" (p)El Hombre Bala 

воскресенье, 10 декабря 2017 г.

Best of 2017. Albums 11-20

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


20. Nudozurdo "Voyeur Amateur" (p)Mushroom Pillow
After beautiful but too calm "Rojo Es Peligro" the metropolitan trio returns with the album full of  emotions and bursts of guitar noise where Leo Mateos and his pals are swimming like fish in the pond.

19. Les Sueques "Moviment" (p)El Genio Equivocado

18. Cala Vento "Fruto Panorama" (p)BCore Disc
The last year's eponimous album of Catalan duo sounded more like the step onto Nueva Vulcano territory, the new one is the major step forward in terms of finding their own way. Sonically and melodically it is more refined record, the sound is thicker and the songs are catchier.
BNDCMP                       

17. Karabash "D'Humans I Essers" (p)self-released

16. Clara Plath "Yes I'm Special" (p)Flor Y Nata

15. Niños Mutantes "Diez" (p)Ernie Producciones
The recordings of the jubilee album (produced by Leon Benavente's Cesar Verdu) almost killed the band but resulted in the band's best effort to date.

14. Exquirla "Para Quienes Aun Viven" (p)Superball Music

13. Ran Ran Ran "L'Hereu" (p)Bankrobber

12. Los Planetas "Zona Temporalmente Autonoma" (p)El Volcan/El Ejercito Rojo    
I should admit I've never got into "Una Opera Egipcia". So for me the waiting period was even longer than for those who embraced Los Planetas' 2010 LP. And now I declare it was worth it to wait for it: the long brooding record that can easily take you away from wherever you are now.
SPTF             

11. Arista Fiera "Arista Fiera" (p)Elefant
Welcome to my convoluted world where the 7 song long debut album by a young dreampop band may stand atop the brilliant long-awaited double LP by the Spanish indie rock definitive band.

суббота, 9 декабря 2017 г.

Best of 2017. Albums 21-30

<<< 41 - 50
<<< 31 - 40

30. The Unfinished Sympathy "It's A Crush!" (p)BCore Disc
After spending 7 dormant years that helped to establish and develop the solo careers of Eric Fuentes and Joan Colomo, The Unfinished Sympathy returned this year with the BCore Disc's reissue of "We Push You Pull" (their last effort before dissolution initially released via Subterfuge) and absolutely new release "It's A Crush" also on BCore that found one of the Spain's most important millenial alt-rock bands in the perfect form.
BNDCMP

29. Kitai "Piromanos" (p)Entrebotones/Sony
The enormous progress for the Madrid-based alternative rock quartet whose masterful performance techniques somehow overshadowed their songwriting abilities. Led by my compatriot Alex the band starts to move from funk-rock crossover of their previous "Que Vienen" LP to Deftones-like alternative rock with stunning melodies and huge choruses.
SPTF

28. Murciano Total "Cencia" (p)El Genio Equivocado
This year Jose Lozano's talents in audiovisual productions (especially his trademark 'moving collages' style) became popular within the local indie community making him quite busy with providing his abilities to the third parties (as to fellow labelmates Birkins as to the all-Spanish indie giants Los Planetas) but this didn't spoil his musical achievements at all. "Cencia" is the third LP of the duo released within the three consecutive years, and it sounds even better than the previous ones that were awesome themselves.
BNDCMP

27. Tulsa "Centauros" (p)I*M Records
I've purchased the album via iTunes, downloaded it to my iPod and then headed to the railway station to catch the train to Moscow. In the carriage I put my headphones on and… fell in love with this strange genre-bending form of pop music that's peculiar for the modern days' 'girls with guitars' from Feist to Butterfly Boucher and many others.
SPTF

26. Saim "Accidents" (p)Bubota Discos
The clear evidence to the fact that The Catalan Post Hardcore ™ splashes out the birthplace reigning over the nearby territories. The Mallorcan trio recorded an album that precisely reflected the genre's most attractive features without sounding too much thought over or artifcial.
BNDCMP

25. Captains "Captains" (p)Jabalina Musica
Fee Reega has put out two albums this year: one (darker, moodier, more foggy) under her own name via Humo Records, and another as Captains via Jabalina Musica. "Captains" contains the post punk'y rhythm section aggregated with the one-of-a-kind vocals of Fee and the lots of influences from the 80's synth-pop to krautrock and shoegaze that as a result brings us the inventive and purely underground album of good pop potential.
BNDCMP

