Algara - Enamorados Del Control Total Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6 euro)
Post-punk made by two anonymous Spaniards, who both pose masked on the cover of this Ep. I love the picture. It creates a wide range of possibilities for the songs on the vinyl. Musically Crisis is a good point of reference although Algara uses a drum computer instead of a drummer of flesh and blood. The driving bass lines on these four tracks are solid. The vocals remind me of the Secret Prostitutes, quite a surprise, but it works really well. It does raise the question what Algara's about. Is this an anarchist duo trying to incite a worldwide revolution through music or two friends writing silly songs and goofing around? I don't speak Spanish so I can't say, but I do know the tunes are good.
Hologram - Build yourself up only to be brought down again and again Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6 euro)
Because of the nondescript band name Washington DC's Hologram went unnoticed by yours truly until I found out the band comes from the same deranged brain as Closet Christ. That brain belongs to Brendan Reichhardt, a force in DC hardcore since last decade. Build yourself up so many times only to be brought down again and again - although far from succinct, a great title - delivers four hardcore tracks mining the same kinda territory as Permission on the other end of the Atlantic. This is great misanthropic, ugly and gnarly hardcore. The weird atmospheric outros and intermissions are great, elevating this Ep to more than a couple of songs. My only complaint is there's no lyric sheet included. I'd be interested to read what Brendan has to say. Apart from that the artwork is cool. The back of the cover has me think of the first Scratch Acid Ep, a compliment.
Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.
Lux - New Day Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6)
Rata Negra - La Hija Del Sepulturero Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6 euro)
This Barcelona band is new to me, but they already released a full-length in 2017. Somehow that didn't make it onto my radar. Lux plays bouncy and catchy punk rock with a steady simple drumbeat. A dbeat perhaps? I'm still too dumb to tell. The write-up on the La Vida Es Un Mus website pulls the UK82 card so if that floats your boat, there you go. There's a bit of a post-punk vibe coming from the bass because of the flanger effect used. These four songs are real crowd pleasers, all extremely pogo-friendly and enjoyable. This band should appeal to those into La Misma, although Lux are a bit more direct. The band is far from reinventing the wheel here, but I never understood what the point to that would be anyways. If it does the trick, why change it? The artwork is nice, although the coloring gives off a bit of a hippy vibe, which rubs the teenager in me the wrong way, but I've got a mortgage now.
Hear it here: https://lavidaesunmus.
Rata Negra - La Hija Del Sepulturero Ep (La Vida Es Un Mus) (6 euro)
Not the first record I hear by this Spanish trio, but the first I gave close listen.
The two songs here have pop sensibilities and are catchier than... let's not go there... they're catchy. Subtle and well-crafted. Noteworthy is the surf guitar that has a slight goth tinge, a sound taken to another level by the haunting yet playful keys. The artwork has a gothic vibe too. No surprise, considering the title of this 7" translates to 'the gravedigger's daughter'. Musically Rata Negra can be listed next to recent Spanish punk rock favorites like Juanita Y Los Feos, which Violeta also sang for, and Los Coprolitos. The A-side is an old Spanish poem put to music and the flip a cover of a long lost synth pop song, making this release a single in the traditional sense. A very enjoyable listen that makes me want to return to their earlier stuff.
