The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 254

As we told you yesterday, this weekend we have a double ration of TOP TEN JUKEBOX, providing you with twenty songs overall for your listening pleasure. This second playlist is a Blog's trademark, full of discoveries, although there are also some beloved groups that couldn't be missed at Bloodbuzzed, such as our beloved Basia Bulat (first couple of tastes from the new album sound amazing, huge expectations) or Flyying Colours. Have a good time, and remember to join us in our Soundcloud page!

Direct links to 2020 Jukebox playlists

Week 250  Week 251  Week 252  Week 253

Spanish Indie 32: suggesting the best national acts

As we are doing with our "worldwide series", it's time to reinvigorate our national discoveries section. But before digging into 2018, here's a must needed review of three favourites, three mind-blowing debut records from past year that couldn't be missed. Fall in love with them!

Últim Cavall. Just had to write this down. They deserve it, and I kind of owe it to them. Because this first album, 'Records de Kyoto' was one of the most listened by your humble blogger last year. Hailing from Garraf, Barcelona, this quintet came out of the blue with a self-titled and self-released EP in September of 2015, with the aforementioned record appearing in March of 2017 via our dear Discos de Kirlian. Somewhere in between shoegaze & dreampop, their music is warm, melodic, fragile and electric at the same time, cinematic, extremely exciting and evocative, a distant soundtrack for a vanishing city, blurred but still very much alive. Like the tunes of this phenomenal band. Not to be missed. 
Hank Idory. Quick drive to Valencia to meet musician Juancho Alegrete, his Bowiesque nickname and, foremost, his wonderful self-titled debut record, out since October via (couldn't be any other way, it's a match made in music heaven) our beloved Pretty Olivia Records. Carefully crafted, gentle, warm and inviting from the very first spin, 'Hank Idory' is a treaty, a masterclass of sunshine pop, echoing the 60s tradition in what it sounds, feels and looks like an act of love for the lost art of creating moving songs. Full or lushy arrangements (mellotrons, violins, harpsichords) as well as vocal harmonies and indelible guitar lines, here you have ten gems to still believe in music and its healing powers...

Melenas. And we end in Pamplona, Navarra. to meet this all- female quartet (with members of must-listen bands like Río Arga and Ginkas) that began clicking cylinders during the summer of 2016, along the tunes composed by vocalist and guitarist Oihana and her meetings (and concert-going) with bassist Leire, keyboardist María and drummer Laura at the bar-music venue Nebula club. Less than a year later, and with some exciting buzz anticipating it, here's their self-titled debut album, released past September via El Nébula Recordings, Elsa Records and Snap Clap Club. The hype, for once is more than deserved. Knockout tunes, shiny, round and addictive, somewhere in between Heavenly (yes!) and Kokoshca, with hints of some garage forgotten band from the nuggets-era that didn't lose the knack for melodies, plus some slightly psychedelic and/or passages. Whatever the form, instant pop pills. What a debut... 

Spanish Indie 29: suggesting the best national acts

Pop, pop and more pop in our latest trio of national bands. Brace yourselves, gorgeous music is coming!

El Palacio de Linares. Drummer Gonzalo Marcos founded the band in 2011, initially with Mariví Hernández Lara, Ángel Román and Elena Cascón, debuting in 2012 with 7"'Himalaya' out on Elefant Records. Changes in the line-up began while the group released EP ‘La Casa Es Negra’ on Discos de Paseo in 2013, as well as singles with Discos de Kirlian, Discos Walden, plus the Mini-LP ‘La Espalda de un perro’ via Sweet Grooves Records a year later, which looked like the final release of the band. But Gonzalo didn't want to quit, so instead he relaunched the band in San Sebastián with the help of Alex & Raúl from Nuevos Hobbies and the support of Yon Vidaur from Ama. The new and reinvigorated ensemble now has come out with first LP ‘Ataque de amor’ via the great Pretty Olivia Records. A collection of pluperfect tunes echoing some of the greatest pop artisans, in between The Feelies and Belle and Sebastian, but with a trademark sense of humour and costumbrist grace. Smashing pop attack!

