The first nonsense-pop movie

On March 23rd has been premiered in Spain the movie "The Svensson’s Syndrome", the first full length movie by Spanish filmmaker Kepa Sojo, who had already been awarded many times with his previous short movies, "100 maneras de hacer el pollo al txilindrón", "Looking for Chencho" and "Cuando puedas".

Defined as the first nonsense-pop movie, "The Svensson’s Syndrome" is a nonsensical, surrealistic, underground film with music as its background. The main characters travel in an absurd epic trip to Xàtiva, where there’s a pop megaconcert by the hype band of the moment, the KU-3. Music is a very important part of the movie, and on it we can listen to such important names in the independent music scene as FAMILY, LA CASA AZUL, TENDER TRAP, NOSOTRÄSH, JUNIPER MOON or MOGUL.

The original soundtrack has been composed by Basque composer Fernando Velásquez, who has been awarded with the Best OST Award at the Mostra de Valencia. In the movie’s music it’s specially remarkable the music composed for the fictitious bands appearing on it: "Los Balones" and "KU-3". Other genres like hip-hop and death metal are also mimicked in several moments of the score.

"The Svensson’s Syndrome" is starred by Adrià Collado, José Sancho, Lluvia Rojo, Eulalia Ramón, Secun de la Rosa, Alejandro Garrido, Fele Martí [ Read more ]

Following with its huge acclaim in Asian territories, LA CASA AZUL will include its song "Prefiero bailar" (taken from the album "Tan simple como el amor") on the "Peachy little secrets" compilation, which will be released this next month of July by new record label Fruit Records from Singapore.

This will be the third release on Fruit Records, a record label with which Elefant Records will start working from now on in Singapore. This relationship will start with the upcoming release in their territory of "Let’s get out of this country", the new album by CAMERA OBSCURA.The "Peachy little secrets" compilation features fourteen Asian pop bands (among them MY LITTLE AIRPORT from Hong-Kong, new signing on Elefant Records), plus six international acts which include, as well as LA CASA AZUL, such great bands as THE LUCKSMITHS from Australia or MY FAVORITE from the USA.The complete band list on the compilation is as follows: THE ODDFELLOWS, PURPLEPAIGE, MY WRITES, SERENAIDE, GIBRALTAR (all from Singapore); FERNS, COUPLE, SALLY FAERIE (all from Malaysia); MOCCA, 1900 YESTERDAY, THE MONOPHONES, ANNEMARIE (all from Indonesia); MY LITTLE AIRPORT, THE MARSHMALLOW KISSES (both from Hong Kong); and the international bands MY FAVORITE (USA), LA CASA AZUL (Spain), THE LUCKSMITHS (Australia), LITTLE NAME (UK), LUISA MANDOU UM BEIJO (Brazil), THE CASTAVETES and |ingenting| (both from Sweden). [ Read more ]

When we can still hear the echoes of the enormous success achieved by LA CASA AZUL in their recent visit to Korea, new and spectacular news come over from that side of the world. Between the 14th and the 18th of May, Guille Milkyway performed along with Elefant Records fellow artists CORAZÓN in a bunch of largely-attended shows for the Korean crowd (as you can check in the attached pictures and press clipping from the Korea Times, where Guille is departing with his Korean fans).

Just back from Korea, we learn about some fresh news that show the level of popularity LA CASA AZUL has achieved in this country: cosmetics brand DHC Korea has chosen the song "Galletas" by LA CASA AZUL for their latest TV ad! LA CASA AZUL is being played in all Korean TV sets, its catchy melody entering all the Korean houses on a daily basis!

You can watch the ad by clicking on the this link.

+ info:Elefant – WebLA CASA AZUL – Myspace

La Casa Azul [Times Korea]picture: Archivo Elefant

La Casa Azul [Publicity Korea TV]picture: Archivo Elefant

[ Read more ]

Many fans of bubblegum pop music, in and out of Spanish borders, have been looking for a long time for a copy of the debut album by LA CASA AZUL (“El sonido efervescente de LA CASA AZUL”, Elefant Records 2000). The album, a favourite of the label’s catalogue from its initial release, has been sold out for many months now, and we keep on receiving requests every day to put it back in print.

