Chess might not immediately bring to mind images of sex and fisticuffs. Most people probably see it as a cerebral challenge between bright people, or a never-ending game. But joining the Wu-Tang Clan school of thought, Nelson y Los Filisteos are of the idea that chess can be a vein-popping pastime.
Originally known as Baby Nelson and the Philistines, the band was founded in 2012 by frontman Alonso Esquinca in Guadalajara, Mexico after his former projects (screamo and hardcore scenesters Human Plague and Bocanegra) broke up. He eventually relocated to Mexico City and released their debut full-length Tibio. The band, which describes its sound as “hyper violent pop with proto futurist tendencies and canine paring,” delivers a fierce and catchy track in the form of “La Alberca,” a Tibio cut that somehow manages to add melodic, 80s radio pop to fuzzy, out-of-control guitars.
Esquinca himself directed the video, which tells the tale of a competitive chess player training mercilessly for a big match. Once the game begins, the rules are soon tossed aside to explore much more carnal pleasures. We see the desire to win manifested in lust and violence, in not so much of a plot twist but a true manifestation of the human condition.
The band is currently planning a tour of northern Mexico and the U.S., extending an already active year that will surely see them expand their fan base.