Evripidis and His Tragedies. Evripidis Evripidis Sabatis is a classically trained musician, visual artist and writer born in Athens, Greece, but adopted by Barcelona a decade ago. Here, with the support of likely minded musicians and artists, he gave form to his own particular musical and aesthetical universe, a solo project that expands into a collecive process. Since 2006, Evripidis has released several EPs, music for short movies and art projects and three LPs, the self-titled debut in 2007, 'A Healthy Dose of Pain' in 2011 and, since this March, we can enjoy 'Futile Games in Space and Time' in a joint release by Snap! Clap!, Canada Editorial, Jigsaw and Inner Ear. Piano-based, his soft pop is kaleidoscopic: sometimes vintage, devoted to 50s & 60s, others baroque, or flirting with Motown as well as with Belle and Sebastian, but always lush, hopelessly romantic and adventurous. Oh! This charming man...

Islandia Nunca Quema. Although they hail from Reus and Tarragona, this quartet formed in 2010 has their music DNA in distant places like Brisbane, Glasgow or Dunedin... also known as the "kingdoms of indiepop". Debut release arrived in December of 2012 with 7" 'The Wrong Parade / Pile of Junk', out via Philatelia Records, followed by another 7", only digital, entitled 'Behold the Evil Mind/ Dotted Lines' in January 2014. 'Applause', first album to date was next, again via Philatelia, with a 'Covers' record made public early 2015, including versions of The Kinks, Lloyd Cole, The Velvet Underground and Young Marble Giants, among others. So, while we wait for the new chapter of these "Islanders of pop", we can enjoy all their good deeds: their knack for penning classic, lasting melodies, their chiming guitars lines, their flirt with psychedelia... Contagious tunes.

Spanish Indie 18: suggesting the best national acts

And another blog section we recover. Some of the best Spanish bands, for your ears only!

Burrito Panza. El Genio Equivocado's has started 2014 just as they ended 2013. On a roll. Hailing from Albacete, behind this peculiar name there’s Carlos Cuevas, Jose Manuel Mora and Carlos Flan from seminal bands like Surfin ‘Bichos, Mercromina, Travolta and Alienistas of Fernando Alfaro. After signing with El Genio first materialized in 2011 with digital single “Tu Lado Salvaje“, followed that same year by highly praised debut LP “Solo y Mal Acompañado“. Expanded to a quartet with the addition of Rafa Caballero, the group has just released their sophomore album, “Una Familia Desestructurada” this February. Classic pop in capital, kaleidoscopic letters (like LP's artwork), on a giant leap forward in what regards to sound, shiny and round despite a slight of darkness on the lyrics. Join the family! 

Matrimonio. Based in Barcelona, Juan Carlos Fernández (Dos Gajos, Penélope Trip) and visual artist Gloria Vilches met in Gijón on the summer of 2011. After a collaboration, love blossomed and as a consequence, also the music. First tunes appeared late 2012, with S/T 7" EP following in November 2013, courtesy of Snap! Clap! Recs. Intimate, irresistible lo-fi pop (self-defined as a devotional blues combo, aren't they lovely?) with intertwined vocals, charming melodies & bittersweet lyrics. With debut LP expected very soon, write down Matrimonio on your agendas! You'll thank me.  

Casa Celia. Discovered at Basia Bulat's latest visit to Barcelona, this restaurant named duo is formed by Rafa de los Arcos, who is the drummer at our dear Manos de Topo, and Elena González Colominas, from Portrait. Active since 2013 they don't have proper releases yet, but the songs you can hear below are so promising this spot is well deserved. Defined by themselves as "little songs", this is confessional indiepop that endures, in the vein of the The New Raemon, with a sense of humour (try to watch them live, Rafa knows how to deal with an audience) and a genuine, melodic charm. Keep an eye on them!