Capitán Sunrise: Instrucciones para silbar bajo el agua (Discos de Kirlian, 2015)

Tiran de Pop de manual del de toda la vida. Influenciado por el Twee-Pop o por el Pop-Barroco a partes iguales, Capitán Sunrise se puede convertir en una de esas bandas de culto que de tanto en tanto asoman al panorama sonoro.

“Capitán Sunrise es un grupo de POP con mayúsculas. Santi, Miguel, Noelia, Sergio y Laura. La banda da sus primeros pasos en Madrid en 2009 (aunque varios de sus miembros vienen de Zaragoza, como su compositor y cantante, Santi Diego y su guitarrista principal Miguel Sánchez, los fundadores de la banda), pero no es hasta 2010 que publican su primera referencia discográfica, un EP autoeditado de seis canciones englobadas bajo el título de ‘Corazón de Superhéroe’. Por el camino se hacen con un pequeño séquito de fieles seguidores y consiguen quedar terceros en el concurso del Festival Contempopránea para encontrar al “Grupo Revelación Nacional 2010”.
La inmediatez de sus melodías, sus armonías vocales y su pop elegante y melódico no pasan desapercibidos y en 2012 reciben la propuesta de Elefant Records para grabar un single de color rojo en vinilo de 7″ que se incluye en la colección New Adventures in Pop de la discográfica independiente: ‘El Chico Más Guapo de la Galaxia’.
El single se convierte en objeto de adoración para los amantes del pop más melódico y elegante, y despide aromas a Aventuras de Kirlian, Cola Jet Set, Belle and Sebastian, La Buena Vida, Niza, Astrud, Family, Club 8, Carlos Berlanga ó The Smiths. La canción que da título al single es un chute de luz y vitalidad, con toques surf y aires abiertamente sixties, que recuerdan a la riqueza armónica de The Hollies, la efectividad y el tino melódico de Jan & Dean y la frescura de BMX Bandits. La Montaña Rusa, la primera canción de Capitán Sunrise que suena en la radio y la primera que graban como grupo, es un homenaje a la música pop, llena de ecos sixties y guitarras indie-pop con referencias a libros y discos y con un aire melancólico lleno de dulzura. Otro de los temas, La Merienda, fue sintonía del programa de radio de Agustín Fuentes, director del Festival Contempopránea, con sus coros entre el doowop y el yeye, como si Augusto Algueró hubiera dejado para la posteridad la banda sonora del remake de “Grease”. Un estribillo inolvidable, tarareable hasta la saciedad. Por último El Otoño, una canción que habla sobre una persona que necesita irse a recorrer el mundo para poner espacio y que su vida vuelva a encauzarse, recupera esa tristeza dulcificada que con tanta maestría han usado bandas como Nosoträsh, o Serpentina, con la elegancia en las melodías de Dusty Springfield y los arreglos de She & Him, jugando con las voces como unos Beach Boys cándidos, cerrando un single delicioso, perfecto, al que no le sobra ni un segundo, ni un arreglo, ni un parapapapá”.
Sin duda están llamados a convertirse en uno de los nombres clave de la escena pop española. Han recorrido la geografía española tocando en fiestas del sello Elefant y en muchas salas importantes de la capital como Siroco, Costello, Clamores…y en otras ciudades como Zaragoza, Barcelona, Málaga ó Albacete. Han actuado en festivales como el Contempopránea, Sonorama, Madrid Pop Fest, Plastidepop, Wildweekend y también fuera de nuestra geografía, en el mítico Cavern Club en Liverpool dentro del festival IPO (International Pop Overthrow) 3 años consecutivos.
Ahora están ansiosos por entregar una nueva dosis de esa terapia de luz llamada Capitán Sunrise, con nuevas canciones en formato largo que verán la luz en este 2014 de la mano del sello Discos de Kirlian y que caminan por terrenos inexplorados hasta ahora por la banda aunque manteniendo ese pop melódico, tan suyo, como hilo conductor” (Prensa)

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Caballito de Mar Man: Cap.1 (Ep, 2015)

No hace mucho nos llegaban noticias de Caballito de Mar Man, un grupo de Úbeda que factura un Pop de tintes Indies y simple factura a la vez que mezcla su actividad musical con el cómic. Cercanos y sencillos, en sus propias palabras, CMM son “superhéroes que fuman”

