More about: Belako

Hailing from Mungia, near Bilbao, Spaniards Belako’s fourth record Plastic Drama is their first to be distributed via an international record deal. Plastic Drama suggests a conflict that is ultimately insignificant, a cheap distraction from real issues and problems. With their new album Belako seek to cut through the bullshit, take a step back and see things for what they really are.

Within this there is an energetic resistance, best seen on ‘All Nerve’. Fuzzy textures, a solitary bass line and an ear scratching riff give the sense of a series of moving parts. Vocalist Cristina Lizarraga weaves a manifesto for resistance against a system that preaches divisionary hate, takes advantage of the poor and seeks complete control, promising that retaliation will be double.

The post-punk group have a keen penchant for spirals into rage. The anger here is present for political and personal reasons. From broken promises to feeling trapped and enslaved by the world around them. They treat patriarchal and misogynistic ideals with even greater distain, “the system is way too polite towards the ones who keep the right order online, by raping our bodies and minds.”

Belako push back against inequality and exploitation, it is a ferocious part of their mantra, that comes with a suitable discordance of riffs and unkempt attitude. The cult-like aura of ‘The Craft’ comes together in unison, guitars converge with a steady march, the band’s harmonies morph into one singular, cohesive relent. “Ours is the power and now is the time,” summarises their call to collective action.

There are a few moments where there can be unsatisfying instrumental progressions and within certain flurries of chaos vocal tracks can become lost in the mayhem but what Belako have done successfully is create a record that represents purpose and a time in which resistance and calling out vast inequalities is more important than ever.

Plastic Drama is released on 28 August 2020 via BMG.

More about: Belako