Primavera Sound 2020: first impressions

2019 is over. Lists are over... and here it comes (finally) the heavily anticipated announcement of the Primavera Sound's line-up for 2020. Gone is the tricky label #NewNormal, so let's welcome the #BestFestivalForever... Or it is, really?

At first glimpse, it seems way better than last year. Yes, the traditional eclecticism of the Festival turned into its Coachellisation and the embrace of the so-called urban music is here to stay. But there's plenty to see, with an exciting 90s revival (Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Dinosaur Jr., Kathleen Hannah and Ms Gordon altogether) and some wonderful surprises, particularly Mavis Staples and Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, absolute musts of the Festival for this Blog. Add "surefires" among the headliners, such as The National, or among the 'small class', such as Jessica Pratt or Fontaines D.C. and the result is an edition that, at least on paper, looks happily stacked.

But is there something really special, something that really blows our minds and justifies the promotiong of the Festival as very special edition (20th anniversary of Primavera)? Not to our knowledge/tastes, aside from the aforementioned hero from Hull, to be honest. Moreover, there's the feeling of several painful misses that could have elevated this edition to undeniably one of the best. If you allow us to name a few: Sleater-Kinney, Sharon Van Etten, Julia Jacklin, Vivian Girls, Tiny Ruins (or any of the wonders from 'down under', a familiar, recurring pain), Better Oblivion Community Center, Wilco, Crowded House or Tindersticks (bands that are playing in Barcelona this year for the price of your mortgage)... Plus, there's the fear too much Mordor awaits us compared with the latest, pretty comfortable editions, and that some acts we really want to see, namely Jesus and Mary Chain or Rolling Blackouts are playing on Wednesday. And even more scary than the previous: overlaps could be particularly devastating this edition.

But there's no point wasting much time complaining about what could have been... As, we insist, the overall first impression is pretty positive, taking in mind, as always, there's always something to discover among the vast 'middle and small class' offer to add to 'our' Festival routes. Having said that, let's honour the Blog’s tradition: here’s our rough paint & colour' version of 2020 line-up with the bands we are willing to see. Suggestions are welcomed and as always, a lot to listen ahead!!

