Recorded once again with Javier Ortiz at Estudio Brazil, Tensura returns with «Chacales y gorriones». This is the second album from this Madrid trio, which, in a relatively short time, has achieved an absolutely exceptional level of compositional conciseness, now materialised in this collection of memorable songs, with contoured passages and a lyrical simplicity—with political depth—that is almost poetic.
From the album title, Tensura refers us to a dual society, with a system of pre-established roles (macro and micro) that exploits the north-south demographic theorem, the ecology of overflow and, of course, collective alienation and the re-normalisation of fascism in the face of the umpteenth dream of class struggle. And indeed, we already knew that Hugo Santos, Jesús Barrios and Luis Ramos formed a band that was unique in its kind, but this goes much further. In «Chacales y gorriones» Tensura display their mastery of their own musical language, with which they are able to give a small, angular twist to the (post-hardcore?) genre. This latter aspect makes them a band that is as courageous as it is essential to the Iberian alternative rock scene.
We begin the album with «Ilusión», describing the happiness that Hugo, Jesús and Luis feel when playing together. With African rhythmic resonance, «Carrusel» follows, a song about the stigma attached to the irregular immigration of minors. This is followed by a tribute to our beloved Rick Froberg (Hot Snakes, Obits, Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu and a friend of the Iberian scene like few others) and «GNIP» (in response to the mediocrity to which the mainstream media leads us), before reaching «Regulier». A joyful ode to non-resignation that closes the first side. We open again with «Siempre dentro» a song about the stimuli of seduction and overexposure of contemporary intimacy. This track is followed by the enigmatic (and fascinating) «Cabeza colchón» and «Splash», until we reach «Diferentes necesidades». This piece portrays the new symptoms of the impact currently generated by social media, which leads us to the final mammoth: the desertification of the planet and the eradication of humanity. Enjoy.
