Best Records and EPs of the year 2018... so far

Time flies and we have passed the equator of this year, which means that it's time to unveil our 25 best records and EPs of the year so far! As in previous editions, the list appears in alphabetical order (the proper, ranked, final list arrives in December) including the bands & artists that have been blowing our minds & ears the most in the last six months*. We hope you like our selection (you know, this is a work in progress) and we recommend you to stay tuned because our favorite songs from this first half of 2018 will be unveiled soon.

All at Once- Screaming Females
Asunción- Sr. Chinarro
Birds of America- Lake Ruth
Clean- Soccer Mommy
Every Little Thought- Hurry
God’s Favourite Customer- Father John Misty
Historian- Lucy Dacus
Hope Downs- Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Horology- Red Red Eyes
Longwave- Dropkick
Lost and Found- En Attendant Ana

Lush- Snail Mail
Maps- Soft Science
Ocala Wick- Gobbinjr
September Love- Stephen’s Shore
Silver Dollar Moment- The Orielles
Sugar & Spice- Hatchie
Sunday Best- Martha Ffion
The Yetis- The Yetis** 
This Is Glue- Salad Boys
Tú Siempre Ganas. Parte 1. La Vida Adulta (Instrucciones de Uso​)​- Hazte Lapón
Where We Were Together- Say Sue Me
Wild Notion- Night Flowers
Years- Sun June
Vessel- Frankie Cosmos

More lists? Click on the years to check our 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 selections!

* the list comprises releases from January to June 2018
** although it was originally released in 2014, we have included it here as we have discovered them thanks to the 2018 re-release by our friends at Discos de Kirlian

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 185

A grey (not that rainy, though) weekend doesn't necessarily mean staying at home with the blanket and sofa! To overcome that tempting drowsiness that for sure is invading you, we have our latest TOP TEN Jukebox for your ears only :) This time, full of new discoveries, including one we will try to see live at Primavera Sound Festival, Alex Lahey, plus a couple of beloved bands of the Blog returning to form in Wax Idols and Soft Science. As always, a lot to choose from & shake the laziness off! Have fun and remember, all tunes are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!)

Direct links to 2018 Jukebox playlists

Week 171  Week 172  Week 173  Week 174  Week 175 Week 176  Week 177  Week 178 
Week 179  Week 180  Week 181  Week 182  Week 183 Week 184

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 109

Summer has clearly arrived to Barcelona... making the citizens just focus either on holidays and finding a way to breath (sweltering days that keep repeating as 'Groundhog Day'). Luckily for us, the music is not taking a break, so prepare yourselves to for a great playlist gathered in our weekly TOP TEN Jukebox. Is pretty full of friends (what a starting trio!). as well as new and exciting bands demanding your attention. And remember, all songs are listed at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2016 Jukebox playlists

Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89 Week 90   Week 91   Week 92  
Week 93  Week 94  Week 95  Week 96   Week 97  Week 98  Week 99   Week 100  Week 101 
Week 102   Week 103  Week 104  Week 105   Week 106  Week 107    Week 108   

Discoverer 137: new indie findings

Sometimes, the stars align and the trio of bands proposed are just so good it's a no-brainer for our discoverer series. That's the case today, so we prepared to enjoy!

Witching Waves. Hailing from London, UK, the band is the creation of vocalist/drummer Emma Wigham (Weird Menace) and vocalist/guitarist Mark Jasper (Sound Savers Recording Studio), who joined forces in April 2013 with a first tape arriving at the end of that same year by Supplex Cassettes. Two more tapes followed, a split covers tape with band As Ondas in 2014, and the 'Concrete' single tape that September, which anticipated the release of their first LP, 'Fear of Falling Down', out in December, as well as the signature with the always recommendable Soft Power Records, and the addition of Ed Shellard at the bass expanding the band to a trio. A couple of limited cassettes, including another split, now with Rattle, whom with they toured, has now preceded the arrival of sophomore album 'Crystal Cafe', out just now on Soft Power and our dear friends HHBTM Records. You should check it immediately, because their music is a sonic blast. Early Cure, Wire, Sonic Youth, Buzzcocks, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pylon... you name it. Waves of noise, echoes of punk, a relentless urgency, a threatening edge, a fearless attitude, a mystery hiding in fuzz. An early MUST of 2016.

