The primary two albums by Spanish quartet Melenas exude pure pleasure. On 2017’s Melenas and 2020’s Días Raros, ebullient hooks and vivid rhythms abound in infectiously catchy tunes. Their model of energetic indie pop topped by artful vocal harmonies is extensive sufficient to embody moments of reflection and even some darkness. Nevertheless it’s exhausting to come back away from both album with out feeling uplifted.

It might be improper to say that Melenas’ new album, Ahora, isn’t additionally uplifting. The primary single from the report, “Bang,” is as bouncy because it will get, sparked by a motorik beat, sprightly keyboards, and criss-crossing voices; the accompanying video exhibits the 4 band members actually skipping alongside to the tune. However Ahora is extra nuanced and extra textured. Melenas have added complexity to their music with out abandoning their hooks or their vibrant spirit. In essence, they’re doing what they’ve all the time performed, however on a deeper degree than earlier than.

A part of that new depth comes all the way down to preparations and manufacturing. Synthesizers are extra outstanding on Ahora, generally layered with guitars and drums, generally taking the lead. On the wistful “Two Passengers,” a rising keyboard offers each spine and tempo till the band’s unison vocals soften into the glistening notes. These blended voices are one more reason why Ahora is denser than earlier Melenas efforts. Practically each observe contains multiple vocalist, and infrequently all 4 members sing. These harmonies are so frequent that the music feels collective and multi-dimensional, folding in an abundance of angles and quite a few shades.

Ahora’s lyrical themes are equally deep. The title means “now,” and most songs cope with the concept of time—notably appreciating the current and processing the previous. The band confronts the topic head on: On the second observe, the ear-worming “K2,” they admit, “Cuando miro atrás no sé medir la distancia/El tiempo que pasó ¿a quién se lo dí?” (“After I look again I can’t measure the gap/The time that handed, who did I give it to?”). In “Mal,” time is a bandit within the type of wasted effort: “Cuánta vida/Se quedó atrás/Cuántos planes/Por trabajar” (“How a lot life/Was left behind/What number of plans/Due to work”).

As direct as their lyrics may be, Melenas may be refined, too. On Ahora’s catchiest tune, the stair-stepping “1986,” the harmful attraction of a flame turns into a metaphor for fascination and repulsion. The wistful “Flor de la frontera” beholds the miraculous approach a plant dies and re-emerges yearly, whereas the elegiac “Promesas” measures time by how usually plans get pushed down the street.