“Caballito de Mar Man ejerce una suerte de alquimia que incluye sonidos valientes y melodías seductoras, partiendo de envoltorios arriesgados que tienden puentes que finalmente desembocan en fórmulas más convencionales. Ni indies ni mainstream, sólo, superhéroes que fuman” (Prensa)

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Celéstica: Círculos perfectos (Vídeo-Single, 2015)

“Llevábamos mucho tiempo intentando cerrar el círculo… pero siempre surgían complicaciones. Hoy, por fin, lo hemos conseguido. Y ha quedado un círculo muy chulo, perfecto…
Estamos muy contentos de poder presentaros el vídeo oficial de “Círculos perfectos”, uno de los temas incluido en nuestro tercer EP. Un trabajo que ha sido posible a Use Pastrana y María Brea (The Big Bean)” (Celéstica)

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Lava Bangs: Ouch ! (Single, 2015)

Bonito sencillo de impulsos enérgicos pero producción Pop. 

“Lava Bangs turned a corner and behind that corner producer Henryk Lipp was waiting. And then they went down to riot grrl wonderland and spent the warmest month ever in legendary Gothenburg studio: Music A Matic, just to get the universe in order. Going back and forth from stage to studio, from crying to sweating euphorically. Ouch! now up for air with the first single from the upcoming album. Ouch! Break a leg and cross your fingers. Call your friends and ask them if they´re still on pills, if it still hurts. Ouch!”

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Stella Diana: Alhena (Raphalite Recordings, 2015)

Stella Diana son capaces de recrear sonidos ochenteros cercanos al Noise y además de utilizar su lengua vernácula para elevarla e igualarla con los tótems de las bandas que reivindican este tipo de sonoridades en el siglo ventiuno.

“Hailing from a city more known for pizza and opera than shoegaze and new wave addicts, Stella Diana possess not only the spirit of late 80s/early 90s British bands like Ride, but also the dark wave seeds of Joy Division and the stylistic underpinnings of new wave artists like Psychedelic Furs and The Chameleons, all of whom number among the band’s influences. Others include Pale Saints, Lush, Catherine Wheel, The Stone Roses, Codeine, Christian Death, and Talk Talk.
Since their inception in 1998, Stella Diana has gradually become recognized by the Italian press as one of the best shoegaze bands in the country with their intricate, brooding and textured mix of shoegaze, post-punk, dreampop and new wave. They have managed to grow a sizeable international following despite singing entirely in Italian – an unprecedented achievement for an Italian indie band in these respective genres.
According to Italian portal Rock.it, Stella Diana produces music “that sounds like shoegaze no one has ever made in Italy”. Italian tastemaker indieforbunnies.it sees Stella Diana as trailblazers “not only because it is very difficult to find another shoegaze band in Italy so compelling, but also because they manage to perfectly blend the dreampop concept with walls of distortion and the Italian language”, noting that “it is virtually impossible to find another band like this in Italy”.
In 2014, Stella Diana released ’41 61 93′ to critical acclaim, finally achieving a perfect synthesis of distorted guitars and dilated sounds. After working exclusively with Spanish and Italian labels, their track featured on the compilation ‘REVOLUTION – The Shoegaze Revival’, touted by Creation Records’ Joe Foster as a collection of the best new wave of shoegaze bands, and released on UK label Raphalite Records and Indonesian label Gerpfast Kolektif. Brazil’s TBTCI Records also commissioned them to play “Leave Them All Behind” for a Ride Tribute album and they also participated in the Slowdive tribute ‘Souvlaki Reheated’ (Seashell Records). They gained further recognition through this and generated a nice buzz in the blogosphere, which led to them signing with Raphalite Records to release their forthcoming ‘Alhena’ EP.
The first single ‘Shohet’ is due for release in October. The song is indicative of a release full of melodic gems. Tracks spirit you into a state of bliss, underpinned with a harmonic complexity that both beguiles and entrances. Welcome to your new favourite Italian band” (Press)

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Ummagma: Frequency (Ep, Raphalite Recordings, 2015)

El nuevo artefacto del dúo canadiense-ucraniano Ummagma se llama Frequency. Un Ep en el que vuelven a dar rienda suelta a toda su creatividad Dreamgaze para dar lugar a un disco creativo, original y en el que la belleza aflora por todos sus poros.
Por cierto, para su elaboración, han contado con la colaboración de miembros de Cocteau Twins, OMD o Lights That Change.

