Video + MP3: Quiero Club - "Días Perfectos"

Quiero Club has not released any albums since their victorious attempt to redefine the soundscapes of the superglued continent they’ve baptized as Nueva América. Ever since, the band has kept momentum, releasing one knockout single after another, which they will be compiling in a four-track EP that will serve as an appetizer for their forthcoming third full-length album, to be released in the spring next year. The brand new single, “Días Perfectos,” is the first confirmed track on their new album and is also the last piece on their new EP comprised by the melodically eclectic “Qué Hacer En Caso De Oir Voces,” the immune system booster “Las Propiedades del Cobre,” and the generational gem “Música.” Among such good company, the new grooving single plays as a sentimentally blissful and almost devastating piece that captures our generation’s failed rehearsals with time management, and it has its vocal height with the punching, almost hopeful line, “yo aun despierto cada día.” Download the track free for the exchange of an email HERE.

Minidoc Me Hace Ruido: Quiero Club

In a recent talk with the great people at NME I made a joke about how dozen-project man Roberto Polo (Mr. Racoon) pretty much took half of Monterrey’s bands with him when he decided to relocate to the Mexican capital. There’s a DF invasion directly caused by the narco war violence, which lately has hit Monterrey pretty hard. Some other bands that now call Mexico City home include Bam Bam, Mentira Mentira, Hypnomango, and Quiero Club. This last band is the real eye-opener because Quiero Club is above all things, a family. In a sort of MTV Cribs layout, the always aesthetically motivated people at Me Hace Ruido documented the Happy-Fiers’ installment to their beautiful new home. The 23-minute confessional-driven minidoc is a blast, and the band also gets to play a couple of songs, including their career-best single, “Minutos de Aire.” While this home seems to only be transitional, it will be remembered as the enchanting domicile that sheltered Quiero Club’s third album.

MP3: Niña - "Banzai"

There probably isn’t a Mexican band that sounds as nostalgic and cheerful as Niña. A handful of thoughts come to mind whenever they put out a new song; how they’re a pop machine of ear-snagging tunes, how they manage to turn any anthemic topic into an anthem, and how everything leads us to the realization of Niña as one of those rare cult-bands that will be remembered for both, their songs and the generational bridge they’ve built into us. Their new single “Banzai” is the kind of generational monolith that encodes itself into a pop song. More than an easy-to-groove pessimistic song, “Banzai” is the emancipation of internal conflict: “Aqui no existen ganadores, todos vamos al mismo lugar.” This is the first cut from their forthcoming EP Cool Como Fresco o Como Yo?, and it’s available for free download HERE. And since it's so appropriate here, let's just say Banzai!-Banzai!-Banzai! to Niña.

Video: Yo! Linares - "Cocktail"

Regardless of their formless noise, Yo! Linares’s debut is one of our most anticipated rock albums this year. A few months ago we reinstated our love towards the band via Twitter, sharing their anthem “Unos Amigos, Unos Vatos, Unos Güeyes”; the infectious title is so appealing, our followers from other countries replied with their own slant (“Unos panas, unos shamos, unos cholos…”), but as usual, 140-character rule killed the word-chain. The band is looking for that level of circular response on their new single “Cocktail”, which they’ve just made available for open download. The rock-maze and spiral noise are back, as well as the exciting in-group roars that usually come up near the end of their songs. This is the most psychedelic release Happy-Fi has released in years, the song is a blast, and bonus points for the teleporting video.

Download "Cocktail" HERE.

MP3: d3NdRON feat. Quiero Club - "Gatos Marinos" (Bran Van 3000)

Happy Fi’s electro-rock band by excellence unveils more songs on their soundcloud than we would ever listen to, but they hit it off the park with this attractive semi-acoustic turned dubstep remix of Montreal’s Bran Van 3000’s “Saltwater Cats.” d3NdRON is the label’s super group, comprised of members of other Happy-Fiers such as Niña and Quiero Club. This song features two members of Quiero Club, Priscila & Catsup, enough to give them official credit.

They blur the line between a remix and a cover, cooking the catchy song on its grill but also switching the track from English to Spanish. Like that awesome Flaming Lips cover by La Ola Que Queria Ser Chau (“Rocio Pelea Contra Los Robotitos”), d3NdRON shows why translated international sitcom can triumph on just every corner of the globe. This year, everyone seems to be obsessed with two things, disco and kitties, if you were to pair both things and put them underwater it would sound something like “Gatos Marinos.”

