Niña Dioz Preps New Mixtape, Features Collaborations From Plastilina Mosh & Bomba Estereo's Liliana Saumet

Monterrey’s Niña Dioz was last night’s guest at Indie103.1’s Sala de Espera, where she premiered a couple of tracks from her upcoming second mixtape. This soon to be released mixtape includes a collaboration with one of the Plastilina Mosh’s guys (can’t remember which one), as well as a mouthwatering collaboration with Bomba Estereo’s Liliana Saumet. Her label has kept us waiting for way too long for the release her much-anticipated debut LP La Nueva Escuela, but that’s not stopping her from creating new exciting music, which only keeps getting better as she is starting to fully command her medium. As our very own Jean-Stephane Beriot commented, “she’s got the square/precision factor we love in rappers, it shouldn’t be all about speed.” This mixtape will also include one of her best songs, “Frepo Minimal, Man!,”a hot-as-fire tune featuring a very promising 17-year-old kid named Kid Kimera. Also, you don’t want to miss her collaboration with Ceci Bastida, currently offered as a freeload at The Fader.

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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Who Should Win: Indie-O Music Awards

Notes for the Indie-O Music Awards Jury

Who should win, according to us.

Band of the Year
NORTEC COLLECTIVE PRESENTS BOSTICH + FUSSIBLE. I really want to give it to Los Fancy Free, but I’m still drooling over Tijuana Sound Machine. Zoe’s Reptilectric is not aging really well, and I’ve never really liked Yokozuna. You can never go wrong with Plastilina Mosh, but let’s not forget their All U Need Is Mosh is their weakest album yet (not a bad album though).

Song of the Year
“BESTIA” – HELLO SEAHORSE! It was probably the indie hit of 2008 in Mexico; the creatures coming out of it are still phenomenally attractive, pop at its finest. “Ja Ja Ja” by Los Fancy Free is great indeed, but I must say it’s feeling old… wasn’t it nominated last year in this same category? I don’t really get the negativity some friends have towards Suave as Hell, “Controlling the Sun” would be my alternate option. “Maten al Criminal” by The John Band is an okay song, perhaps is the sociopolitical theme that inspired voters to put it here. While Plastilina’s “Pervert Pop Song” rounds up a fairly good competition, but where is Bam Bam’s “Sin las patas traseras”?

Best New Artist
JUAN SON. It’s by far the most talented figure; some will argue that he’s not new to the business but going solo means to defragment past lands and build new ones. I had no prior knowledge of Dirty Karma, they’re cool actually but if Juan Son doesn’t take this, my second option would be Bufi, he snaps the rest of the nominees with his music + it will be cool to see somebody winning in a 'high profile' category with a netlabel released EP.

Blog of the Year
ME HACE RUIDO. This is a new category, we’re glad our colleagues are getting some recognition. When TTSO was suddenly shut down, 8106 became THE blog for scenesters looking for great music, thing is, I can finger count the Mexican artists featured and so it lacks the merit to give it an award as the Mexican vein seems to be minimal, same goes for Life Box Set. Andamos Armados is becoming like a cult, kind of a Culture Bully meets Rough Trade, again not sure if it’s an award for any blog, or a music blog. Toni Francois takes astonishing pictures, she takes you whatever she goes and is my runner up for the award. But I must say the real winner should be Me Hace Ruido, I might not agree with MOST of their reviews but they’re building a great database, with plenty of national talents pouring in and out.

Indie Label of the Year
NENE RECORDS. Let me start saying that the snub for The Poni Republic is almost criminal. Three of the nominated labels are part of the Voy a Explotar soundtrack, so I might be biased. Discos Tormento has among others, one of our new favorites Afrodita, in terms of exposure they’re lacking excitement. Discos Intolerancia is giving full support to Los Fancy Free, I’m still confused, isn’t the double-feature Never Greens a 2007 release? The award should slide on the hands of Nene Records, they’re the exemplary picture of how to run a smart project keeping its vision and expanding it, they do whatever they want (or what their resources allow them to). Free music, great response from SXSW and lots of people talking about it.

Art Package
WELL WELL MR. WHALE, SUAVE AS HELL. Last year’s nominated lineup was fantastic, I must say this time is underwhelming. Yokozuna’s provocative cover fits the music and even puts ideas into my head, is that Jessy Bulbo showing off? Probably not. Twin Tone’s Capello di Mariachi is circular, nice condensation of the colors but also to simplistic to be remembered. I like Los Marty’s music a whole lot more than its artwork, the drawings are not that bad, but the font is just obtrusive. My preference is the pastel coloring in Well Well Mr. Whale, how can I not like a whale up in the sky hiding in between some clouds and rainbows.