But we wanted to do it well, with love (as we do everything in Elefant Records), and at least has arrived the moment many were waiting for. Before the end of the year we will reissue the debut album by LA CASA AZUL with a lot of extra tracks. We mean a lot, really: the original album featured eight songs, and the featured tracks on this reissue will rise to twenty-one! Besides the eight original songs, this new reissue includes the band’s first three demos: the first one, “Te invito a mi fiesta” (recorded between 1998 and 1999), which features the first version of their classic tune “Cerca de Shibuya” and several previously unreleased songs; the second one, “Canciones ligeras” (1999), which features Jeanette’s version “Si no voy a esperar” among others; and the third one, “Galletas” (1999). Besides of this, the album features three bonus tracks: the cover version of the 80’s hit by MECANO “Quiero vivir en la ciudad”; the revised version of their classic song “Chicle Cosmos&rdquo [ Read more ]

As one could expect due to their success there, the recent reissue of "El sonido efervescente de LA CASA AZUL" (debut mini-album by the Guille Milkyway-produced band, in a luxurious re-release that also includes their three first demos and other rarities) is achieving an enormous success in the Asian countries. Japanese record shops keep sending new orders for the record, and now Korean label Happy Robot is going to release it in Korea.

Happy Robot had already released "Tan simple como el amor", LA CASA AZUL’s first long-player, and this new Korean release will coincide with three live shows that will be offered by both CORAZÓN y LA CASA AZUL in Korean land, between May 14th and 18th.To begin with, both bands will play on May 14th at the Naini Island Festival, a free entrance open air festival that goes on during two months in an amphitheatre in Nami Island. The next show will take place on May 16th as a part of the Latin Music Festival, coorganized by the Spanish Embassy in Seoul and the Spanish Department at the University of Korea: a benefit show for orphan children and teenagers. LA CASA AZUL and CORAZÓN will be the special guests at this festival to be held at Inchon Memorial Hall, a thousand people capacity pavilion in Koryo (University of Korea). On this festival, which will be hosted by two renown TV presenters from public broadcasting channel KBS, and which will be recorded and broadcasted by nationwide public channels KBS and [ Read more ]

Whilst we wait impatiently for a new album by LA CASA AZUL, the band announces some new special concerts to the delight of their many fans. As you will surely remember, the members of the band do not go out on tour: it’s Guille Milkyway, producer and composer of their repertoire, who takes charge and goes out playing their songs on stage. But it’s been too long since he last played live in Spain. Japanese fans had the chance to see a few shows by LA CASA AZUL last summer in Tokyo, but the news of these dates in Spain have fulfilled with illusion the hearts of many Spanish fans.With these concerts, both the band and Guille Milkyway intend to close the excellent period that was opened with their debut album, "Tan simple como el amor" (the single "Como un fan" stayed on the Spanish official top selling records list for four weeks in a row), and getting ready for their second long-player. In these shows, Guille will play all the hits, along with more intimate moments on the piano. A unique chance to enjoy the live performances of the beautiful, expansive music of LA CASA AZUL. Do not miss it if you can!

Thursday, March 16Milkyway Dj [dj session]Barcelonatime: 23:00 Sweet CaféCasanova 75 [ L1 Urgell, L1/L2 Universitat ]http://sweetcafebcn.blogspot.com/

Saturday, April 1Milkyway Dj [dj session]Castellóntime: 23:30 Pub PolarMenéndez Pelayo 8

Saturday, April 8Festival PlastidepopLa Casa Azul [live] + Nosoträsh [live]+ Garz& [ Read more ]

Asian markets don’t mean just Japan and thereabouts, although it is well known that Elefant Records has had an important presence in the Nippon market from a long time ago. Juice Magazine (www.juiceonline.com) is the most important music/clubbing magazine in Singapore (now also established in Indonesia), with an estimated readership that reaches 1.2 million.

We don’t know if they’re aware of the "Elefant Juice" compilation we released many years ago, but the thing is that they have just released a special feature on Elefant Records on their Label Junkie section, where they recommend their readers about the best and most interesting pop record labels around the world.

