El sueño de la casa propia - "Color Piel"

The keystone for electronic music (perhaps for any music) is to succeed in creating something like an interiority without succumbing to some sort of hermetic art. El sueño de la casa propia’s vibrant and cohesive elemental landscape illustrates that principle, providing something perhaps a bit more “human” to a genre that can sometimes be too intellectual or abstract. “Color Piel,” which was released on our latest compilation, Papasquiaro, gives a glimpse at José Manuel Cerda's further exploration of undefined shapes, textures and resonance, but always with greater ambience and confidence. Without saying a word, Cerda deftly translates the reality of a multi-facetted, polymorphous contemporary identity. The sonic collage of chops and glitches leaves the abiding impression of a distant memory creating a universal truth beyond time and place.

The One The Two The Three, Laboratories

THE ONE THE TWO THE THREE, LABORATORIES
Gha-Ngha Records, Mexico
Rating: 83
By Carlos Reyes

The One The Two The Three or one of those calculated sequences where art and science meet is a three-piece EP from Laboratories, a revealing electro act from Juarez, Mexico. Earlier this year the Mexican collective/shop Hupop released a compilation titled Recomienda Vol.1 where they included some very interesting emerging bands including Vicente Gayo and Duzna, nothing as compelling as the computerized and commanding world crafted by Laboratories. The concept: a persecution of space and time, or as better put in one of the album’s comic frames, “the sonic display and interpretation of human realities is quintessential entertainment upon the senses and subsequently the mind.”

Don’t get too serious by the premise or their name, this is fortunately not a sophisticated realm of scientists approaching new media but a disoriented fun experience by some kids “us kids we going crazy / us kids we born crazy.” The band allocates every single resource and distributes its scope in group-like anthems; this is clearly not the work of a single author but a collaborative shared vision in retro-leaning habitat. Laboratories set up some missions to resolve, some concern humanity and the future, but having fun it’s ultimately their priority.

There are so many words in each of the three songs that they become difficult to process, luckily they have included the lyrics in the file’s download. “The Scene Kids” is greatly choreographed, and actually, it sounds like they’re raping the words and letting the music carry the wavelengths. They deliver great lines with continuous phrasing such as “I’ll inhale the plant, the mystics of the soil, the land, the world, ninety-nine lives / Past, present, and future wives, an eternal high…” they’re as mystical as any of the songs from the critically acclaimed Ayrton Senna EP by Delorean. In the surface of “The Love” (Physical) it almost seems like they’re letting go some of their concept, they don’t, they’re just juxtaposing a one night stand as one of their missions, to “focus on the physical love” as a need and forget about the feeling.

“The Battles of us Fools” is a furious gala of colors and radiant machinery, guided by mind-blowing lyricism on the verge of detonating its political frustration. Laboratories host the most amazing party here, with lasers flying around clashing handclaps, drums, it is chaos and it is beautiful. I can only wish there were more tracks in here and perhaps some of them in Spanish (it would be nice); EPs with only three tracks are a hesitation when it comes to rating them, but along with The One The Two The Three this folder contains some awesome extras that would make an awesome booklet, including an action comic titled Refugees that rounds up the music perfectly, so there you go, this is an awesome treat.

♫♫♫ "The Battle of us Fools"
Download EP
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Roborant EP, Roborant

ROBORANT EP, ROBORANT
Independiente, Mexico
Rating: 64
By Carlos Reyes

Roborant’s debut EP showcases a confident act that’s able to juxtapose its vague echo with a synthesized world that stays away from any norms imposed by electronic music. This self-titled, three-tracked EP hopes to follow the steps of the attention projects like Bufi, Disco Ruido! and Neon Walrus have generated in Mexico’s indie, bands that distance themselves from the alter-latino subtext and filling the gap of new electronic music in a scene that knows about Plastilina Mosh and Nortec but hardly any others. While Roborant isn’t as convincing as the previous bands I mentioned they’re definitely a standout.