CONFIRMED ARTISTS FOR PRIMAVERA SOUND 2020

3 June - 7 June

100 GECS •33EMYBW •ABBATH •AEAEA •AFRODEUTSCHE •AGORAPHOBIA •AKASHA KID •AMAIA •AMELIE LENS •ANIKA KUNST •ARTHUR VEROCAI •AURORA HALAL •AUTOMATIC •BAD BUNNY •BAD GYAL •BAUHAUS •BEACH BUNNY •BECK •BEN UFO •BICEP LIVE •BIG FREEDIA •BIGKLIT •BIKINI KILL •BILL CALLAHAN •BISCUIT •BLACK COFFEE •BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD •BLACK LIPS •BLACK MIDI •BLAWAN •BLOND:ISH •BOY HARSHER •BRITTANY HOWARD •BROCKHAMPTON •BUTTECHNO •C. TANGANA •CALL SUPER B2B SHANTI CELESTE •CARIBOU •CARISTA •CARLA •CAROLINA DURANTE •CAROLINE POLACHEK •CHAOS IN THE CBD •CHAQUETA DE CHÁNDAL •CHROMATICS •CIGARETTES AFTER SEX •COMA •CRUDO PIMENTO •CUBAN DOLL •D. TIFFANY •DAVE P. •DESIRE •DIE KATAPULT •DIIV •DINOSAUR JR. •DISCLOSURE •DJ COCO •DJ FRA •DJ HARVEY •DJ KELVIN •DJ LIZZ •DJ NARANJITO •DJ PLAYERO •DJ SHADOW •DJ WHOISDUALIPA •DUKI •EARL SWEATSHIRT •EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN •ELA MINUS •FATIMA YAMAHA •FAYE WEBSTER •FERRAN PALAU •FLOATING POINTS •FONTAINES D.C. •FREDDIE GIBBS & MADLIB •GABBER MODUS OPERANDI •GABRIELA RICHARDSON •GEORGIA •GIRL IN RED •HANNAH DIAMOND •HEALTH •HÉCTOR OAKS •HELADO NEGRO •HICKEYS •HONEY DIJON •IGGY POP •IOSONOUNCANE •ISABELLA •IVY BARKAKATI •JAKUZI •JAMILA WOODS •JANE FITZ •JAWBOX •JEFF MILLS •JEHNNY BETH •JENNY HVAL •JESSICA PRATT •JOAN SHELLEY •JOHN T. GAST •JOSEY REBELLE •JOYHAUSER •JULIETTA FERRARI DJ •KACEY MUSGRAVES •KAMMA & MASALO •KAMPIRE & DECAY PRESENT BUNU BOP •KANO •KHALED •KILLAVESI •KIM GORDON •KIM PETRAS •KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD •KING KRULE •KING PRINCESS •KOFFEE •KURT VILE •L DEVINE •LA FAVI •LANA DEL REY •LAS LIGAS MENORES •LAWRENCE LE DOUX •LE HAMMOND INFERNO •LE NAIS •LEON VYNEHALL •LES AMAZONES D'AFRIQUE •LES SAVY FAV •LIGHTNING BOLT •LILA TEQUILA •LINGUA IGNOTA •LITTLE SIMZ •LORENA ÁLVAREZ •LORENZO SENNI •LORY D •LOS HIJOS DE YAYO •LUNA KI •MABEL •MAGGIE ROGERS •MANEL •MANO LE TOUGH •MARIA DEL MAR BONET •MARIAH THE SCIENTIST •MARTHA •MASSIVE ATTACK •MAVIS STAPLES •MECÁNICA POPULAR •METRONOMY •MICA LEVI •MIKE DRED •NAPALM DEATH •ÑEJO •NINA KRAVIZ •NOGA EREZ •NORSICAA •NÚRIA GRAHAM •OKLOU •OM •OSCAR MULERO •OTOBOKE BEAVER •PABLLO VITTAR •PALOMA MAMI •PANTOCRATOR •PARK HYE-JIN •PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT •PAVEMENT •PELADA •PENELOPE ISLES •PILE •PNL •RAPSODY •RICHARD DAWSON •RINA SAWAYAMA •ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER •ROMBO •ROOSEVELT •SAMPA THE GREAT •SANGRE NUEVA •SHAME •SHELLAC •SHERELLE •SHYGIRL •SIDE CHICK •SONIDO LA CHANGA •SOTO ASA •SPECIAL REQUEST •SQUAREPUSHER •SQUID (UK) •STELLAR OM SOURCE •SUDAN ARCHIVES •TEKI LATEX •TETO PRETO •THE CARETAKER •THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN •THE NATIONAL •THE STROKES •TIM BURGESS •TOPS •TRAPANI •TROPICAL FUCK STORM •TYLER, THE CREATOR •UNIFORMS •VAGINA DENTATA ORGAN •VIOLET •VTSS •WEYES BLOOD •WILLIAM DJOKO •YO LA TENGO •YOUNG DOLPH •YOUNG MARCO •YOUNG THUG •YUNG BEEF & PABLO CHILL-E •ZA •ZOZO

Green- Definetely seeing them. Absolute must
Orange- If there are no overlaps (in particular with the green ones), I'll be there for sure
Yellow- Curious about it/on "research mode"/nice option if there's no overlap

Spanish Indie 24: suggesting the best national acts

Not the first time, and with the amazing taste and ear of Rafa and Joan to sign exciting bands I'm pretty sure it won't be the last, this next round of national discoveries is devoted to one of our dearest labels, El Genio Equivocado. Three more mind-blowing bands to add to their immaculate roster. Sonic gold!

Ghost Transmission. Hailing from Xàtiva, Valencia, the band started in 2012, initially as a trio but now as a quartet, self-releasing their own material and playing several concerts. Despite first demos were completely homemade, they got the opportunity to play in festivals and gigs like Make Noise in Barcelona. A year later they repeated the process, but with a more defined sound and clearer ideas, self-recording three more songs under the title of 'Mirror' EP. After some more gigs, during the summer of 2014 they locked into Estudios Tigruss to record their debut album, entitled 'Apparitions', out now via El Genio Equivocado. An LP fated to be among the best national records of the year, thanks to a thunderous combination of melody and shoegaze, The Raveonettes and The Jesus and Mary Chain's spirit channeled in hyper-addictive tunes and a fierce, no-boundaries attitude live. I believe in ghosts from now on.

Cómo Vivir en el Campo. After this very curious name hides a trio formed in Madrid that, after some self-recorded albums, released their first proper LP 'CVEEC' in 2012 on Discos Calabaza, with their music traveling somewhere between the Californian sounds of the 60’s and 90’s noise pop, giving shape to a bright, radiant, dark and ambiguous pop sung in Spanish. After getting enlisted by El Genio Equivocado, last summer they recorded second album 'CVEEC 2', out that September, which opened the doors of festivals like Primavera Club. Understandable considering they have even widened their palette of sounds, everything seems to fit naturally with them: from krautrock to indie pop, from instrumental sounds and Latin touches, experimentation and melody. One hell of a proposal, catchy & exciting as well as adventurous, powerfully performed live. Let's move out from the city!