24. Mordem "Fragments To Dominate The Silence" (p)The Winter Hunters
The album created by Elba Fernandez sits perfectly within the borders demarcated by the quieter moments of Madonna's "Ray Of Light" (which upon release was honored as a sound production masterpiece), the hip hop-less side of Massive Attack and the darker emanations of the contemporary female-fronted acts like Florence and the Machine who pave their convoluted ways through the pop/trip hop-bordered sonic experimentalism.
BNDCMP

23. I Am Dive "Music For Silent Running" (p)WeAreWolves
Being released in December of 2016 this wordless soundtrack never entered the 2016 annual polls, though as all other works of I Am Dive it deserves the closest attention. Not the planned album itself, "Music For Silent Running" is an imaginative soundtrack for 1972's science fiction movie "Silent Running" recorded by the duo back in 2015. But even the by-product by this band is of the highest quality possible.
BNDCMP

22. Anchord "As A Real Return" (p)Saltamarges/ BCore Disc
Initially released via Saltamarges imprint and later commissioned by BCore Disc this album is all what you have ever wanted from the classic post-hardcore album: the energy, the unpolished sound, the tight melodies wrapped up in the harsh guitars.
BNDCMP

21. Birkins "Aqui Hay Dragones" (p)El Genio Equivocado
The trilingual Canarian band abandons the article 'the' in its name simultaneously abandoning the english language almost completely as if acquiring additonal valency instead: "Aqui Hay Dragones" is way more eclectic musicwise than the previous Birkins' efforts, but in the same time it sounds tighter and more coherent.
BNDCMP


воскресенье, 3 декабря 2017 г.

Best of 2017. Albums 31-40

<<< 41 - 50

If you do yourself a favor and listen to all these albums mentioned below the only question to get stuck in your head would be "Who the fuck are in the Top30?'
40. Eladio y Los Seres Queridos "Historias De Caza" (p)Seres Queridos
"Cantares", the gallego-speaking set of cover versions that Eladio Santos and his team put out an year ago, was rather the step aside than the natural successor of his previous (brilliant) effort "Orden Invisible". Now we've got this natural successor, and it's brilliant as well with its beautiful songs and mellow chamber/folk arrangements.
SPTF

39. Villanueva "Zoo Para Dos" (p)Sony
Read full review

38. Futuro Terror "Precipicio" (p)BCore Disc
After the conventionally sounding "Su Nombre Real Es Otro" Futuro Terror return to the more complicated structures of their eponimous debut. I consider it the right step undoubtedly as, you know, who needs one more album of conventional punk rock when you can provide them with the punk rock with a twist instead.
BNDCMP

37. Xavier Calvet "Firebird" (p)BCore Disc
More of Joey Cape, or more of Greg Graffin? That was my only question when I learned about the Bullitt's frontman Xavier Calvet was going to release a solo effort. The truth is, none of them - it's like the third vertex of triangle. The songs are mostly acoustic and mostly upbeat, and regarding Xavier's songwriting abilities apparent via Bullitt's discs "Firebird" is absolutely no-lose choise.
BNDCMP

36. Blusa "K" (p)Nooirax/ 
"Toca Breakbeat, Perro!", the previous album of sevillanos Blusa, was a cinematic post rock masterpiece. Now a trio, Blusa absorbs programming and electronics (the entities completly absent on "TBP!") and cooks the record that is more intricate and more psychedlic than the predecessor. The tracks have no names, only numbers placed in no consecutive order. It's up to listener to capture the messages, meanings and images this music produces in his mind without the prerequisites given.
BNDCMP

35. Agoraphobia "Incoming Noise" (p)Dotbeat
'I want it to sound like a bulldozer, like Armageddon', Veruca Salt's Nina Gordon talked to producer Bob Rock during the recording sessions for "Eight Arms To Hold You" trying to square down her intentions on the guitar sound - this trivia came first to my mind when I pushed the play button. On "Incoming Noise" the guitars are realy sounding like bulldozers and/or Armageddon so the album fits perfectly for the role of the aforementioned "Eight Arms To Hold You" and L7's "Hungry For Stink" stepchild.
BNDCMP