Roborant reminds me of the ‘glam-synth-punk rockers’ Six Million Dollar Weirdo (now called Abominables), not as kitsch or exuberant, but in the way they approach songs; deep voiced phrasing, techno keys on the background, dissolved electric guitars and multiple layers of music eras chasing the up-to-the-minute modern sound. From its first moment, Roborant steps in a hipsy territory, you know, those that get many hearts over at The Hype Machine, we got to recognize their potential to internationalize at some point, something like “Lick My Eyes” might be able to do it (regardless of its absurd title).

The show opens with “Restless”, which sounds like an encounter between New Order and Delorean while going to keeping some of the soberness of Argentina’s DJs Pareja, meaning it’s epically galactic but also blissful and aware that in order to reach a ‘restless’ vibe it has to spore calmness and speed from time to time. “Lick My Eyes” sounds great, but it’s kind of absurd, or maybe not, I have trouble understanding the lyrics because the pronunciation isn’t that great. The last piece titled “Those Two Words” is anxious to spread its metallic wings; it’s a key track for Roborant, reveals the best and worst of them, a band that can stimulate senses with the right tools, needs patience and its own wave to get there.

♫♫♫ "Restless"
Download EP
MySpace

Musica bonita para viernes desabrido: Children of the Moon. Unsexxy.

Two great happy songs for you today, the first one comes from Children of the Moon, an electro duo from Guadalajara that I’m digging a lot; is the project of Femmeboy and Iñigo, the former a quirky girl with a great voice, and the latter is a very cool DJ with several projects under his belt, one of them, Mutantek, previously featured on two of Club Fonograma’s Rocolas. They’re recording their first EP, there will be songs in Spanish!, that exclamation mark is necessary since we don’t get too much electro en Español, and just like that this becomes one of our most anticipated albums to hear in the upcoming months.

♫♫♫ "Peter Pan"
MySpace

The second song is the Unsexxy caloron forever remix for Major Lazer’s “Hold the Line.” Unsexxy is Unsexy Nerd Ponies; I liked his Family Reunited a lot, and shared his badass track “Cave Cave Cave” in the Voy a Explotar Soundtrack. There are very few people I follow very close in terms of music taste is concern, and seriously his Tumblr Yo Te Amo has to be one of my favorite music corners, I make a daily visit, like it so much I’ve been thinking on inviting him to join the club. He doesn’t need to write anything to say so much, some people just got awesome taste like that.

♫♫♫"Major Lazer Hold The Line" (Unsexxy Caloron Forever Remixx)
MySpace

New Video: "Electro Movimiento", Calle 13

Ever since "Querido FBI" leaked and captivated the entire island of Puerto Rico, Calle 13 doesn't stop progressing its vision, we're fans from hell. "Electro Movimiento" from their latest Los de atras vienen conmigo is one of the best tracks in the album, and the video has just premiered on MySpace. It's their most colorful video since "Se Vale To-to." 

Club Fonograma Features: Alexico

It’s only been a few months since I turned old enough to ‘legally’ drink, and yet this next feature makes me feel old. Alexico is part of the exciting new wave of acts from Monterrey Mexico, probably the most fast-tuned out of all. He took the risk barely two years ago; I feel this is one to keep an eye on. His EP Dios Es Lo Maximo is an experimental ride that breaths youth, and it’s as wild and mad as it can get. He will be releasing a new album later this year, meanwhile enjoy “No Se”, which oddly enough, I find extremely relatable. The video itself is a jewel; you can do so much with so little, or vice versa. 

Club Fonograma Features:
ALEXICO.
Track: "No Se" 
Album: Dios Es Lo Maximo
Label: Unsigned
Country: Mexico
>>>MP3
MySpace

"Gabriela", Joe Crepusculo (El Guincho Remix)

Escuela de Zebras is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums of 2008; Joe Crepusculo’s bizarre vision is enchanting although hard to digest. He released his second album of the year titled Supercrepus last month, and has proven he is no one-hit-wonder. El Guincho has declared its admiration to him and now makes him justice with a remix of one of my favorite tracks on the album: “Gabriela.” It’s one of those songs that would have made the 80s even more colorful. Here is El Guincho’s take on his remix, which I found over at his blog Discoteca Oceano, which is always fun to read. Also included is my favorite song from Supercrepus, which I should be reviewing soon, it’s titled “La cancion de tu vida” and a must-download.

