Spanish Indie 23: suggesting the best national acts

Another round of stunning national discoveries! A trio of wonders who are in love with synths and keyboards but also with a very open-minded concept of pop. Enojy!

Murciano Total. Hailing from Molina de Segura, Murcia (of course) this peculiar band began in 2012, almost as a joke, under the nickname Lena y Sema, but behind the project are José Lozano, former member of Automatics and Universal Circus and his partner Elena Molina. First demos, appeared on lyric-video format surfaced that same year, igniting the buzz and grabbing the attention of our dear friends at El Genio Equivocado, who quickly signed them. With diverse collaborators from bands like El Estudiante Larry, Perro, The Yellow Melodies, Alex de Klaus&Kinski and even Jota from Los Planetas, the duo compiled their work on the limited cassette 'Demos 2012-2013' in December 2013. After a two-hours sold out 7" on early 2014, now we can enjoy their first album, 'Quereres y Dejenes' out since February. Vintage synthesised pop, devoted to OMD or Gary Numan, but with a genuine knack for melodies and twisted lyrics, also recalling the hunt for the perfect pop tune that make Murciano Total closer to national legends like Family. Cult band on the making.

Espiritusanto. Hailing from Madrid and formed around 2010, the origins of this quintet, now sextet, have to be traced from the ashes of the band Portonovo, as two of their founding members were part of that melancholic, moody pop group. Their first reference (all the forthcoming releases are self-released and name your price download at their bandcamp) arrived in January 2012 with the digital EP 'Nadar a Crol', which includes a version of 'I Give You Two Seconds to Entertain Me' from the great Northern Portrait, followed that April by 'No Volvamos Aquí Nunca, No Será tan Divertido' EP. Two more EPs had been released to date. In May 2013, 'Femenino/Masculino' and, in February 2014, 'El Fondo del Aire es Rojo'. Their intricate, lush and ambitious view of pop place Espiritusanto on a unique position within the national scene. Male/female vocals, noise pop with a kraut envelope, sweet dreampop with hints of a darkness... A whole pop experience you shouldn't miss.

Antiguo Régimen. Coming from Valencia, this quartet formed at the end of 2011, although their sharp post-punk sound got defined around September 2012. On February 2013 they released their debut 7" single 'La Formación de la Sombra' on Burka For Everybody / Discodrome / Flexidiscos, followed in April 2014 by their first LP, 'Política de tierra quemada'. Like a flawless record found on a long-time forgotten vault of the post-punk 80s here's the chill, icy and desperate sound. Echoes of The Sound, The Chameleons, The Wake or, going back to Spain, Fasenuova, Nudozurdo or Décima Víctima. Menace and mystery.