Recently, the band also put out an electrifying remix ("Fiebre de Ceviche") for She’s a Tease’s “Fiebre de Jack.” Both remixes show a band on top of their game and in full control of motion. I must confess, it’s always a bit annoying to write their name correctly, then I remember they’re music usually rocks and that they’re among the few bands to make awesome artwork covers for their singles.

♫♫♫ "Gatos Marinos" (Bran Van 3000)

Happy-Fi Free Sampler Spring 2010

Happy-Fi is really mounting up on the shortlist for Mexico’s finest label. They’ve always assured quality, but their latest stuff is just colossally great. At the very least, they are scoring some major singles, some of them making their way into anthems. They’re sharing their Free Sampler Spring 2010, featuring Monterrey’s Quiero Club, Niña, El Cuarto, Yo! Linares and Pato Machete. Also, we would like to highlight the songs by Los Erres and d3NdRON which are great but have been previously neglected by us. But especially, get the original cut of “Datos Intimos” by She’s a Tease, the Disco Ruido’s brilliant club mix overshadowed (in a nice way) the already classy hymn. Grab these songs HERE.

Niña - "Willie Nelson"

Spreading the news of a new single from Monterrey's awesome Niña. "Willie Nelson" is the first single from their upcoming EP titled Willie Nelson vs Ralph Macchio, their first release since Punk Robot. This is how we like Niña the best, in that sort of adolescent systematic vision that's always refreshing, celebratory and uplifting. The single is currently available for free download in exchange of a tweet, so if you're a TwitterGrinch like our very own Andrew Casillas, get yourself an account already, it's fun, we promise. By the way, this player is pretty! Sound Cloud is really on top of its game.

Video: El Cuarto - "Las Cosas Han Cambiado"

Another visual fest from a promising Argentinean band called El Cuarto for their new single titled “Las Cosas Han Cambiado.” We don’t know much about them but we think they live in Monterrey and we danced to “Minimal” (included in Happy-Fi Compilation 5: Coyote Nights) quite a lot during 2009. They remind of Los Prisioneros, maybe, they’re just really weird and fun to figure out. Judging from this one song, it seems like their sound is still in the cooks, very undefined, and I love that. Happy-Fi is looking strong this year, this should be interesting, plus let’s not forget there’s new stuff coming up from She’s a Tease and Yo! Linares.

We Come In Piece, d3NdRON

WE COME IN PIECE, d3NdRON
Happy-Fi, Mexico
Rating: 74
By Carlos Reyes

Hailing out of the Happy-Fi wing comes this relatively known band, d3NdRON’s electronic rock is making a lot of noise lately. Some of our friends have listed We Come in Piece as one of the year’s albums, too many and too abroad to ignore. On the surface and on initial listen, d3NdRON is not that all interesting, I mean, despite having an album that’s ultimately big of a party with collaborations from Niña Dioz, Pato Machete, Alejandro Rosso (Plastilina Mosh), not to mention Chajoe from Niña is the lead vocalist here and Pris from Quiero Club one of the band’s members. But among other surprises, d3NdRON reveals itself as the possible evolution of Northern Mexican rock electronics.

Although we don’t find them as revealing as the hype they’ve generated, they’re pretty comfortable and in control of their field. It’s like they got the tools, the ideas, and the ability to make their particular sound actually happen, but once fragmented (in songs) the transaction looses force, creating amazing musical passages but not necessarily amazing songs. This feeling omits “Mitras Anthem” because that’s one great piece, for its tricks and up-to-heaven configuration, plus getting the anthem sensitivity correct. It’s a homage to Mitras (a place in Monterrey) and the album dances around this idea, “somos la noche, el tiempo, el cielo, c’mon!” A truly wonderful gigantic song that almost makes the rest of the songs look bad.

I care very little about the subliminal junkie pieces (“Step Up”, “He Drove A White Rabbit” or “I’ll See You at the Gate”), they’re just too dreamy to function although I wouldn’t mind holding some of the stuff in them with me. In the other hand, I can hardly resist the aesthetics in something like “El Orden del Universo”, they go from dreamers to creators delivering the high edges. Like The XX, they deliver great beats and even great lyrics but it’s hard to keep up with them, there’s barely any order in them. In “AB Comando” (feat. Niña Dioz) they bounce into hip hop and ends up as one of the album’s peaks, plus that “let’s hear it for the dogs on the West Side … wof wof wof” liner is fantastic. There’s some polishing and rearranging to be done, but overall, this is quite impressive, they really pay justice to their “Carne Asada ‘til the morning light” premise.