“Frequency’ follows the band’s two debut LPs ‘Antigravity’ and ‘Ummagma’, which they simultaneously released in 2012. This release represents a slight departure from the first two albums, which whisked the listener through the romanticism of first meetings, big love, adventures abroad and optimistic dreaming through to the realities of birth, loss, death and departure. In contrast, ‘Frequency’ explores such themes as space and distance, timelessness, escapism, and the search for tranquility” (Press)

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93 Million Miles from the Sun: Fall into nothing (Withe Light Recordings, 2015)

Toda una extensa sinfonía de Noise y Shoegaze a partes iguales, llena de texturas y sonoridades envolventes dan a este disco la atmósfera apropiada para volver a conectar de nuevo con el mejor sonido Neo-Shoegaze.

“Take Fall Into Nothing, their fourth long player and first since 2012’s Towards The Light. Having taken the best part of two years to construct, its long gestation period was well worth the wait. Taking the listener on an extensive journey through 15 pieces encompassing all angles of the modern psychedelic spectrum.Fall Into Nothing encapsulates sonic ambivalence at its most dynamic juncture.
Essentially it’s the brainchild of singer, guitarist and songwriter in chief Nick Noble – now the only founder member still with the band. Noble proves himself to be a master of traversing the fine line between intense and ambient here. None more so than on penultimate number ‘A Million Miles Away’, a near 11-minute-long opus that fuses elements of woozy reverb with visceral noise and the occasional dramatic silence.
Comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive are inevitable, and on the tube screaming ‘Watch Her Fall’ and cavernous ‘Feel Its Real’ more than justified. However, what sets 93MillionMilesFromTheSun apart from many of their contemporaries merely content with rehashing the past is their deliberate penchant to push new boundaries. Like on ‘Reflections’, which fuses motorik beats with a more traditional song structure than its counterparts here, or on its creator’s previous releases.
What’s most interesting about Fall Into Nothing is the way it’s concisely split into four parts, each separated by a series of musical interludes that veer from all out white noise (‘Interlude I’) to a dream sequence (‘Interlude III’) which introduces the album’s catatonic finale.
Elsewhere, the majestic ‘Flying’, again exceeding the ten-minute-mark, embarks on a no-holds-barred voyage of discovery. While the opening segment is fairly reminiscent of Oasis’s ‘Columbia’, its final two thirds cavort betwixt sonic territories only the bold would dare to venture. Similarly, ‘Sabs Is Free’ rides along the serrated edge of aural intensity which provides a stark contrast to the shimmering elegance of ‘Nothing Left Inside’.
As the closing ‘Outro’ brings Fall Into Nothing to a tranquil end, one can only sit back and reflect on a record that signifies the pinnacle of 93MillionMilesFromTheSun’s career so far” (Drowned in Sound)

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Bloodhounds on my Trail: Escape (Raphalite Records, Ep, 2015)

“It’s no secret that Australia has a burgeoning shoegaze scene. From within the burgeoning Melbourne shoegaze community,Bloodhounds On My Trail are set to release ‘Escape II’ internationally through UK-based label Raphalite Records. This deluxe edition of their debut EP ‘Escape’ will also feature additional tracks ‘She’s In My Plans’ and a remix of ‘Jolly’ by celebrated dreampop duo Ummagma.
‘Jolly’ is the first single off this EP. “Jolly is about having a good moment when you’ve been having a bit of a difficult time and wanting to not let it go to waste. Happy for people to enjoy our music and take what they want out of it. How it makes them feel. The message is in the ears of the listener,” explains Bloodhounds guitarist Chris Donaldson. 
Bloodhounds are Johnny Green (guitar, vocals), Chris Donaldson (guitar), Nik Donaldson (drums) and Ché Walden(bass). With a love of shoegaze bands of the late 1980s to early 90s, Bloodhounds On My Trail seek to fuse the rhythmic underpinnings of bands like the Velvet Underground and the Stooges with the infectious stylings of shoegaze luminaries such as Cocteau Twins and Slowdive. 
Since playing their first show in February 2014, the band has been blossoming through a whirlwind combination of live shows, festivals and recording sessions. Their music was met with positive reactions, encouraging press, and invitations to play with notable Australian artists such as Lowtide, Contrast, and White Walls” (Press)

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The Surfin´Burritos: King of the party / Devil´s newsletter (Carajillo Records, Single, 2015)

The Surfin´Burritos son una banda catalana que ha decidido dar el paso de especializarse en realizar versiones incendiando fiestas allá por donde pasan a componer su primer sencillo, este King of the party/Devil´s newsletter, una buena tarjeta de presentación para una banda que desde luego instrumentalmente no tienen nada que demostrar pues su dominio del sonido que facturan es total, pero que nos sorprende con una par de cortes muy en la onda Boogie de los dos primeros trabajos de los Flamin´Groovies, simples, sencillos y directos (hasta el grafismo de la portada me evoca esos discos). La mejor forma de impactar en el Rock´n´Roll. Cuerda para rato.

