Three Music Thingz with Las Nubes
Oooooh yeah, it's another rendition of Three Music Thingz, the blogseries where I ask musicians for three thingz that are essential to their music-making.
Today we have Las Nubes! Las Nubes are a Miami-based group: Ale Campos on guitar and vocals, Emile Milgrim on drums, plus Alumine Soto and Cuci Amador filling out the live lineup on guitar and bass, respectively. If you are looking for GUITARS 'N' GRIT, you are in luck because they have some on offer.
The band released their debut album SMVT in 2019 and are now back with another full-length, Tormentas Malsanas (out June 14th on Sweat Records Records and Spinda Records), a potent blend of heavy-guitar genres like garage and shoegaze which will assuredly rip your face off if you're seeking face-removal services.
The singles leading up to the album release have been stellar. "Would Be" takes foggy chords and Breeders-esque vocal harmonies and then melts them into a tungsten cube of headbanging riffs. And latest single "Pesada" somehow gets even heavier—super-power chords and ascending vocals create a force field of sound, its fierceness inspired by Campos witnessing superficial social media 'activism' in the wake of the 2020 protests against police brutality, per its Post-Trash premiere: "Take a step back / Who are you showing up for? / Is it for change or attention?"
Ale and Emile shared three music thingz with the blog, and you should read them...right...now:
- Voice Memos
When I get an idea for a song, I always record the riffs on my voice memos app. It's really convenient because most of the time it's just a 20-second idea. I leave it alone and don't think about it for a while, and then come back to it and see if I can build anything else from it. Sometimes, I have a fully realized song and go straight to GarageBand, but that's rare. It's important to never underestimate the power of a crappy demo. — Ale - Catchy Hooks
When I write vocal melodies, I often skip the voice memo step and follow the approach of Stephin Merritt. I come up with a melody, but I don't record it. Instead, I let it sit in my mind and go to sleep. If I can still recall the melody when I wake up, then I know it's catchy enough. I love it when you listen to a song, and it gradually gets stuck in your head without you realizing it until you find yourself whistling the melody an hour later. — Ale - Having Fun
Inside jokes about songs, ranging from misheard lyrics to sound-alike riffs and beyond. And not just our songs! This is the stuff that always keeps it lighthearted. There’s nothing like trying not to crack up on stage while recalling someone thinking we had lyrics about Slender Man and Hawaiian cocktails. Busting the intro to an old-school alt. radio tune to fake out the audience before playing our own song is a favorite too! Having fun in/with your band is so important. — Emile
Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 21, 2023
Thank you Las Nubes! Gird yr loins for Tormentas Malsanas, and check out their website. Thanks for reading the blog, as well. Also, sharing some last words from Emile on the topic of supporting bands you like (relevant after yesterday's album rollout interview with Ilithios!!!):
"While being in a band and touring is a lot of fun, it’s also a lot of work. It’s definitely not a 'chill road trip with your friends' or a vacation of sorts. All bands that are on the road put in a ton of effort to play gigs and often aren’t making much money. If you’re able to come out and support them, especially on early-in-the-week nights, it can really help their bottom line and keep them afloat to record and perform consistently." Amen.