El Lago Oscuro de la Broca. And we end the proposals in Zamora, with a quintet born in mid-2008. Been around from a little while they built a reputation of "one of the best kept secret of the Spanish scene" and "band to watch" thanks to performances at Sonorama Festival, Microsonidos and gigs around the country until, at the end of 2014, El Genio Equivocado signed them. The label immediately released advance single 'Los Líderes Africanos'. anticipating their flawless debut album, 'Beta', out since this March. A stormy, frighteningly solid, relentless and shocking treaty of shoegaze, noise-rock and post-punk, atmospheric yet at the same time straightforward. A very special, knockout band.

The Indie Anthology 60: essential songs

What about a slice of heavenly dreampop (ok, slightly noisy) for our next chapter of our anthology? Can't help it, I'm into guitars lately. Let's go to Leeds!

Song: Sight of You
Artist: Pale Saints
Year: 1990

Sure, it sounds like a sister of Jesus and Mary Chain's 'Just Like Honey', the immortal, legendary 'Just Like Honey', but there's nothing you can do about. And I know the lyrics of the tune are not the happiest ones. But 'Sight of You' is one of the finest examples of a song that is pure bliss, euphoria, an undeniable recharge of energy, an adrenaline shot. It's the opening 25 songs, the day awakening, the sun arising. It's the power of guitars: a bursting bass beating throughout the song while Graeme Naysmith draws the unforgettable relentless lines, both melting into the fuzzy sound of the stratosphere. It's Ian Masters' fragile, weak vocals, surprisingly able to make his way trough the sonic landscape, It's the pause and, just afterwards, the stomping attack around the 3.20 minutes mark. It's the flawed noise, the galloping horse running over the hills. Almost 6 minutes of adventure. Oh, what a trip music can be!

Discoverer 112: new indie findings

Oh what a triplet of bands we have gathered in our discoveries' series this weekend! You're going to love it, enjoy!

Surf City. You can't do wrong going down under. Formed in 2004 in Mt Roskill, Auckland, this New Zealand quartet was quickly hailed as a "band to watch", releasing their s/t debut EP in 2008 on Arch Hill Recordings/Morr Music, with full-length 'Kudos', arriving two years later. But the best was yet to come. First with sophomore album 'We Knew It Was Not Going To Be Like This' out on Fire Records and, arriving in just a couple of weeks, 'Jekyll Island' that should propel Surf City to indiepop's stratosphere. Psychedelic pop with twists of fuzz, echoing our Flying Nun heroes while taking a ride as well with American heavyweights like The Velvet or The Feelies. Influences aside, this is catchy as hell, ridiculously engaging. Serious contender for addictive record of the year. Not to miss.

American Culture. Hailing from Denver (the press release says "they live out in the desert near four corners where Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico meet"), there's very few information on a band that, back to the press release, "don't really want the world to know who they are, personally. Just the music. We even had a hard time tracking them down for this. The tracks and art come to us on a CDR in an envelope with no return address. We have only e-mailed with them. Never spoken. They ask (politely) for no photography during their rare live shows, usually in houses or basements". They define themsleves as "pop music for introverts". Which is kind of ironic, in a way, because the majority of 'Pure American Gum', their first record (as far as we know), out next week on Jigsaw Records, is expansive, pure, unadultered, 90s indie-rock. Guided By Voices meeting Dinosaur Jr, Pavement on stereoids, Jesus and Mary Chain high on Coca-Cola. Pop hits.
Diet Cig. Alex Luciano and Noah Bowman of Earl Boykins (Forged Artifacts) hails from New Paltz, NY. With a very short background, only a handful of shows after the duo started out las summer, we began to hear first, promising tunes, late last year. Now five songs have seen the light of day via Father/Daughter Records, on the debut EP 'Over Easy', out since February. An incredible, flawless litte dose of efervescent pop-punk, irresistibly catchy and energetic, with shouty, sing-along lyrics (Tiger Trap? Don't want to point that glorious name in vain but...). Make no mistake, Diet Cig are here to make you dance, yell, smile and love them. Instant crush...

These Go to 11: interviewing The Fireworks

Sometimes songs become etched in your mind for long, demanding you to sing them again & again. That's the case with The Fireworks music since we discovered them two years ago. So imagine how delighted are we to have Mattew Rimell and their eloquent answers on our second interview of 2015. These Go to 11! 

