Los Mundos

It’s hard to imagine a more apt title for Los Mundos’ newest EP. Dios es Fuzz, aside from being a pretty hilarious declarative sentence, effectively communicates what’s at the heart of this Monterrey duo’s work: fuzz (duh!) and an almost sacred treatment of distortion, psych, filth, and irony. Not to mention that every song takes off like a barn burner.

The six-track EP treads familiar Mundos territory, but the songs—like “Bigote de pípila” and “Collar de perlas”—still feel fresh, worthy of our love and respect. And if the first five tracks don’t do it for you, then seek comfort in the closer, a faded reprisal of one of Retroterapia’s standouts, “Lentes mágicos.” - Remezcla

Since it’s the end of the year and all we’re prone to looking back at all we’ve “accomplished” this year, which can produce either grinning or cringing. But Los Mundos seem to live in a constant state of nostalgia, as evidenced by their just-out second LP, Retroterapia (SourPop Records).

Whether this is therapy to relieve you of your retroness (I have seen the future and it looks like the ‘90s), regression hypnosis therapy à la Fox Mulder, or retro-exalting therapy to get you back to the good ol’ days isn’t quite clear, but I’ll take it either way if the songs are this catchy. “Mirar Sucio,” “Lentes Mágicos,” and “Morir Aburrido” are just some of the highlights from this sometimes-scuzzy, sometimes-groovy, sometimes-pretty sophomore effort. - Remezcla

To start off, I’m pretty excited about the latest shoegaze group to come out of Mexico, Los Mundos. Los Mundos is the dynamic duo of Alejandro Elizondo and Luis Martinez. Separately, they do some great work with 60 Tigres (Martinez) and Piyama Party (Elizondo) but together…well, they also do great work!

Los Mundos have a free, six-track EP coming up of covers titled Regalando Todo. However, they’ve decided to tease us listeners with two tracks at a time instead of releasing the entire thing at once. The first two tracks were just released and they’re good ones: “Cumpleaños,” a.k.a. “Birthday,” by The Jesus & Mary Chain and “Sonido De Confusión,” a.k.a. “Sound Of Confusion” (I think they meant “Walking With Jesus”), by Spacemen 3.

The J&MC cover is much fuzzier than the original while the S3 cover is a bit slower and cleaner. What I like most about both, though, is that the group translated the lyrics to Spanish.

Oh, and Regalando Todo will be released in its entirety this summer. - Remezcla

Los Mundos set in motion a flourishing career with their convincing self-titled album, a collection of 11 cacophonous pieces that hinted at grandiosity, yet never fully bloomed into real transcendence. The band’s been quite active ever since. In the past two years, they've presented a couple of tight EPs that showed them adapting new versions of their early songs (Mi Propia Banda Quiero Ver) and covering bands that have undeniably defined their sound (Regalando Todo). However, the real task was a sophomore album that didn't feel as unvarying as their debut. Don’t get me wrong, I love the first record, but Retroterapia truly represents the ample canvas eagerly expected from Alejandro “Chivo” Elizondo and Luis Ángel Martínez. Improving their long-distance songwriting formula, Retroterapia finds the duo displaying a gorgeous throwback of delightful compositional dexterity and impossibly amusing lyrics, culminating in the glorious pairing of two of Mexico’s most offbeat minds into full creative synergy.

The first half of Retroterapia stands out as a robust smasher, a vigorous portrayal of splendid songwriting skills dressed by filthy abrasiveness, whimsical self-reflection, and plenty of cranky wit. Opening tracks “Todo te Cobran” and “El Peor” establish a bombastic start, showing the ensemble back in full form. “Mirar Sucio” and “Mini Shorts” are both sexy as fuck. The former is dominated by a powerful guitar riff, which, reinvigorated by Martínez’s I’m-definitely-gonna-fuck-you inviting words, marks the horniest declaration of the band so far. The latter, through its Blur-esque development and giggly, not-as-explicit remarks, flirts with sexually-infused, provocative fashion showoff curiosity. Initial promotional cuts, “Lentes Mágicos,” where Chivo undergoes a spaced-out magic visual trip relying on some pedal shit, and “666,” where Martínez understands how to make a song inspired by the number of the beast a hilarious success (few lines like “Escupiendo flema de color” and “Levitando en tu habitación” commit such comical stretch while remaining so disturbingly dark), are damn rewarding as well.

The second half might appear slightly limp, but not less substantial. Our heroes test the widest ranges of their dreamy textures in tracks like “El Mundo se Viene” and “Retroterapia.” Here, Los Mundos not only conjure majestic walls of sound and a variety of must-get-out-of-your-chest emotions, they also challenge the listener with serious climatic territories that launch the being into some kind of zen state. This characteristic particularly gleams in closer “Eco en la Luz,” an instrumental as exceptional and full of possibilities as El Columpio Asesino’s “MDMA.” On an unconvincing side, it’s notable how the less accomplished takes are the ones regarding pets. “Gato Buena Onda” and “Abraza un Perro,” while nicely executed, stand on the verge of irrelevance and forgettable. Nevertheless, these stumbles aren't much of a blow to Retroterapia. Especially when you have such an outstanding hit like “Morir es Aburrido,” spelling “The Passenger” all over its charming chords.

It seems like Los Mundos’ discourse is finally acquiring some necessary roundness. Retroterapia may carry its flaws, but they ultimately end up overshadowed by the LP's own distinctive energy and alluring delivery, nurtured via the exploration of broader subgenres. Truth is, with this reference—an irrefutable testament that exposes their noteworthy stateliness—they have reaffirmed themselves as an essential force that’s translating many great ideas into magnificent pop tunes, paving a privileged, not-to-be-missed trail in the process. - Club Fonograma