EP Review: Las Nubes / Palomino Blond – Split 12″

Due to drop on 20^th March, this split EP (released via BUFU Records) features two promising Floridian bands. Occupying the A-Side are local favourites Las Nubes, who have the distinction of being the first all-female lineup of The Stooges ever to back Iggy Pop, which occurred during Miami Art Week back in December. Palomino Blond, also heralded by the likes of the Miami New Times for their ‘floating vocals and brutal riffs’, takes the B-Side.

Las Nubes:

‘Demonize’ floats in on a ghostly, arpeggiated intro riff, crisp drumming and breathy, ethereal vocals before it ruptures into a fuzzy, off-kilter chorus and ultimately collapses in hail of cymbals.

‘Tararear’ expands powerfully, layering thick, blocky chords with melodic overtones. Sung in Spanish, the echoic harmonies lend an otherworldly texture to the stout shoegaze-pop; the track culminating in an undulating buzz.

Palomino Blond:

‘Seventh Heaven’ drives along at a head-nodding pace, an unswerving rhythm carried by effective vocal coherence and pierced by guitar squalls. It only desists to enter a breakdown of psychedelic chords knitted together through dissonant picking, and a muscular outro interspersed with eerie howls.

‘Damage’ is punchy and angular; the bassline propelling the track through spikey pop-punk territory. Guitar lines wind and flare within a stop/start middle section, before it all builds back into a crunchy finale. Neat.

Like lo-fi alternative vibes with the capacity to burst into hefty melody? This EP is available digitally and physically via Bandcamp.

Las Nubes have pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. More of their music on Bandcamp.

Palomino Blond can also be found on Bandcamp, as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.