“Con esta experiencia en común nos decidimos a grabar nuestros propios temas. El resultado es nuestro primer single, editado por Carajillo Records, que ya han publicado singles de vinilo de Blas Picón and The Junk Express, Los Locos del Oeste, Mario Cobo, Los Brioles…. No se nos ocurre un mejor comienzo para presentar nuestro repertorio. Nos gusta pensar que en nuestras composiciones hay ecos de rockabilly, mersey beat, powerpop, surf instros, garage, brill building pop, todo ello realizado con ilusión, guitarras contundentes y sin prejuicios por no encuadrarnos en un estilo único.
Actualmente estamos grabando un LP como continuación del single que incluye las canciones “King of The Party” y “Devil’s Newsletter” (Prensa)

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Pure Morning: The Broadcasting Department Of Philadelphia (Mellotron Recordings, 2015)

“Melotron Recordings is proud to announce the debut physical release of dream pop – shoegaze band from Sinaloa Mexico, Pure Morning called “The Broadcasting Department of Philadelphia”. An excellent/must hear for fans of Creation & Sarah Records, the eighties C86 scene or even the The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and Slowdive”

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Corner Suns: Corner Suns (Ep, 2015)

Brandon Carr (The Earlies) y John Dulfiho (Apples in Stereo), han creado Corner Suns, y nos dejan un pequeño caramelo en forma de Pop Barroco con leves influencias Psicodélicas. Quizás deberían haber arriesgado por un formato algo más largo, para no dejarnos con la miel en los labios.

“Combining neo-psyche + baroque pop influences, Corner Suns has provided us with a record to succor our minds attention. The chill wave of this self-titled record will have you gravitating towards your favorite cozy spot; keep the door ajar and others will follow suit. Don’t be surprised if visitors are lounging around while this soundtrack brings the day to a close” (Press)

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The Landseers: Wasted (Ep, 2015)

“The Landseers are a  lo-fi, pastoral-post-punk supergroup formed by Nat Lyon, Pulco and Sweet Benfica. Our debut EP is out now and you can listen to the tunes”

Wavves x Cloud Nothings: No life for me (Ghost Ramp, 2015)

