V/A Seres Extranos – Tributo A Azul Y Negro (CD Compilation – Amuza Producciones)
Genre/Influences: Electro, pop, electro-rock, dance-pop.
Background/Info: Amuza Producciones is a small label hailing from Spain, which has released a few productions. You maybe have discovered bands such After The Rain, Cyborgdrive ao. This compilation features 15 songs (and 13 bands) as a tribute to one of the Spanish pioneers of techno-pop music Azul Y Negro. This formation has been active since the early 80s and got some national fame during the 80s and 90s.
Bands: Cyborgdrive, The New Technocratz, The Unknown, Kill Bill 6, Ibes Magora, Dieddro, Furtiva, Opium Den Electronic Music ao.
Content: It’s not an easy thing commenting this compilation. Azul Y Negro might be a pioneer of Spanish techno-pop and a kind of national pride, when you aren’t familiar with the band and you don’t know that much about the bands contributing to this sampler, it’s damned difficult to give an ‘objective’ point of view.
All I can say is that this sampler features a wide variety of influences, which are often electro-pop driven and mainly mixed with dance elements. A few other bands experiment with other elements such as electro-rock or electro-wave.
Notice by the way that Cyborgdrive has been featured with 3 songs.
+ + + : I can imagine this is the kind of ‘tribute’ that will get some interest in Spain while this kind of sampler also has to be seen as an ultimate consecration and recognition for a band. I especially like the somewhat old-school driven cuts and I want to recommend Los Pasajeros as most noticeable formation of the list.
– – – : I’m afraid this is the kind of sampler that will not make it in the ‘international’ underground scene. I compare it a bit to a compilation from Boredom Product released last year as a tribute to Etienne Daho. But on the other side it also is an opportunity to discover new formations, but unfortunately I can’t say to have been totally convinced.
Conclusion: This is a very special and intimate tribute, which I’m sure, must get Azul Y Negro proud, but at the other side it mainly sounds like a national (Spanish) affair instead of a compilation meant to reach an international audience.
Best bands: Opium Den Electronic Music, Los Pasajeros, Mist3rFly feat. Dieddro, Neosynth feat. Sister.
Rate: (5½).
Label: www.amuzaproducciones.com / www.facebook.com/amuzaproducciones
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