The High Violets. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, this unbeatable named band formed in 1998, from the ashes of the Bella Low breakup. Initially the trio of founder members Clint Sargent, Luke Strahota and Violet Bianca Grace, the line-up changed dramatically with Grace leaving very soon, while the remaining duo recruited Allen Davis of Echoplex and the amazing voice of Kaitlyn ni Donovan, self-releasing their first EP 'Dream Away' in 1999. In 2002 came out their mini-album '44 Down', followed by 'Invitation', another self-released EP, in 2005 and their debut album 'To Where You Are' a year later on Reverb Records. After a remixes album in 2007, the High Violets delivered 'Cinéma', sophomore LP in 2010, out via Comet Rock Records, probably their most celebrated release to date. Now, after another line-up change (Davis left, being replaced by Colin Sheridan) they are back with 'Heroes and Halos', scheduled for early April through Saint Marie Records. A record you shouldn't miss by any chance: a haunting collection of dreampop/shoegaze tunes recalling beloved ones like Slowdive, The Sundays or Soft Science, leaded by the magnetic vocals of Kaitlyn, the layered guitars and lush arrangements. Gorgeous sounds enveloped in haze.

Crescendo. And we end in L.A., California to meet the dreamgaze (half dreampop, half shoegaze) trio formed by Gregory Cole, Olive Kimoto and Jess Krichelle, expanded to a quintet in their latest incarnation (google cres·cen·do if you don't find enough info on them). They debuted in 2014 with self-released album 'Lost Thoughts' but now, with their sophomore release 'Unless', out now via our dear friends of the WWNBB collective, they are bound for greater things. A stomping yet ethereal collection of tunes, urgent and distant, melodic and fuelled by a very tight rhythm and light-years ahead vocals. Like a brighter and accelerated version of Wild Nothing or the Radio Dept, it's the sound of a collision, of a fast and enigmatic voyage, of adventure, rumble and endless excitement. It's the sound of the night, aiming to be lived. A crescendo of sonic wonders!

Best Songs of the Year 2015: 100-76

After Concerts, Books, EPs and Records, it's time for the final list: the 5th edition of the Bloodbuzzed's Best Songs of the Year. Here are our 100 favourite songs of the last twelve months. As the Blog aims to give a modest space for as many bands as possible, and luckily the amount of exciting music keeps increasing we have limited the songs the same group/artist can have in the list to just two. As usual, we have divided the selected tunes in four different posts of 25 songs each, packed in a soundcloud playlist (also available at our Souncloud page). So, to begin with, here's the first round with tunes from 100 to 76. Please don't take the order's list too seriously. At the end, it's just an excuse to celebrate another year of great music! Next round coming very soon!

100. Home- Tomiji
99.  So Long- Anomie
98.  Heart attack- Hideous Towns
97.  Oh me!- The Swapsies
96.  Laura- Wildhoney
95. Los líderes africanos- El Lado Oscuro de la Broca
94. Dream on, bably blue- Chorusgirl
93. Alligator- Nevski
92. Carbon- Tuff Love
91. Terrible- Knife Pleats
90.  Broken necks- Eskimeaux
89. Love won’t save you- Crayon Fields
88. Herman- Sleepy Seeds
87. 1000 years- Dianas
86. Hey Joan- The Stammer
85. Lottery- Oh, Rose
84. Umi - Pinkshinyultrablast
83. Let You Know- The Fireworks
82. Religion of mine- Summer Fiction
81. The scene between- The Go! Team
80. Breaking- Soft Science
79. 6000 dias- Boogarins
78. Take a little time- Kathryn Calder
77. Made my mind up- Mikal Cronin
76.  Can’t you feel –Bruising

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 83

Despite being the Star Wars weekend and also the weekend before Christmas, there's life out there, and to prove it, here's a new TOP TEN Jukebox, the last one of 2015 (time for Best-of-lists!). It's another clear bet for exciting new bands like Agent blå, Faith Healer or Valet, without forgetting some "old" bands that have already appeared at our blog like Kids On A Crime Spree or our beloved Soft Science. Remember, all these songs are available at our Soundcloud. Have fun and may the force (of music) be with you!

Direct links to 2015 Jukebox playlists
Week 36  Week 37  Week 38   Week 39  Week 40 
Week 41  Week 42 Week 43  Week 44    Week 45
Week 46  Week 47   Week 48  Week 49   Week 50  
Week 51   Week 52  Week 53  Week 54    Week 55  
Week 56   Week 57   Week 58  Week 59   Week 60 
Week 61   Week 62   Week 63  Week 64  Week 65 
Week 66   Week 67   Week 68  Week 69   Week 70 
Week 71   Week 72   Week 73  Week 74   Week 75
Week 76   Week 77   Week 78  Week 79   Week 80
Week 81   Week 82

Premiere: Arts & Leisure are back!

Every time there's an email in my inbox from Ross Levine my heart starts beating in anticipation: good news are coming. The man behind Sacramento's label Test Pattern Records (also part of the great group Soft Science) has done it again. Our beloved Arts & Leisure are back with a new two-song 7" single! And he offered this humble blog to premiere it!!

