DEDICATESSEN Vol. 10

Limited Edition 500 copies in transparent light blue-coloured 7" vinyl, including a download coupon of this album in digital format (MP3 - 320 kbos).

The 10th volume of our 7" vinyl collection, DEDICATESSEN, brings us one of the most interesting bands to come out of Madrid, Spain in the last years. Solletico (which means 'tickle' in Italian) is made up of Marta M. Barrera (guitar, vocals), Mar Rojo (percussion, me…

DEDICATESSEN Vol. 10

Limited Edition 500 copies in transparent light blue-coloured 7" vinyl, including a download coupon of this album in digital format (MP3 - 320 kbos).

The 10th volume of our 7" vinyl collection, DEDICATESSEN, brings us one of the most interesting bands to come out of Madrid, Spain in the last years. Solletico (which means 'tickle' in Italian) is made up of Marta M. Barrera (guitar, vocals), Mar Rojo (percussion, melodica, beatbox, vocals), Nausica Pascual Eyheramonno (keyboards, ukelele, vocals), Alberto de Dios (drums) and Diego Valladolid (bass, vocals), and this beautiful light blue 7" single is their first ever release, entitled "Solletico y el hombre de la casa". 

This record captures the essence of their peculiar take on pop music, a formula in which they combine elements which lie further from the standard indiepop sound: traditional music and Epic or Baroque literature which they use to create perfect, infectious pop melodies, full of vocal harmonies and elaborate lyrics. THis explains why their points of reference don't really abound, although they evoke Spanish bands such as Vainica Doble, Kikí d’Akí or Nosoträsh and international ones such as Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Patrick Wolf, Carloman or Sparks.

Although the title may sound like a vindication of the male genre, "Solletico y el hombre de la casa" ("Solletico and the man of the house") is just the opposite. A subtle irony situates Solletico against the tyranny of the macho stereotype. The stories of heroins Valentina and Ofelia make this record totally meaningful.

Side A is for “Valentina”,  a modern woman who marries a homosexual man to be able to be free, a moving song from start to finish. A Spaghetti Western introduction with guitar and trumpet paves the way to an epic song in the best style if Solletico, complete with rolling drums and interwaving harmonies. Side B opens with “Ofelia”, a victim of that man of the house called Hamlet. This song is a great example of how Solletico can transform the rhythm of a song, and how beautiful their vocal harmonies and how surprising their arrangements are. The last track, “B612”, is like a little gem fallen from the sky: the story of a peculiar man of the house in a most peculiar home, a song wrapped in naïve tones which make for a perfect companion piece to the other two tracks.