“It’s an algorithmic dream date: Google “Cloud Nothings” or “Wavves” and in each case the other band is one of the top entries in the “people also search” field. The overlap is inevitable: two critically acclaimed indie rock bands that actually rock, ones that qualify as pop and punk but somehow not pop-punk. Yet, Wavves X Cloud Nothings represents a sudden intersection after the two artists have spent the past five years aiming in opposite directions. Dylan Baldi wants esteemed producers to act like P90x coaches, helping him shed the flabby baggage of his earliest recording for something meaner, leaner, and shredded, whereas Nathan Williams employs them like high-end makeup artists. You’d have to go back to 2009 for the last time Wavves and Cloud Nothings were functionally similar, or No Life For Mecan save you the trouble.
Before the turn of the decade, both bands were solo projects manufacturing confectionary nuggets about being young, bitter and bored, wrapped in metallic hiss—the equivalent of eating chocolates without removing the foil. There’s no obvious reason for either Baldi or Williams to be nostalgic for this period, as their careers have continued to evolve and prosper along with their music. Maybe they’re eager to revisit a time when their every move wasn’t subject to scrutiny, though slapping both of their highly recognizable brands on the cover doesn’t exactly lower expectations, despite the modest rollout.
Still, this album is the most effortless music either has produced in years, which ultimately serves as proof of how easy it is for both Baldi and Williams to write good songs and also the care it takes to make them great. There are solid hooks scattered all over No Life For Me, and they sound like they could’ve been knocked out in five minutes—each melodic note notches in the expected place over thrumming power chords and steady drums. The seven proper tracks are all opportunities to parse the fine difference between urgency and immediacy: much ofNo Life For Me happened without much noticeable struggle, but did it need to happen?
In the end, “Wavves X Cloud Nothings” manages to be misleading on numerous levels. It implies a full partnership or at least participation from both bands—this is essentially “Wavves feat. Dylan Baldi”, as it calls on Nathan’s brother Joel as a producer and his drummer Brian Hill, who is not Jayson Gerycz. Hill is a fine drummer but he’s not one of the few plus-value drummers in rock music, a guy who can singlehandedly change a band’s trajectory and take a song from an 8 to a 10. This might’ve reflected more on Baldi than Hill had the dreamy, drumless closer “Nothing Hurts” not been the LP’s highlight. However, “Come Down” and the title track are essentially Cloud Nothings deep cuts with a solid rhythm section that never pushes against Baldi’s vocals, never threatens any kind of chaos. It’s possible Hill could’ve provided these things had No Life For Me been the result of more protracted sessions, but you might come out of this record thinking Gerycz is somehow still underrated.
Moreover, the nominal “X” implies a factorial relationship between the two acts—maybe this could’ve been a muscling up of Wavves’ wiry surf-and-skate physique or the achromatic bleakness of Attack on Memory or Here and Nowhere Else given a suntan. Tilt that “X” 45 degrees and you’ve got a more accurate formula: This is more an example of addition, two artists with very similar writing styles piling on top of each other.
In fact, Williams and Baldi are virtually indistinguishable emotionally or sonically here. The same themes of intransigence, ennui, and self-pity that serve as the basis for nearly every one of their previous songs is shuffled and endlessly reworded, Wavves and Cloud Nothings lyrics turned into magnetic poetry tiles grabbed out of a bag. Their blunt admissions never sound insincere despite being shared and workshopped, just pro forma—”I’m such a fucking mess/ Don’t know at all how it’s gonna go,” “I feel it open up around me.” “Sometimes, you’ll find nothing ever comes down.”
Looking at the most recent, productive relationships between established songwriting entities—Run the Jewels, FFS, for example—there’s a provision of contrast, a clear quid pro quo where each party has something the other wants or needs. Whether or not there’s chemistry between Baldi and Williams, there’s no volatility. They don’t even sound like they’re having fun: the bummer attitude was a given, but neither is inspired to go beyond their own sonic boundaries, nor is there any sign of friendly one-upmanship, no indication that a truly great idea from these sessions wouldn’t be tucked away for private usage. That wouldn’t be much of an issue had this partnership reflected its low-key creative process by having Wavves X Cloud Nothings go by a different name or having the results given away as a freebie or just a lark. But No Life For Me is a 21-minute record with two instrumentals that costs $10—the same price you could pay for Attack on Memory or King of the Beach. Which is to say that Wavves X Cloud Nothings didn’t need to result in a good album to justify its existence, but No Life For Me did” (Pitchfork)

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Wavves: V (Ghost Ramp, Warner, 2015)

Flamezesz

El quinto trabajo de la banda de Nathan Williams en realidad no nos sorprende lo más mínimo porque no se ha salido ni un milímetro de la fórmula que le ha encumbrado como uno de esos iconos Indie que de vez en cuando se asoman a las plataformas Major y a algún que otro medio de comunicación masivo de esos que se entretienen en cubrir eventos de moda o retratar vidas de adolescentes irreverentes en vez de volver a sus planteamientos musicales iniciales.
La monserga viene a cuento de contaros que V es un trabajo que no desentona en ningún momento y que nos muestra a un Williams inspirado, con esos estribillos instántaneos y esas canciones petardeantes que se adhieren a tu oído como goma de mascar. El envoltorio: el Pop abigarrado y con toques Punkies de siempre, guitarras distorsionadas y un sentido ácido del humor que continúa enganchando.
¿Para qué más?