Producer of the Year
MARTIN THULIN. Only three nominees this time, someone from Monterrey like Mou (Bam Bam, Mama Burger, XYX) or Bul (Album, Zozaya) should’ve sneak in to round a set of five. Yamil Rezc is getting more and more popular, his work with Subdivision is superb, the jury loves him, his production design for Le Baron definitely brought attention to one of Mexico City’s most demanded producers. But no one would be as deserving as Los Fancy Free’s frontmant Martin Thulin, not only is he responsible for the great production values of his band, but he’s forming a whole squad producing the brilliant Taras Bulba by Jessy Bulbo and Nos Llamamos self-titled debut.

Dance/Electro Album
TIJUANA SOUND MACHINE, NORTEC. Nortec for the win! This is probably my favorite category, and I get the feeling they’re throwing every single pop album here since they’re erroneously neglecting pop as a category. You know how much we liked Quiero Club’s Nueva America and Bufi’s Homeless Hero, still haven’t heard anything from Play & Movil Project but looking forward to it has great music around it. I’m not sure why Neon Walrus is in competition, is not a 2008 production, unless they extended the eligibility dates.

Rock Album of the Year
REPTILECTRIC, ZOE. Again, my wishful thinking asks for cheers towards Nos Llamamos, but after much examination of all the nominated albums, Zoe still has it. The best Mexican rock album from last year was Jessy Bulbo’s Taras Bulba, and En Ventura’s Los Gandharvas. Add Los Fancy Free and Bam Bam and we would have our dream lineup. There are some good tracks from Dirty Karma, but nothing special really, Simplifiers has the hype but not strong enough either.

Music Video of the Year
CLAP YOUR BRAINS OFF, NO SOMOS MACHOS PERO SOMOS MUCHOS. Even Kanye West liked the innovative techniques from NSM PSM and director Frank Beltran. It’s magnetically circular, perfectly choreographed and supportive to its rhythm. Austin TV’s animated “Shiva” is the cutest thing, would also make a great winner. Juan Son’s “Nada” is dark and raw, a surprising nominee actually. There’s nothing to get excited in “Maten al Criminal”, we get it, violence is black or white.

Other categories:
Live Act: Plastilina Mosh
Experimental Album: The Versailles Sessions, Murcof
Punk album: Taras Bulba, Jessy Bulbo
Rap/Hip Hop Album: Ai con permisito, Menuda Coincidencia
Best Solo Album: Taras Bulba, Jessy Bulbo
Indie Music Publisher: Marvin

Club Fonograma Features: Plastilina Mosh

You should know by now that Jonaz y Rosso and their Plastilina Mosh will transcend as one of the key projects that have made Latin Alternative music a progressive, dynamic and exciting movement to be proud of. Aquamosh already has its deserved spot as the radical project that turned classic for its acid lyricism, its brave take on political themes and its depiction of modernity. Throughout the years, their journey has only enriched their colorful and rebellious way of partying, like a distraction or escapism turned into a lesson of joy. Their latest release All U Need Is Mosh is simply hyper, and the singles have been so far steady. We’re gracious to feature their single “Pervert Pop Song”, which has to be their loudest single since “Peligroso Pop.” This song features Patricia Lynn and Ximena Sariñana, in that order, so don’t get it confused, it’s not that Ximena sounds different, her appearance vocally is minimal. We thank Plastilina Mosh and Nacional Records for letting us drop this marvelous song for you, we can’t wait for the upcoming video. 

Club Fonograma Features: 
PLASTILINA MOSH.
Track: "Pervert Pop Song" 
Album: All U Need Is Mosh
Label: Nacional Records
Country: Mexico
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Marcapasos, Niña Dioz

MARCAPASOS, NIÑA DIOZ
Independiente, México ***1/2
Rating: 72
by Carlos Reyes

Mexico has always offered the urban genre a very limited space, very few albums actually make it to indie radios and we can finger count the amount that actually get in the shelves. Control Machete was by far the most important foundation of the urban we hear today. Toy Selectah (Toy Hernandez) is nowadays one of our best producers and supporters of underground; from hip hop, alternative, pop and sonidero. Niña Dioz seems to be one of her protegees and should have no problem dueling La Mala Rodriguez, Anita Tijoux or Vanexxa. Marcapasos is her debut EP, a very confident embodiment of rhymes, reminiscent of the progressive rap we all love and a lot tougher than her female MC collages. In the U.S. we have the great music evangelists from Pitchfork controlling independent music, indie acts in Mexico better impress the radio station Reactor 105.7, Niña Dioz’s “Cuando Cuando” became one of the surprising hits of the year. A bit too influenced by American Rap? Perhaps, but that doesn’t make her music any less honest. “Desde mi productor” has some great lyrics and eos a fine job filling the time gap between the time the sung was recorded and the moment it reaches its listener. We expect big things on a future production, seems that she is really getting the attention she deserves especially among her collages. Whether she is getting respect by fellow urban artists is at this moment unknown, but she has impacted several alternative bands around including Plastilina Mosh who features her on their latest All U Need is Mosh's "Danny Trejo". No doubt, the best Mexican MC right now.

Niña Dioz MySpace
♫♫♫ "Cuando Cuando" (Esnips Stream)