¡Esta es una de las cosas que más ilusión me hacen! Hace un montón de tiempo le pedí a Joel las pistas de su Gabriela para hacer una remezcla porque desde la primera vez que la escuché me obsesionó. Probé como 4 versiones diferentes pero no me quedaba contento nunca, hasta que me acordé que siempre había visto la canción como una historia de telenovela perfecta y me puse a pensar en cómo serían las sintonías del futuro. Me quedé sólo con la voz y la puse por un eco bien arriba, cantando por encima de unas capas de teclado camufladas en un ritmo de dub. Son muy pocos versos pero como todo lo que hace Joe no necesita nada más para que te enganche. Si no lo tienen ya, a bajar SUPERCREPUS!  

♫♫♫ "Gabriela" (El Guincho Remix) [Via Joe Crepusculo's Website]

♫♫♫ "Gabriela" (Original) [Via Last FM]

♫♫♫ "La Cancion de tu Vida" [Via Last FM]

La Tina Remix, Ximena Sariñana

Several indie radio stations in the U.S. and online radio are beginning to program "La Tina" by Ximena Sariñana, presumably the third official single after "Vidas Paralelas" and "No Vuelvo Mas" ("Normal" was an online-single only). Oddly, my three least favorite songs on her great debut album. After the huge critical success and hot sales, the attention has shifted to the European Market, where she seems to fit perfectly. As already discussed by Jean-Stephane (club fonograma member), the awesome guys from Metronomy were impressed, decided to embrace the loopy and highly influenced by Bjork track "La Tina" with a notable remix that is overshadowing the original track, but that's not a bad thing. It is however another remix to the song that I’m deeply impressed with (included in Mexico’s Mediocre re-edition), it was produced by Juan Campodonico who co-produced the album. Great repetitions, saturated beats and unlike the Metronomy remix, not obtrusive at all. If they want any suggestions on what the next single should be, come here first, the luminous “Un Error” would make radio so much better.

♫♫♫ "La Tina", BO Tracks Remix

MySpace

Who Said Party?, Cof Cof

WHO SAID PARTY?, COF COF
Unsigned, Spain ***1/2
Rating: 78
By Carlos Reyes

I love the pop, especially with quirky female vocals, having Cansei De Ser Sexy, Maria Daniela y Su Sonido Lasser, Hello Seahorse!, Naty Botero and Quiero Club pop up in my MP3 player are not enough, I need more sparkles into my sometimes stressful college life. This week was particularly uplifting with my encounter with Cof Cof; they brought to my weekdays the sufficient dose of girly audio pleasure with their debut EP Who Said Party? It is surely as exuberant and effervescent as The Ting Tings' We Started Nothing. I rarely care about accents, but I must say vocalist Ana Analogica has such a sexy one on top of flowing light lyrics. We’re not in front of a provocative pop album, but an album with enough transitions and character motif to be celebrated. Cof Cof is a sibling to Quiero Club’s music (who by the way are releasing their new album this week); let me tell you that there is plenty of space for both bands and a couple more. There are some tropical in here, but mostly an inquisition of synth-dance that is never pretentious and always digestible. If the world was fair and fancy their song “Caribbean Boy” would have been the summer hits of the year, there’s just something so cute about it, “I thought I was in paradise… I want him to be mine”, sum that to the great engineering of a non-conformist heated pop song, great job by Alex Cuadrado. In a moment where all pop bands aspire to visualize the bright colors, Cof Cof are naturals, complementary when they need to be and fluorescent when the opportunity is given. There are some clear flaws of course, but are overlooked once the enchantment of Ana and Alex has won you, one of the most promising acts out there. Did I mention their album is downloadable for free? Me estan malacostumbrando!

♫♫♫ “Caribbean Boy”
♫♫♫ “Forbidden Cocktail”
♫♫♫ “Dirty Tricks” (Culture Prophet Remix) [Via Sheena Beaston]
Download Album For Free
MySpace