“In July, Nathan Williams became the latest musician to show you can take the boy out of indie but you can’t take the indie out of the boy: He got in a fight with his major label. Williams uploaded “Way Too Much”, a single from his then-untitled new album, to SoundCloud, only to see Warner Bros. take it down. Without disclosing Warner’s motivation behind the takedown, he implied the label was threatening to sue him, and wrote, “Its so obnoxious to work tirelessly on something and then have a bunch of ppl who just see me as a money sign go and fuck it all up.”
On this, Warner was right: V is definitely not a record that’s going to make them a lot of money. That would require Williams writing the pop-punk crossover LP of his career—a little more Paramore, a little less Psychedelic Horseshit. Instead, what we have is an angry collection of songs more indebted to his recent collaboration with Cloud Nothings and the brute-force approach of his earlier releases, where punk catharsis was achieved by saying the same lyric over and over. (Say “I’m so bored” five times fast and you, in fact, will feel bored.)
V was inspired by a breakup, as well as the band’s hellaciously bad habits: 100 beers and two bottles of Jameson a night for the four-piece group, a period of “just drinking, straight drinking,” as Williams says in the album’s press materials. Accordingly, V sounds like a hangover. Every song starts somewhere dismal, and ends up somewhere that’s only a little hopeful—a process akin to the recovery from a hangover, when by the end you’re mostly happy not to be drooling and vomiting on yourself. Multiple tracks refer to headaches both physical and spiritual. Williams’ budget has outsized the lo-fi recordings he made his name with, but he hasn’t deviated much from the core formula. Though there’s room for easy-breezy surf rock (“Heavy Metal Detox”), insistent riffage (“Flamezesz”, “Pony”), and shuddering sounds ripped from a horror movie (“Redlead”), the predominant aesthetic is dirty and discordant backed by big harmonies—the sweet spot from which all memorable Wavves songs emerge.
It’s a faster record, too: V abandons Williams’ previous attempts at balladry, with all slow moments preceding the eventual assault. At times, the pace works to his advantage. Williams writes a killer hook, and it’s easy to hear crowds slamming along to the feel-bad vibes of “Heavy Metal Detox”,  “All the Same”, “Way Too Much”, and “My Head Hurts”. A line like “I lost my job today, but it’s all the same” (“All the Same”) is delivered much more happily than “It gets better” (“Pony”), a reminder that he’s better reveling in angst than trying to convince us it doesn’t matter.
When he leans into his ennui, V achieves momentarily thrilling peaks. Williams is a child of singers like Billie Joe Armstrong and Tom DeLonge, pop-punk brats great at sounding snotty next to a massive chorus. The best songs remind you of his keen ability for penning sonically fractured, melodically appealing “woe-is-me” anthems that won’t bruise you too badly in the pit. (The best songs were written with the other members of the band, too, suggesting a necessary camaraderie.)
Still, V is a slight regression from the subtle growth he showed on 2013’s Afraid of Heights. Songs like “Demon to Lean On” and “Cop” weren’t just excellent songs—they showed the crystallization of the Wavves project into something mature, a word that’s rarely been used to describe Williams or his music. V will make you think he’s lapsed back to his #worstbehavior. Take a characteristic line like “Everything sucks if you don’t get your way” from “Tarantula”—it’s like he fell through a portal from 2009, and is back to playing the perpetual brat. V is a perfectly capable record, one that showcases what we’ve come to expect—and in many cases, enjoy—from Williams and his band. Even so, you wonder where else they might have gone” (Pitchfork)

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Alex G.: Beach Music (Domino, 2015)

Bajo el arrope del Bedroom-Pop, nos encontramos con esta delicada obra de Pop Barroco llena de matices y sutilezas que nos propone el músico de Pennsylvania Alex G.

“Over the course of six self-recorded and mostly self-released LPs, Alex G has built a body of work unassuming in its presentation but astounding in its depth. Beach Music, his seventh full-length and his debut with Domino, was written and recorded in Giannascoli’s apartment between the Fall of 2014 and the Spring of 2015, during breaks from touring with the likes of Elvis Depressedly, Cymbals Eat Guitars, and Gardens & Villa. While its predecessors often came in uninterrupted bursts—from his head to the internet in a matter of hours and days—Beach Music was shaped in part by Giannascoli adapting to life as a touring musician. Songs were written within months of one another rather than all at once, with influences ranging from noise music to piano-based laments to Southern rock to the rhythmic focus of techno—whatever he happened to be most interested in at the time. The result is Giannascoli’s most cohesive and beautiful work to date; a stand-out addition to a catalog whose rewards continue to evolve and multiply with every listen” (Press)

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Tigres Leones: La Catastrofia (Sonido Muchacho, 2015)