♫♫♫ "The First Warning" (feat. Pato Machete)
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MySpace

"Datos Intimos", She's a Tease (Disco Ruido Club Mix)

The buzz for Disco Ruido! keeps on rolling, "Mrs. Love" was probably the first pre-summer hit of the year, by the time Vive Latino arrived it was already a louded crowd-favorite. There's an EP around the web but I'm pretty sure it's unofficial. Our friends from 8106 have an exclusive download for a brand new remix they made for She's a Tease, a band from Monterrey we don't know much about except that we remember them with a totally different sound, we like the new redefined and up-beat vision so much more. "Datos Intimos" is one of the standout tracks from the recently reviewed Happy-Fi Coyote Nights compilation and it's part of their upcoming first LP titled Millonaria. Download the original track + El Cuarto's "Minimal" over @ 8106

♫♫♫ "Datos Intimos" (Disco Ruido Club Mix) [right click, save as]

Coyote Nights Compilacion #5, Happy-Fi

COYOTE NIGHTS COMPILACION #5,
HAPPY-FI
Happy-Fi, Mexico ***1/2
Rating: 74
By Jean-Stephane Beriot

Happy-Fi is like the happiest home of Mexican pop, one of those labels that are truly run by its artists who for the most part, make bright harmless pop that is as warm and comfy as long sleeve sweaters. While their previous compilations seemed like statements of eternal youth or at least teenage yearning stuff, their fifth compilation titled Coyote Nights is powerful box full of pop waiting disperse through the night. We’ve met most of these artists at some point, either on previous numbers of the series or on side releases, so this time it’s not as random as I would like it to be. But don’t get it wrong, this isn’t one of those promo upfront albums American labels release every year. It’s almost impossible not to do a track-by-track review even if they are following a theme; these are some of my thoughts.

It opens with the nostalgic “Beso de Sol” by Camilo Mejia who sets the perfect peaceful mood for the birth of something beautiful. d3NdRON follows with “Mitras Anthem”, one of my favorites; I always fall for those pieces that pay homage to origin or serve as centers of interaction. It’s been a while since I heard “Disdrive” by Japan’s 80kidz who I imagine made a close relation with the label after their awesome remix for Quiero Club’s “Let Da Music.” El Cuarto unfolds “Minimal” as a dance waiting to happen, very 80s like and infectious. Niña was one of the first Mexican bands I really listened to, so it obviously holds a bit of sentimentalism from my part, they do a fine job here with “Primavera 69.” I’ve never heard of She’s a Tease but enjoyed them as well. It’s time to tell you about my favorite, “Unos Amigos, Unos Vatos, Unos Gueyes” is arresting and a revelation for Yo! Linares who sound like Los Campesinos! and Dananananaykroyd.

And of course, Quiero Club shows up and they’re a pleasure, I don’t think there is a band that sounds as fresh as they do in the entire world. The May Fire is a great band, its vocalist Cat Tasso (from Chile) delivers great live shows, probably the darkest moment in the album. By now we can pretty much say Jovenes y Sexys is a universally-acclaimed band whose Bruno EP doesn’t seem to age a bit, they’re here too with their hit “El Reloj.” The album gets a bit too dreamy near the end, but Quiero Club saves the flame in collaboration with HC (who have a track together on the Rudo y Cursi Soundtrack), “Baila” is like a lost piece Nueva America, upbeat and glamorous. Perhaps it’s not a groundbreaking album, but it makes me wish for a Happy-Fi stage at Vive Latino (a la Discos Intolerancia), good pop seriously needs more presence among our festivals.

♫♫♫ "Unos Amigos, Unos Vatos, Unos Gueyes", Yo! Linares (right click, save as)
MySpace

Happy-Fi releases its fifth compilation, Coyote Nights

The Happy-Fi compilations are some of the warmest recollections of Pop one can hope for, the label known for its pastel colors just released Coyote Nights, their fifth volume of insanely addictive melodies to illuminate your summer nights. Some of the artists on the disc include Jovenes y Sexys, The May Fire, Niña, She’s a Tease, 80Kidz, Quiero Club and d3NdRON. You can download 8 songs from this compilation at Reactor’s Website. It’s already on our list of upcoming reviews so we’ll get deeper once we get to hear it in its entirely. If you're looking for the previous compilations, good luck, they're extremely hard to find.

♫♫♫ El Cuarto - "Minimal"