The Fireworks, indiepop pyromaniacs

Matthew Rimell, The Fireworks 
Formed in 2011, when friends finally convinced Matthew Rimell to transform the songs he was singing them over the phone into a proper band, the London-Brighton quartet, composed by Rimell, Emma Hall (Pocketbooks), Isabel Albiol (Things in Herds) and Shaun Charman (The Popguns, The Wedding Present, wow!) stole our hearts and ears with their self-titled debut EP in March 2013 via (of course) Shelflife. That first release was followed by the 7'' 'Runaround' that same year, while 2014 saw them involved in collaborations like 'Nobody's Business' and the recording of their highly anticipated first album, 'Switch Me On', finally out this month. Relentless noise-pop, instant catchy melodies and vocal harmonies infused on feedback... A flawless LP where distorsion and reverb meets melodic pop, full of hooks and punch-perfect tunes. Here we go!

Sounds like a load of hick wap, over over!

1. First record that you bought (be honest)
First record bought for me by my Nan was 'My Boy Lollipop' by Millie Small when I was about four. First record I made my mum & dad buy me was 'Knock on Wood' by Amii Stewart, and first record I bought myself was The Fall's 'The Man Whose Head Expanded'.

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

First gig I went was The Fall at Trinity Hall, Bristol 1983 and last gig was our own gig at Rough Trade, launching the album (can I say that?). Before that was The JMC gig doing 'Psychocandy' late last year.

Generating endless songs & flares since mid 60s

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)
It took me ages to explore progressive rock. A friend literally made me listen, almost as a sort of challenge. I really like Van Der Graff Generator. They’re not the easiest band to listen to, but when you get into it, they are unbelievably clever, musically & lyrically. When I saw them live (a few times, when they reformed) you could feel the love/fondness they have for each other, really magical. Mind you, there’s prog I just can’t tolerate. Maybe, I’ll give it a go when I’m a pensioner. No way! There’s prog & there’s prog, in the same way as anything else.

To die for a Primal Scream 7''

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
Well, if I didn’t have certain 7” singles I would probably lose it. I remember bringing home a hand full of Creation 7” and being completely knocked out by Primal Scream’s 'All Fall Down/It Happens'. If anything happened to that single, they might have to come and take me away. Yes, I wouldn’t be right. I feel the same way about Razorcuts' 'Sorry To Embarrase You' 12”, four tracks that completely stir and move the soul. Life isn’t the same after those songs.

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)
The first lyrics to truly move me and make me realise stuff, was getting into Joy Division, when I was 13. They were the first band I truly got into. I can’t listen to 'New Dawn Fades' by them too much, probably once every few years… Otherwise I’d be an emotional wreck. But yes, 'New Dawn Fades' makes me cry, almost instantly. It’s also Ian’s voice there is something otherness and fragile about it.

Lawrence, the enigmatic king of Belgravia

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Never meet your heroes, really and truly don’t. Although, I interviewed Lawrence from Felt a couple of years ago because we (Big Pink Cake) were putting on his film and he was really sweet. He was highly entertaining and just lovely to meet. I’m afraid though nerves might get the better of me in these situations… I’d much rather send a clone of myself to do it and then report back. I think that people you admire it’s the mystery and what it conjures up in your head, why burst the bubble?

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
Too many to mention. Joy Division – 'Unknown Pleasures'. Beat Happening – 'Black Candy'. Siouxsie and the Banshees – 'The Scream'. The Jesus and Mary Chain – 'Psychocandy'. It really has to present something about the music, the band. Something that’s true to the bone, or why bother really? I think the look is incredibly important, especially for people who function in a more visual way and like to explore everything in time to the music and are able to lose them self.

The one & only Count Dracula

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 

I love black and white stuff, film that done to maximize on expression is just so great. 'Citizen Kane', 'Mildred Pierce', 'Psycho', 'Metropolis', anything with Bela Lugosi in it. A rainy Saturday or Sunday, is there anything better than curling up to a good film? Books, stark stuff like George Orwells – 'Nineteen Eighty Four', 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' by Philip K Dick, 'War of the Worlds' by H. G. Wells.

