Los Últimos Bañistas. Some reviews are easy. Take the homonym debut LP from this young band from Cartagena, Murcia, and click play. First track "Nadia", will grab you. Next one, the brilliant "El Gran Apagón" will blow you out. And then, the hypnotic "El Centro" will do the rest. Insert your own adjectives for the rest of the album, 'cause there's no filler here. Only excellent guitar-driven indie-pop, full of energy, melodies and a rare ability to connect with the listener. Their short story (a demo, a self-released EP and the LP out since June on Ernie Records) only adds merits to this stunning collection of tunes.
Partido. Discovered at Festival Plaça Odissea in April. Went there for Mojave 3, but got haunted by their excellent gig. After checking their web and "The Lost Sessions (1999/2003)" released last year, a compilation of the band's first incarnation, my impression is now confirmed. Tragedy broke that original lineup, but now, refunded with members of La Habitación Roja, Pumuky, Maria Rodés or Xoel López, and leaded by Víctor Partido, they have embraced americana and folk-rock sounds to build their passionate, intense and utterly honest music. Eagerly awaiting for "Leaving It All Behind", their official comeback.
Sexy Remake. Active since 2008, they come from Barcelona, under the leadership of Said Darbas. After previous lineups, he found stability with a 4-piece-format, adding Charlie and Aitor, from the ashes of the long yearned Stormyclouds. Inventive, surreal lyrics, sung by Said, with a voice that recalls to Ivan Ferreiro and Los Piratas, mixed with Charlie's burning, fearless indie-rock riffs and Aitor and Microciervo's solid rhythm section, they create a refreshing and addictive cocktail. With a self-released EP, "Dolly Depresiva/ Dolly Negativa" and a LP on the works, expectations couldn't be higher. Don't forget their name.
Rubik. An indie-pop treasure hailing from Helsinki, Finland. I couldn't define this 8 piece-band in any other way after hearing "Solar", their third album, a brightly shimmering, joyful collection of tunes, where The Postal Service meets Of Montreal, or Grandaddy fuses with Modest Mouse. Their music is a roller coaster, a cascade of sounds and rhythms where everything is possible, from warm electronic envelopes to anthemic trumpets or handclapping. Sounds messy on paper, but trust me, what a fun and addictive mess it is.
Francis International Airport. More quality indie-pop, this time from Wien, Austria. "In The Woods", their second album, is a moody, at times reminiscent of the atmospheric sound of The Cure ("Solaris" for instance), intricate affair mixed with occasional glimpses of effervescence (check the single "Amnesiacs"). Sophisticated yet catchy, melancholic and with a very particular ambience. A very powerful record, one that offers you many different listens, endures and always rewards.
A Classic Education. A 6 piece-band, half Italian (Bologna), half Canadian, that define their sound as "nocturnal music for lazy afternoons". And indeed these delicious EP, "Hey There Stranger", with misty pop tunes like "Gone To Sea" or "Terrible Day", evokes quiet hours spent in warm beaches and breezy parties under the moon light. With the exception of the infectious melody of "What My Life Could Have Been", a reverb-less Pains of Being Pure At Heart approach, A Classic Education prefers to distille elegance and subtleties to their indie-pop, with excellent results.
Sexy Remake. Active since 2008, they come from Barcelona, under the leadership of Said Darbas. After previous lineups, he found stability with a 4-piece-format, adding Charlie and Aitor, from the ashes of the long yearned Stormyclouds. Inventive, surreal lyrics, sung by Said, with a voice that recalls to Ivan Ferreiro and Los Piratas, mixed with Charlie's burning, fearless indie-rock riffs and Aitor and Microciervo's solid rhythm section, they create a refreshing and addictive cocktail. With a self-released EP, "Dolly Depresiva/ Dolly Negativa" and a LP on the works, expectations couldn't be higher. Don't forget their name.
