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First issue: THE LADYBUG TRANSISTOR is one of the best new American acts around: some sort of a tiny pop orchestra, with trumpet, flute, piano and violin in their line-up, adding to the usual guitar, bass and drums. They’ve released so far two excellent albums in cool Merge label (famous for Lambchop, Magnetic Fields, Superchunk and many other treats). Their single for our club features a new track (“Brighton bound”) plus an alternative take of “Cienfuegos”, a song from their second album “The Albermarle sound”. SALAKO come from England, and also have two fantastic albums (in this case through Jeepster, home of our beloved Belle and Sebastian). This single features a track (“Look right”) from their second album plus three exclusive tracks which prove their acoustic sensibility and endless imagination will soon be rewarded by thousands of pop fans. PRINTED CIRCUIT is the aka used by Claire -a Scottish woman on her very early twenties- to sign her electronic do-it-yourself fantasies. They sound like the perfect soundtrack for an imaginary videogame, all frenzy rhtymhs and cool bleeps, don’t miss it!!!
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Second issue: A journey around the world. First stop: Germany. GONZALES is now quite a popular name, thanks to his albums on Kitty-Yo full of hip hop, jazz, lounge and wild humour. This single includes four exclusive tracks, as weird, wicked and superb as you can expect from this crazy Canadian genius, including a cameo by sexy Peaches!. We keep on roaming around the world, what about having a stop in Japan? PHOTO JENNY are waiting for us, waving their handkerchiefs. Their records are released by Rock Records in Japan (hi Mikki, I knew you would be reading this!!!!) and their music is acoustic pop without any unnecessary ornaments, just (gently strummed) guitars and (charmingly cute) girl-boy vocals. Final stop: Hong Kong. There you will meet a cute and extremely young lady called Dejay, aka THE PANCAKES. When she gets back home after work, she locks her up in her bedroom with her magic music toys. And that’s how we get songs as charming as “Gzm”, a cute tribute to Gorky’s Zigotic Minci. Though The Pancakes’ music is more techno-pop than guitar pop. Check it in the six (yeah, six!) songs in this debut single
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Third issue: ENTRE RÍOS is a threesome featuring the cool, smooth female vocals of Isol, really ethereal and chic. Do you know a sixties Spanish singer called Jeanette? Well, it’s something like that. Though the band’s music is electronic and elegant, a sort of home-made trip-hop but avoiding trite territories, very personal. Then we have MOGUL, that techno-punk girl-boy sensation from the Uk. After their cover version of Oasis’ “Roll with it” and their second single “I was starving hungry in Tesco’s” came this pink seven inch featuring the cool instrumental “Rotunda” and three extra tracks as cheeky and cool as “Spit on you”. They want to be the Sigue Sigue Sputnik of a new generation. They love Casiotones. We love them. IBON ERRAZKIN was Le Mans’ main guitarist and composer. After the sad split of the band, he came back in 2000 with a shocking debut album, full of unexpected turns and elements of jazz, hip hop, country, and many other styles. This single has two non-album tracks, really minimalistic and surprising. And for all Le Mans’ fans: the girl in the sleeve is Teresa, Le Mans bass player and lyrics writer!!!
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Fourth issue: three Spanish bands debut in our club, we’re really honoured! ZIPI ZAPE are from Albacete, and play sweet techno pop à la New Order, but with personality and from a naïve point of view; they are also influenced by Spanish -Elefant- acts like Family or Carlos Berlanga. All their songs are about love affairs ending in summer, very nostalgic. GUILLERMINE are quite a different thing, though they also love Casiotones and guitars. But they are far more punkier, and boast a frenzy mood that will make you dance like crazy to their party-out-of-bounds lo-fi techno guitar punk-pop!!! LOS SOBERANOS is a nine-piece obsessed with the danciest and craziest sixties music produced in Spain during the sixties. They only make cover versions, and in this debut they cover originals by Raphael, La Cricca, Isley Bros and Roberto Carlos.