“El universo de Tigres Leones, o al menos el que se infiere de las letras de este “La Catastrofía” (Sonido Muchacho, 2015), tiene elementos que se repiten. Hay fuego, soles abrasadores, que pueden llegar a quemar y tener entonces que esparcir tus cenizas. Es un medio onírico en el que abrir los ojos, despertarse, no significa en absoluto el abandonar el mundo de los sueños. Permanecer en la cama, eso sí, es un medio de repulsa, de protesta y desobediencia al militar. Las calles, ahí fuera, son el escenario catastrófico que parece sugerir el título, con policías que cuentan chistes, cuchillas y peligros. De hecho, las personificaciones, las apariciones de localizaciones concretas y específicas de países o ciudades son para hablarnos de entes que, adoptando miserias y maneras humanas, aprisionan, arrinconan… Sin lugar a dudas hay que escapar de ellas, se tienen que evacuar y dejar abandonadas. Claro, en este imaginario con una coordenada extra más allá de las estrictamente espacio-temporales habituales, en este país de las maravillas que define la banda, que dos personas con cabeza animal libren un combate de lucha libre no ha de extrañar: es precisamente lo que ocurre en la portada diseñada por David Sánchez.
Establecida casi por unanimidad, sin discusión, la conexión con otros proyectos de similar raigambre en lo etéreo como Patrullero Mancuso o El Niño Gusano, lo cierto es que el nuevo álbum de los madrileños parece entroncar con aquel “Living is easy with eyes closed / misunderstanding all you see” de los campos de fresa de los Beatles. Han girado de manera decidida a una manera de sonar que evoca todo el pop, el beat de los 60 peninsulares. Se habla de Los Brincos claro, para anclar la música de Tigres Leones a alguna referencia válida y concreta de ese pop ibérico, pero con el arranque de “Buenos días” por ejemplo, me han venido a la memoria algunas canciones de los Yardbirds. No vale para corroborar esto, la mención a los Kinks que se hace en “Hablan sobre mí“, porque por las mismas, son muchas y variadas las menciones a grupos y artistas bien distintos entre sí. De cualquier forma la mejor de todas es ésta: “¿Qué vais a hacer cuando muera? / No podreis escribir / Se acabará la música buena / y oireis a Ramoncín“.
Guitarras deliciosas y melodías vocales exquisitas marcan el esqueleto del disco. Son más los detalles, qué duda cabe, pero son con esas delicadezas con las que se hila el armazón principal. Pueden llegar a sonar más acústicos, sencillos o pausados, como en el final de “Diez formas de matar el miedo“, pero por lo general, uno diría que es otro el sentimiento detrás de canciones como “Buenos días“, “Fiesta” o el “(Haz) el Raskolnikov“, que suena incluso a power-pop. Algo ya habían anunciado con su single anterior “Muerte a los Muertos” (Sonido Muchacho, 2014), en el que ya adelantaban por ejemplo “España muerde“.
Grabado en Studio B y DGR Sónica, el disco tiene en las colaboraciones, un capítulo destacado. Buscando una voz femenina, dieron, por mediación de Raúl Querido, con la de La Bien Querida, para “Marte“. La canción, una pequeña preciosidad para mi gusto, pierde todo el sentido planetario con el famoso vídeo que Miguel Esteban les ha hecho a cuenta del anuncio de una cerveza muy madrileña. Cobran las imágenes identidad propia e independiente, pero la propuesta es entonces otra muy diferente. El grupo y la misma Bien Querida tienen reservado su papel de secundarios en una historia muy ocurrente que transcurre casi en ortogonal a la canción, que eso sí, sigue siendo preciosa. Por su parte, Javier Molina consigue transmitir parte de la crispación que da a las canciones en Juventud Juché al desquicie de “Evacuad Madrid” y Albert, de Gúdar, pone su voz a “TQM“.
Hacen falta discos que propongan travesías sin brújula alguna, grupos que planteen aventuras sin timón, donde no haya anclas ni referencias. Hacen falta discos que fluyan al ritmo de letras aparentemente sin sentido lógico. Hacen falta bandas como Tigres Leones que nos lleven de la mano sólo hasta el umbral entre la vigilia y el sueño, y que una vez llegados allí nos suelten en caída libre” (La Fonoteca)

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My Cruel Goro: Clash (Single, 2015)

Italy-Iceland trio My Cruel Goro have released their third single ‘Clash’ from their debut eponymous EP. Renowned British Producer Marc Joy (Mike Peters, Bernard Butler, Lights That Change, Golden Fable) say this is “immediate and in-yer face Italian neo-punk somewhere between Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Early Dinosaur Jr. and the Fratellis”, while Goldmine Sacks from Impose Magazine says the band “crashes on to the scene with a thrashing sense of existence” with “the three piece engaging in some clever and swift power pop chord dynamics”

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Lights That Change: Starlight (Single, 2015)

Like the previous single, ‘Starlight’ is chalked full of ethereal wave magic, but with an optimistic lilt and overarching sound reminiscent of The Sundays.  Vocalist Mandy Clare delivers mesmerizing vocals amidst a flurry of encapulating pop guitar patterns with a highly positive energy and calming effect. 

