One of the more remarkable bands of the past five years was Mexico’s XYX, who’ve unfortunately hung up the spikes and the delay pedals. Their first EP on S-S Records was a real brain eraser, a bass/drums-only frantic panic attack with female vocals and distorted reverb from here to Moldava. That was followed by a second (lesser) 45, a quick couple of jaunts into the USA for live shows (one of which I was fortunate to see, in San Francisco), and then a posthumous final LP, “Teatro Negro”, this year.
Anhelo Escalante is a phenomenal frontwoman and bassist, a whirling ball of energy with a spat/sang manner of pushing out Spanish-language blurts and taunts. Drummer Mou Ortiz is a pounder par excellence. The final record is an 11-song blast that’s half ghostly, echoing noise jams and another half more like that first EP – direct, gut-punch garage noise played at fast tempos. Here’s one of the latter, “Sobrenada”, which also has the distinction of almost having a sort of “rap” vibe to it.