01. Joan Miquel Oliver – Pegasus
After the magnificent Bombón mallorquín, Oliver seems to shake off any ghost by the break of Antonia Font, offering almost ten perfect songs, which include some arrangements of a superb quality and a much riskier bases than in previous work . A masterpiece that fuses pop with cumbia or electronic always maintaining Balearic root.
02. Za! – Loloismo
Za! evolve their characteristics sharp guitars or their tropical and African rhythms to a new level. They sound different, perhaps due to deeper lyrics than before, the striking use of chorus or even daring with rap, but the Catalans yet done one of the albums of the year thanks to their creativity.
03. Toundra – IV
If III represented a slap of reality and rawness that gave international attention despite their unusual instrumental style, this new album is a new jump without net to completely different soundscapes. The Madrilenians enrich their epic style, unleashing new atmospheres as the exceptional end of “Strelka” or the impressive symphonic arrangements on “Viesca“.
04. Amatria – Amatria
The third album by Joni Antequera supposed the jump to the general public of dance pop music, as happened a couple of years ago with Bravo Fisher. 11 songs of so-called synthetic pop or indietronica, which can distinguish different tones on guitars, synthesizers and voice to tell near stories but not at all simple. With clear reminiscences to La Casa Azul, we find songs such as the hit “Chinches” or “Me falta algo“, not to mention the incredible remix that the Valencian give us as a present to close the disc.
05. The New Raemon – Oh, rompehielos
Ramon Rodriguez shows us in this work everything good that was already seen in his previous work, from the sweet/sad songwriter on A propósito de Garfunkel to the ferocity that showed in Madee. In an album in which highlight lyrics that are more closer to romantic songs than usual, we also found the sharp guitars on the song that gives title to the disc or the delicate “Desencuentros” where acoustic guitar plays the leading role.
06. Nueva Vulcano – Novelería
Six years after the work that clinched them the top in the list of critics and audiences, the hardcore of the Catalans is back with more force and claw than ever. From the hand of the incredible drums of Albert Guardià, which arises as a common thread of the album, we enter in a LP where you will find some more simple lyrics, but also more puncture than in their previous album. Listen after listen the album gains, emerging nuances that make you think that any song could be a hit..
07. Niño de Elche – Voces del extremo
The discovery of the year represents a revolution inside flamenco. The guy from Alicante gets out of the canons, integrating social critique and electronic nuances, to deliver a mixture of krautrock, pop and flamenco that is irresistible. For those who miss Morente, with Francisco Contreras they still have hope.
08. Nudozurdo – Rojo es peligro
On the thousandth reinvention of the Madrilenian, we have an album in which the voice of Leo Mateos takes greater role and in which the letters take a more assertive chalice. The overall sound maintains the character and strength of the past, but it is surprising the introduction of new nuances like string arrangements or calmer rhythms, highlighting an incredible end with the majestic “Los bárbaros / Cuando creas que yo esté aquí me habré ido“.
09. Tachenko – El comportamiento privado
After more furious version of Zaragoza’s band in El Amor y las Mayorías, the group returns to the roots of their first records (and even the yearned El niño gusano), right in the moment when “Libi” Garcia and Rafa “Guisante” become part of the set of the band. Pop in a positive kind is again predominant in this new album, either with small psychedelic shades or even with soul style.
10. Blaumut – El primer arbre del bosc
Els Amics de les Arts or Mishima to deliver an album where the pop-rock is the guideline of the album, but in which we also find arrangements that come from classical music, jazz and even xylophones that seem to have emerged from nursery rhymes. Thanks to the fusion of all these styles and sublime orchestration, you can enjoy up to 13 songs that represent an emotional rollercoaster with songs that relate landscapes and scenes full of strength and energy.
11. Mujeres – Marathon
After puzzling EP Aquellos Ojos in which they seem to leap into pop, the Catalans back to what they know best, garage rock’n’roll in English. However, although they still delivering short songs of little more than two minutes, it seems that something has remained of their 60’s party phase in this new album, with a rhythm and a much simpler poetry in lyrics that now loom large role.
12. Cuello – Trae Tu Cara
In the year of national recognition of the post-rock, Valencian follow with that style that so good result gave them in their previous work to deliver an album that seems to move marvelously on the ends. From the prevalence of heavy beats, as in “Deseo de expansión“, to the immediacy of “Trae tu cara y decórala bien“, through changes of rhythm on “Turboreproche“, in little over half an hour we have the impression of having passed through four different albums.