“I put the lyrics and melody to Marc’s instrumental track after a late night out in a salsa club.  It is mostly about the role that being led by a good dance Lead (even a stranger) can play in filling a void and in healing.  It also has something to say about hesitation and whether to follow a strong intuitive ‘pull’ that runs against the grain,” explains vocalist Mandy Clare. “I love the song. There is something sad but also a comforting rhythmic lull about it.” (Press)

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Everyone But Me: Everyone But Me (Ep, 2015)

Un marasmo de guitarras, toneladas de distorsión, melodías inaudibles y una sensación general algo claustrofóbica al fin. Todos estos elementos confluyen en el debut del combo Post-Shoegaze de Ohio Everyone But Me.

“The EP opens up with the epic ‘Isn’t Far’ with its sonically astute opening chord structure leading into the ‘Thousand Yardstare’ esq’ shuffling effected drum pattern.Its dreamy vocal arrangement intertwined with that catchy guitar hook instantly adheres itself to you with its stunningly addictive qualities and its emotive inner layers of fuzzy reverberations are to die for. Up next is ‘Say Farewell’. Reminiscent at times to‘My Bloody Valentine’ but with an added modern day shoegazing twist in the form of the immense vocal arrangements on show. The production on this track alone is captivating & leaves this listener floating in a sea of reverb induced brilliance. Track 3 – ‘Just Like Anyone’ is sonic thrill ride through experimental drum arrangements, screaming guitar effects & droning vocal lines. This is another masterpiece as far as I’m concerned! By the time we get to track 4 – ‘I Never Believed You’ I’m addicted to the sound that these guys have created. This track is  an introduction to a magical world of pounding drums, fuzzy reverb, epic vocals & shimmering dreampop induced brilliance. The closing track on this immense debut 5 track release from Ohio based‘Everyone But me’ is nothing short of sublime! ‘Still Not Enough’ is 7 minutes plus of dimension hopping sonic heaven. The vocals are captivating to the point of hypnotisation!  This is psychedelic snake charming with a sonic boom that’ll launch you into the fuzzy atmosphere with relative ease! A stunning finale to an absolutely immense debut release” (The Primal Music Blog)

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Wreckless Eric: Several shades of green (Single, 2015)

Un sencillo con todo el sabor del Pop norteamericano específicamente elaborado en la Gran Manzana: percusiones sobrias, letras oscuras y cierto tono oscuro general. El regreso de Wreckless Eric se llama Several shades of green, y está incluido en amERICa, su próximo trabajo, a editar en noviembre.

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“Eric recorded the album in his ramshackle house in upstate New York: amplifiers in the kitchen, in the hallway, bass amp in the guest bedroom, microphones up the staircase, speaker cabinets in doorways, frenetic bursts of guitar feedback exploding out of the kitchen…He’s been living like this for years, since the 1980s drove him screaming from legitimate recording studios. A way of life transported from England to France, to England, back again to France, and finally to America.
Eric played electric guitars and bass throughout, strummed a scratchy 3/4 size Framus Teenager acoustic (bought from an old blues singer down in Georgia) against simplistic drum loops of his own creation. Here and there he called on friends and neighbours – Brian Dewan manned a malfunctioning Wurlitzer organ and other dodgy keyboards, bringing in cheap but magnificent synthetic choirs. Jane Scarpantoni played the cello. Alexander Turnquist guested on the e-bow guitar. Eric’s wife Amy Rigby assisted on piano, banjo and vocal harmonies. Eric treated and manipulated the sounds the American musicians made as they were being recorded
And so through random scrawls of guitars and loops and drones, meditations emerged on desperation (Property Shows), regret (Days Of My Life); fast food (Sysco Trucks), self-advancement (Up The Fuselage), pop fame lost and resurrected (Boy Band), firearms and civil liberties (White Bread): white bread built this land of milk and money…
Other songs are autobiographical and personal – Several Shades Of Green, Transitory Thing: I carried a case full of dirty clothes halfway around the world, when luggage was smaller and the chances were plenty I drank beer and sang songs for girls. The album ends with Have A Great Day, an immigrant’s open-eyed appreciation of his new home: Judy In Disguise, Bobbie Gentry’s Mississippi skies Trains rolling by Sears bungalow homes…” (Press)