34. Ultim Cavall "Records Del Kyoto" (p)Discos de Kirlian/ Emma's House
Read full review

33. Joe La Reina "Esas Nuevas Modas" (p)Subterfuge
It's a way more complicated record than "Bailamos Por Miedo" (quite complicated itself), and it needs more time to grow on you. As I had little time since its release date to fall for it, it climbed only to the 33nd place now. Being released, say, in August it could surely climb much higher than that.
SPTF

32. Vetusta Morla "Mismo Sitio, Distinto Lugar" (p)Pequeno Salto Mortal
I can't make my wrapped-up opinion on "MSDL". It somehow falls to pieces. Every given song is great - and some songs are really THAT great, you know. This is the step forward for the band for sure (some new tricks, some new directions) but as a whole it doesn't sound quite cohesive for my ear.
SPTF

31. Decurs "Incendio" (p)Subpost/ Krimskramz/ Dead Stallion/ Ojala Este Mi Bisi
The level of the Catalan hardcore/post hardcore scene is unbelievable. Decurs initially appeared as absolute nonames for me but it didn't surprise me at all that the album's great cos you may choose any album amongst the pool of Catalan post hardcore albums - and it would be equally great.
BNDCMP

21 - 30 >>>

вторник, 28 ноября 2017 г.

Best of 2017. Albums 41-50


Every year it becomes more complicated. It takes more time to listen to much more music and then to peel much more really great albums off of the final Top50. Fifth year in a row - I present you the list of the best albums of the year. And I bet you this list is not like any other (though it never was an intention).

50. Atras Tigre "Fainos Salir" (p)Triunvirato 
The catchy synth-driven indie pop with strong melodies and twee aroma that skips back the decades and wraps you with the vintage 60's atmospheres. Atras Tigre are one of the discoveries of this year, I have never learned of them before.
BANDCAMP

49. Sierra "A Ninguna Parte" (p)Sonido Muchacho
Sierra's pure indie rock (in the 00's meaning of the term) outdoes many of more renowned competitves within the frames of the genre. For example, you can't find such the consistent album in The Maccabees back catalogue.
BANDCAMP

48. Proyecto Solaz "Propaganda" (p)
A harsh, angry, disturbing record. To listen to it is not a pleasure, rather it's a trial. So if you want some sweet music to befriend you and embace you, you'd better pass along. But if you want some solid mass to punch you in your face - you're welcome!
BANDCAMP

47. La Iaia "Tornar A Ser U" (p)Right Here Right Now
Strangely captivating folk/indie pop album from Catalunya. The singer sounds like he's tracking the vocals for the child cartoons tunes - but it hardly could be a problem (even if you've never been much into the Tullycraft back catalogue).
OFFICIAL SITE

46. Jay "Fuimos Nosotros" (p)Matapadre
Read full review

45. Maresme "Golden Coast" (p)Foehn Records
If you need some medicine to ease the pains of longing for the new Oso Leone release (my case) or sedate yourself off of living in the cold unfriendly country (my case as well) - there is much to dig out in Foehn's roster, and the Maresme debut album could be your perfect choice.
BANDCAMP

44. Karen Koltrane "Album" (p)Foehn Records
"Album" effectively creates the mood that slowly takes you away from reality like if you dive deeper and deeper into the sea. Moreover, it has probably the best cover design of the year.
BANDCAMP

43. Autumn Comets "Realejo" (p)Records del Mundo/ La Estanquera
When I listen to Autumn Comets I always think of what if Smashing Pumpkins came another way after their resurrection. Now they might produce records like this instead of that shit what they really produce now…
SPOTIFY

42. Me And The Bees  "Menos Mal" (p)La Castanya
This album (arguably the best in Me & The Bees' career) is full of short ultra-melodic 60's Merseybeat songs with jangling guitars and bright young male/female vocals. The most optimistic album of the year that resembles The New Pornographers and - especially - The Apples In Stereo.
BANDCAMP

41. Pandan-Lagl "Pandan-Lagl" (p)Gran Tigre
The lo-fi side of El Relevo Aleman's Jose Carlos and Cristina. Recorded with the drum machine, the album delivers everything I like in El Relevo Aleman in more stripped-down and intentionally underproduced way.
BANDCAMP

31 - 40 >>>
21 - 30 >>>