This is a new prove of the passion and level of acknowledgement Elefant Records receives from our faithful following in South East Asia, a place where we have always felt at home. [ Read more ]

The Afyve top selling lists (the official lists of records sold in Spain) aren’t usually very attractive for the pop music lovers who share the taste for music we have here at Elefant Records. Too many marketing products there, bearing little resemblance with the music we all like and enjoy. But every now and then some good songs pop in and renew our hopes that one day things might change in the Spanish music biz: it is the recent case of “Como un fan”, the new single by LA CASA AZUL, which has climbed directly to number 10 on the top singles list on the week going from october 24th to the 30th, 2005. That means the public have received with joy the release of this new single, which on its first week on sale features among the most asked for along with such bands as DEPECHE MODE or FRANZ FERDINAND (and many others we don’t dare to even mention). [ Read more ]

The main attraction of this new single by the band discovered and produced by multitalented Guille Milkyway is, of course, the inclusion of two new songs that keep on reminiscing the sunny atmosphere of the A&M productions from the 60’s, as they did in their album, “Tan simple como el amor”. “Viva [un poco más] el amor” and “Debería plantearme cambiar” are two new, excellent titles to add to their already delicious list of colourful bubblegum pop songs. Besides these two new songs, on this new single they include their club-pop version of FAMILY’s “Viaje a los sueños polares”, as well as the song “Como un fan”, the only one that’s taken from the album. The videoclip of “Como un fan” is also featured, as is the videoclip of “Superguay”, in two additional tracks with which you will be able to enjoy the funny footage filmed by director Domingo González.

Release date: October 24th, 2005 [ Read more ]

If you enjoyed the technicolour images on LA CASA AZUL’s latest video “Como un fan” (main track on the band’s most recent CD-single) today’s your lucky day: David, Sergio, Clara, Virginia and Oscar are the stars in a new startling, colourful pop story, once again directed by film director Domingo González. “El sol no brillará nunca más” is another upbeat sunshine-pop song taken from “Tan simple como el amor”, the album by LA CASA AZUL, from which we keep discovering new hidden gems of melodic pop such as this one. On the video we can see the five group members playing in a TV set, and those images mix with footage featuring a love story in the middle of a teenage party. The scenario (the TV set, the house where the party is done) is the aesthetic dream of any pop aficionado, and the images are like brightly coloured fireworks, full of light and expanding power. A new visual tribute to the best pop music of all time. [ Read more ]

Japanese label Rambling Records, which released in Japan NIZA’s “Canciones de temporada”, is well known and respected by its excellent editions of soundtracks (of such geniuses as Ennio Morricone), as well as deluxe compilations in diverse styles as easy listening or international pop. In fact, Rambling has used plenty times many songs from the Elefant catalogue for its compilations.

Since last year, Elefant and Rambling have started a collaboration which reflects in a series of compilations based in songs taken from Elefant’s big catalogue, chosen by both Rambling Records and ourselves. In 2004 came out “Amapola”, a compilation of quiet, relaxed atmosphere, which was very well received in Japan. In july this year, making the most of our visit to Japan for the Elefant parties with NIZA and LA CASA AZUL, Rambling will release a new reference on this series of compilations: “Candy Box”, in a much poppier and melodic style.

The tracklists from both compilations are as follow:

CANDY BOX01. Si me alejaste [ENTRE RÍOS]02. I love my Jean [CAMERA OBSCURA]03. Ups to you [ANNA & THE SPECTORS]04. Parasol [NIZA]05. Una mañana [ME ENVENENO DE AZULES]06. Yo quiero ser ye yé [ERNESTO RONCHEL y ANA CAINA]07. Niza [NIZA]08. No me digas que me quieres [VACACIONES]09. Un rayo de sol [LE MANS]10. C’est fini [LA CASA AZUL]11. La fille la plus douce du monde [LES TRÈS BIEN ENSEMBLE]12. Gérôme [PUR&Ea [ Read more ]

LA CASA AZUL have always found a great success in the Asian countries. There they love with passion the band’s hedonistic and colourful approach to pop music. This June has just been released in Korea the debut full-length album by LA CASA AZUL, “Tan simple como el amor”. Korean record label Happy Robot Records has released the album as we know it in its international edition (on Elefant’s edition), but as it is usual in these cases they have added an extra track for good luck: this time, the chosen bonus track has been “Viaje a los sueños polares”, the cover version of the original track by FAMILY that LA CASA AZUL play in a club pop style à la PIZZICATO FIVE. Korea can now singalong to the choruses griten by multitalented producer and composer Guille Milkyway.

LA CASA AZUL: conquer Koreapicture: La Casa Azul conquista Corea12/07/2005

LA CASA AZUL: conquer Koreapicture: La Casa Azul conquista Corea12/07/2005 [ Read more ]