The follow-up of last year's 'Choose Your Adventure', one of the Blog's favourite albums, will be released next Tuesday, October 28. Both tunes are as wonderful as expected, with that genuine way of putting some bite to the most delicate vocal harmonies and melodies, and viceversa, making buzz and power chords sounds delightful. California Goth Pop? I get the idea of the contrast between sunshine pop and goth, but honestly, can't see any hint of dark in Arts & Leisure music. They bring light and smiles to anyone willing to listen.

First song, 'Weekend' seems to be the quintessential Arts & Leisure tune. It's sweet, achingly sweet. The female/male vocals make it a bit more pushing and intriguing. And then, when you think the song is nice but maybe Arts & Leisure are playing within their "comfort zone" the pause arrives... And then comes the HANDCLAPPING! followed by a majestic guitar line, and vocals to die for. One minute and a half of stunning beauty.

'Over You' begins letting the guitars do most of the talking, making it a slightly more straightforward piece, but by the time the "Yeah Yeah Yeah" arrives our hearts have been already taken. Vocal harmonies are killer (do I need to say that Gerri White & Becky Cale's voices are irresistible?) after the gorgeous guitar interlude. Power pop in its prettiest version.

There are some, few bands, that you NEED. Arts & Leisure is one of them. So good they're back.

Best Records and EPs of the year 2014... so far

Hard to believe, but half of 2014 is already gone. So, as we do every June since this Blog was born, time to take a look to what year has offered in terms of music so far. As started in 2013, before the list of best songs that will arrive late in the forthcoming week, here's another with our favourite 25 records & EPs of the year to date (all 2014 releases already available). Listed in alphabetical order (the "proper" best-of list comes at the end of the year). Just a way to recognize a bunch of great works!

Are We There Yet?- Sharon Van Etten

Atlas- Real Estate

Before There Were Pictures- Pale Lights

Burn Your Fire to No Witness- Angel Olsen

Courting Strong- Martha

Dalliance- Gold-Bears

Detour- Soft Science

Floristry- Trick Mammoth

Flyying Colours- Flyying Colours

Fruits del teu Bosc- Renaldo & Clara

Gingerlys- Gingerlys

Go Guitars- She Sir

Indiepop or Whatever!- When Nalda Became Punk

In Dreams- Fireflies

La Foto Fantasma- Cosmen Adelaida

Loom- Fear of Men

Mundo Fatal- Me and the Bees

New Gods- Withered Hand

Our Year in the Wilderness- The Hi-Life Companion

Sealed with a Kiss- Alpaca Sports

The Best Hunter- Boutade

The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas- Courtney Barnett

Things Too Obvious to Sing- The Very Most
Une Si Longue Attente- Watoo Watoo
Xeristar- Linda Guilala

Discoverer 87: new indie findings

Courtesy of three infallible labels, here's another Sunday full of great discoveries, enjoy!

Soft Science. We move to Sacramento, CA, to introduce you the latest release from our dear label Test Pattern Records. The band, a quartet of well-known musicians from the local scene got together in 2010, releasing debut album "High and Lows" a year later, receiving consistent praise from critics. Now they are back with sophomore LP, "Detour", out now. Pretty unique, Soft Science infuses a pop sensibility to a shoegaze soul, with the sweet vocals of Katie Haley riding high among the waves of shimmering guitars, and propels the immediate catchiness of power pop vibes to dream pop territory with the inviting textures and sonic lushness. Engaging and rich, knock-out record!  
She Sir. Without leaving the States, now is time to check the first 2014's release from one of the best labels on Earth, Shelflife Records. Coming from Austin, Texas, this quartet came together after the initial project of Russell Karloff and Matthew Grusha, who met in college as music composition students, expanded into a full guitar-driven band. They debuted in 2006 with the self-released mini-album "Who Can't Say Yes", followed with the EP "Yens" in 2010. Critic recognition arrived and, that same year, Japanese label Happy Prince compiled all their material in the album "Ev'rything in Paris". After a digital single in 2012, She Sir are back with their proper debut LP "Go Guitars", out February 25th. Coined by press as “shimmer-pop”, they sound as Real Estate doing shoegaze, eternal pop drenched in reverb. Go guitars go, and never stop, what a blast!
The Pretty Greens. We end our trip in Philadelphia, thanks to our beloved February Records, to meet Carly, Julia, and Kool Schmool, a female trio that first came together in October of 2010, as Lust2Love, a tribute to one of their favorite bands, The Go-Go's. But in a matter of months, the band was already playing originals as The Pretty Greens. After some line-up changes, self-relesed debut EP  "Ghost World" came in August 2013, followed by single "When Krampus Calls" in December. And just out now on February Records arrives "Jealous Waves", a limited three tunes single on which the band offers an irresistible new dose of their very diverse and genuine pop-punk music. Feminist-grrrl attitude with many addictive pop faces.