Basque band Belako is quickly rising in the Spanish indie scene, and they’re about to release their second album Hamen, the first one through legendary imprint Mushroom Pillow. “Nomad,” the second single off the album, is a bite of delicious 80s-tinted post-punk with enough power to make us head bang for days.
Sung in English, “Nomad” starts off with a bass and drum rhythmic section, reminiscent of the grandiosity of Surfer Rosa-era Pixies. But that’s only the beginning. Singer Cris Lizarraga smolders in a vocal delivery that lies somewhere between angry and sensual, but when she repeatedly shouts “stop bothering me” in the chorus, we’re pretty sure she’s feeling more of the latter. They also play by the quiet-loud-quiet book, with guitars that are chorus-soaked and then become crunchy and distorted, matching them with thunderous drums for shock value. Lush synths give the song a little new wave color, and in its lengthy break, you almost feel like dancing. We’re not mad.
Hamen is out January 22.