La Casa Azul

Various Artists – Space Escapade Unit 1 Destination: Pluto Sector 68 (Aventura Espacial)
Space Escapade Unit 1 is the latest of several pop picnics from their overflowing basket. Scouring Europe for the best in pop talent, an ability to commit sunshine to vinyl/tape would appear the common denominator whether the medium is power pop, shoe gaze, C86, Eurodisco or boy-girl Mamas & Papas-style pop. You’ll notice I keep using that word beginning with P. There’s no other word that’ll do. Elefant do Pop and do it very well.
I can’t pretend that I love it all; it’s just that the overall standard is very high. There will be several for you among the 44 track double-disc. I’ll take ‘Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken’ by Camera Obscura (though would happily do without their cover of ‘Super Trouper’). Similarly, I really don’t care for the Eurodisco opener from La Casa Azul, but their ‘Bad Guys’, featuring Duglas T. Stewart on disc 2 is pretty dandy.
Fitness Forever (another group who made a great 2009 debut album), The School, Modular, The Carrots (a la Billie Davis – nice!), Serpentina, Nick Garrie, Ibon Errazkin, Les Tres Bien Ensemble and, of course, the assured sounds of Giorgio Tuma all grace the collection.
If none of those names mean anything to you, think of them as cousins of Broadcast, Air, Saint Etienne or Belle & Sebastian; nieces and nephews of the aforementioned 1960s chaps and chapesses.

It is worth mentioning too that all Elefant discs, in my experience, are beautifully designed and packaged. It’s important; it shows they care.  Pretty delightful.
For more informatioon visit the Elefant records website.