13. Nixon – El ultimo fuego
Just over a year after released their EP Alter Ego, Nixon evolve their sound on this debut LP by daring to merge in a more prominently way synthesizers and guitars. Also the bass guitar takes more protagonism, remembering at times for the British Kasabian, although the great bastion of the band is yet the powerful voice of Alex.
14. Grushenka – La insoportable levedad del ser
Grushenka continue growing up and on their last album they forget about dark sounds to focus on their unknown pop side. Arrangements and letters well cared to get closer to the best Family or Le Mans. Their only snag is that in the last tracks they reach to sound moments repetitive and plans, leaving us with the intrigue of how would have been a LP in which they had also merged the darkness of their previous album.
15. Perro – Estudias, navajas
The Murcian mixed with mastery pop , kraut or punk, focusing more on the outfit than in hits like he had on Tiene bacalao, tiene melodía. More noise and power, especially in the drums, camouflage a clear evolution towards more serious issues in their lyrics in which are attacked furiously banks, runners or youth from the right political parties..
16. Havalina – Islas de cemento
The trio continues to deliver on its eighth record what they do best: strong guitars and oppressive environments that continue with the post punk side shown in H. At times it seems that their sound is similar to the metal of NIN, while other songs appear keyboards and synthesizers, creating an instability and threat that disturbs the comfortable position of the listener..
17. Mi Capitán – Drenad el Sena
Gonçal Planas finally shows what we guessed a couple of years ago when it came out “Es suave la voz“, surrounded by a band where we find some of the most distinguished members of Spanish indie bands. Drawing from all those bands in which he has worked or collaborated, we find little touches of Standstill, Sidonie and Love Of Lesbian, and that is precisely their strength and their weakness .. High quality songs but without much originality that seem to be designed for the pleasure and enjoyment of masses in festivals.
18. Pablo Und Destruktion – Vigorexia emocional
The Asturian tries to get away from the punk and darkness of his previous work to get close to a style that defines as boite rock. However, and despite the use of instruments such as bagpipes and violins, the overall sound is still somewhat dark and claustrophobic by the sincerity of his lyrics. As a token of you must enjoy the great “Califato“, which could reflect the perfect mix of Lucas 15 with Temples..
19. Egon Soda – Dadnos precipicios
This third album confirms the group led by Ricky Falkner as one of the great totems of Spanish indie-rock. Navigating through various styles ranging from soul to 70’s rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the lyrics are again the absolute protagonists of an album in which despite the absence of a great single, the overall level of the outfit is remarkable.
20. Betunizer – Enciende tu lomo
Fourth album of the band and a few surprises as far as style is concerned, a post-hardcore which include fun and cynical lyrics on 50%. Album full of effects and guitars, which offers even a second of rest during about 40 minutes, which made that the Valencians finally take hold as reference of the style on the Spanish scene.
21. La Bien Querida – Premeditación, nocturnidad y alevosía
If we had to define this new album by Ana Fernández-Villaverde we would have to create the style “pop-depression” (not depressed ..). A painful, close and sharp lyrics that tell in a simple way everything that could go wrong in a relationship: pain, jealousy, unrequited feelings .. Musically, we find passages that approach the palms and Spanish guitars of flamenco, to move immediately seconds later to a dark pop reminiscent of the early New Order.
22. Coleccionistas – Coleccionistas
The debut of Valencian Coleccionistas is short but intense. Easy pop in which voices and choruses interlace with a musical forth between acoustic and electric guitars that comes to disconcert in a good way. At times we find even small electronic or instrumental flashes that reveal a great future for the group.
23. Xoel López – Paramales
It is true that not so much new things are offered in this new album, but those percussions that seem to arise from the same tropics endow great Xoel letters a new atmosphere. In what seems to be the thought LP of the Galician, drums fuse with his typical arpeggios to create a mix in which ensemble folklore of both sides of the Atlantic, such as flamenco or muñeiras, with rancheras or chamamé.
24. McEnroe – Rugen las flores
The Basques have a remarkable new album, in which they kept the style of their previous work as a distinguishing point. With the voice of Ricardo Lezon highlighting over the rest, the band opts this time towards rhythmic aspects of melancholic pop-rock.
25. Soleá Morente – Tendrá que haber un camino
Soleá is following the steps of his father, and from the hand of those sounds that so good result have given to Los Evangelistas, dare to turn into songs traditional styles like flamenco, the fandango or Sevillanas. It is true that the final result is closer to indie or rock musically, perhaps in a deliberate attempt to move away from the established canons, but the first solo project of the girl from Granada shows few solid seeds that must be follow in the near future to see how she evolves.
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