These Go to 11: interviewing Discos de Kirlian

For our next interview, we move again from musicians to a label owner. This time to introduce you to the man behind (and I mean it, he is a one-man label owner) the lovely Discos de Kirlian, which is a regular of our Spanish section. If you want to talk about indiepop in Spain... ask Òscar. These Go to 11!

Òscar Fernàndez, Discos de Kirlian

Mr.Kirlian, Scottish fiction

Indiepop activist (band and gigs promoter, fanzine creator), Òscar Fernàndez decided that one of the few things he had left to do was creating and indie label. So that's what he did in the summer of 2011, paying tribute to the legendary Spanish band Aventuras de Kirlian (later Le Mans) with its name. Based in Barcelona, Discos de Kirlian (also books) is DIY ethics and aesthetics as its best. Minimal infrastructure and logistics, homemade, very handcrafty production and design, and Internet promotion. And of course, and incredible taste and care. The result? The bands he has/is worked/working with speak for itself: Armistice, Lavandera, Gente Joven, Puzzles y Dragones, Coach Station Reunion, Doble Pletina, Juli Bustamante... One of the best labels in our country.

1. First record that you bought (be honest)

A cassette with Tino Casal first singles

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)  

Loquillo y los Togloditas (My hometown parties) and Barbacoa (29/12/2013).

That's what I call... A MUST

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)
More that I would like it. Does Elton John might he be one?

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
Maybe… The Field Mice, "Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way?" (Shinkansen Recordings, 1998)

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

Belle and Sebastian, "We Rule the School".

Georgia Hubley, Yo La Tengo's 1/3

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Magnanimous nobody. Personal myths as Pascal Comelade, Stephen Pastel, Georgia Hubley or Cat Power.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
"Dioptria", Pau Riba.

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both)
I have read many more books. Any Enrique Vila-Matas's book is a good recommendation.

Lovely logo? Indeed, but
music behind is even better

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
All, indeed, the past ones and the future ones (so many don´t stay) ... I believe that I go away to feeling proudly all.

10. What’s does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
Always say the same: indie for my it´s a raison d'être and living, not only in my music, all the moments of my life. To be your same and to travel out of all the established procedure or that want to impose us.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I wait that not very removed of now, probably out of music promoter/label works but with a lot of way “indie life”.

Zillion thanks Òscar!

Best Songs of the Year 2013: 100-76

And finally, after Gigs, Books, EPs and Records, we begin the 3rd edition of the Bloodbuzzed's Best Songs of the Year. Our favourite 100 tunes released this 2013*. As we did the previous years, the list has been split in fourth posts of 25 songs each. So here's the first one, with tunes from 100 to 76. We have changed to SoundCloud as we believe it's easier for everyone (if the song isn't available there's an alternative direct link). Stay tuned for the rest of the songs. Have your say and enjoy the music!

100. El Marco Incomparable- Gente Joven
99. Dyed in the Wools- Widowspeak
98. When It’ll Come- When Nalda Became Punk
97. Calm Down- The Love Language

96. In the Waves- Shady Elders
95. Waiting for the Summer- The Proper Ornaments
94. Devil We Know- Lily & Madeleine
93. She’s Gone- Upset
92. Survivor Guilt Anthem- Two Seconds to Midnight
91. Real Tears- Seabirds
90. With Her Shadow- Born Ruffians
89. Lecce, Leaving- Lee Ranaldo
88. Fin de Semana en Londres- Puzzles y Dragones

87. Mother Earth, Father God- Torres

86. Separator- Ex Cops

85. Golden Twin- Wild Ones
84. Poison Ivy- Rose Elinor Dougall
83. Beix- Les Sueques
82. Just a Pup- The Very Most

81. (Just Like) Susan George- The Blanche Hudson Weekend
80. I’ll Be Honest- The Spook School
79. December- Braids
78. Water Damage- Dick Diver
77. Alleyways- The Adelines
76. Divide and Fall- The Wolfhounds

Click here to check the SoundCloud playlist!

* Three songs per band maximum to include more groups, which has "affected" The National, Savages and Go Violets.

Spanish Indie 15: suggesting the best national acts

Very happy to reintroduce this blog's section, several great Spanish bands discovered recently!

Coach Station Reunion. Here's the Barcelona based solo project of Xavi Rosés, leader of bands Fred i Son, The Epic Kind and Senderos. A "Covers Record" EP, with versions of BMX Bandits, The Field Mice and Prefab Sprout was his first digital release in 2011. Then came the 7” “Eli EP” on Discos de Kirlian in 2012, and his participation at the The Great Escape Festival. Finally, after digital single "In the Night" in April of 2013, we can enjoy his debut LP, "Lost Album" since past week. Warm, delicate, intimate. A genuinely disarming delight of softpop and jangle-pop tunes, packing rescued old gems with new wonders on a collection that makes Xavi Rosés a privileged disciple of his seminal pop masters. Extraordinary. 
Gente Joven. A bit of mystery and a lot to love in this personal project of Fernando de la Flor, hailing from León. Teaming up with Patricia Magadán and Pablo Álvarez, as a trio they have offered us a couple of tunes in June, two more in August and, at the end of September, again in Discos de Kirlian, their first record, "I, II, III y IV". Eight tunes gathering the first demos with four new ones, on a surprisingly mind-blowing collection of melodic dream-pop with whispered male-female vocals, slightly obscure, melancholic and moody. Precious songs.


Cristina Quesada. Last proposal comes from an ultra-young musician from the Canary Islands but based in Madrid that, starting at a very young age became a music-lover, as well as a precocious artist -music theory, violin, theater groups, a local tv program- until at 15 she discovered the ukulele. The 7" EP "Pineapple Princess", her only release to date, came out on Elefant Records this summer, leaving us wondering where is this haunting charm coming from. An impossibly sweet voice and her ukulele in six songs covering the Sherman Brothers, Billy Rose and Lee David, the essential indiepop band Family, or Paul Bevoir, Cristina Quesada's music is one to fall in love with and hope for more to come.