9. Song (of yours) you are most proud of
I have a problem with the concept of ‘pride’ I don’t get it. Pride seems a bit bloated to me… So I can think of songs that I like… I like ‘Let You Know’ from our new album, 'Switch Me On'… I think the words, sentiment, and feeling, reminds me of something honest and true, to a specific time, which I think is really important. If it doesn't involve honesty, there is no point, in my opinion.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
Indie has become to mean something… But it used to mean just independent and that is exactly what it is… Standing on your own ground and creating it yourself. Indie has become a much over used label over the past twenty or more years. Being independent means doing things yourself, being involved in something that you have created and, more importantly, financed yourself… But then there are companies that are independent too, helping independent minded people further there idea. I would love to see a world where people were more independently minded, in everything that they do really. Working small scale is more personal and more relative. Billy Childish recently said ‘name me one thing that’s got bigger and better?’ Schumacher’s book ‘Small is beautiful’ has been massively influential in calling for more localised independent ways of working. Independent stuff gives me hope and in a world that seems increasingly more corporate. It’s massively important that the independent sector exists.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Wow! Who knows? Living it happily I hope. I hope I’m still doing something music related. Or semi retired, working part time, downsizing on the four letter word ‘work’ and living maybe by the sea or The West Country... And the further west you go the better it gets – in terms of scenery. Crossing things off the list, especially counties I’d like to visit and places I’d like to see.

Zillion thanks Matthew, thanks The Fireworks!

'Beautiful Noise', shoegaze me

Beautiful Noise
Beefeater In-Edit 2014, Chapter III

The third documentary seen at this year’s Beefeater In-Edit was another easy choice. To my knowledge 'Beautiful Noise' is the first-ever documentary made on shoegaze/noise-rock of the late 80s-90s. Must-watch, again.

The merits of the film are many. Eric Green has created a relevant film from ground zero, working alongside producer Sarah Ogletree during almost a decade through their company HypFilms. Considering the DIY origins of the documentary (funded by a Kickstarter campaign), it's a great achievement they managed to arrange so many interviews with very big music names. But even more important than that, they have been capable of offering us a very solid and coherent work. It's clearly a work of passion for music.

The rise-disappearance-revival of shoegaze is well documented on the rockumentary, thanks to a straightforward chronological line but, foremost, by the huge bulk of interviews. From Cocteau Twins to Chapterhouse, it's hard for me to remember who's missing in the picture (although my dearest one, the great Rachel Goswell, is not interviewed). There are in-depth cuts with Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie, The Jesus and Mary Chain's Jim Reid & Bobby Gillespie, Slowdive's Neil Halstead, Ride's Mark Gardener and Andy Bell, or My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields, among many others. But there's also space for music giants like Robert Smith, Trent Reznor and Billy Corgan. Extremely impressive. The greatest moments are reserved to Reid and his controversial relation with fame/frustration for the band's lack of sales, and the unresolved war between Alan McGee, boss of Creation Records, and Kevin Shields. They were both right.     

So, the story of late century 'wall of sound' and musicians looking to their sneakers is the tale of a bunch of musicians who tried to subvert rock traditions without leaving guitars, looking for new sounds, atmospheres and introduce melody within the noise trying. Experiment and feel. They were ahead of their time, but they didn't find the success they were hoping for (Ride were the closest ones to achieve commercial support), so the pretty spontaneous movement faded away... until the digital era rescued them. 

Unfortunately, 'Beautiful Noise', except some situations like the ones referred before, lacks poignancy, debate, insight. Bands are utterly praised then simply glorified (can't put all bands in the same bag), and so is the revival (same applies). Besides, the film has too many minutes of empty visual fillers. We get it, it sort of connects with the ethereal, elusive music, but it's kind of lame. The overall feeling is that we are watching a formal, very correct but a bit monotonous documentary. The movie does makes a beautiful noise, but it's subdued.

SCORE: 6,25/10

The Indie Anthology 38: essential songs

Journalists, critics or humble music writers tend to use words like "essential" or "seminal" quite often (probably too often). But our next "Anthology" song is an undeniably "essential" one, coming from a "seminal" band. A truly indiepop classic. Sometimes you need to get to the source to get some strength...

Song: Throw Aggi Off the Bridge
Artist: Black Tambourine
Year: 1992

Black Tambourine= noisy pop legend. Sweet pop vocals, instant killer melodies and behind a wall of noise. Mix the 90s shoegaze sounds with the humming classic pop of the 60s. Still there's a mystery on it, something genuine that escapes words. Oh, what a tune! I jumped on their bandwagon very late (I live in Spain, I'm sorry) looking for a version of Jesus & Mary Chain with a gentle, nicer voice until I found Pam Berry. But after a decade "Throw Aggi..." remains a timeless gem of a song for me. And a bit more than that. It's a song that, can't really say why, uplifts me, invigorates me, brings me renewed energy. A song that I keep going back anytime I need it.