Diyno Mixtape: March 2024 releases – our suggestions
March 2024 releases selected for our monthly column Diyno Mixtape
Also in this month of March we discovered and listened to a lot of stuff, selecting for you the releases you find in Diyno Mixtape. We will take you on a journey through many countries such as Italy, Greece, France, Germany, England, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Basque Country and Catalonia. As always plenty of space for different subgenres: in fact, we will talk about punk oi!, post-punk, hardcore, post-hardcore, ska punk, punk rock, crust, d-beat and more, plus we will mention some paper releases. Buckle up!
NB: The list is in alphabetical order by band/author and is not a chart.
Be curious and if you have advice or opinions to give us on March releases, feel free to contact us on our social media or via email!
If you’re interested in the physical copy of any of these albums you can write to info@radiopunk.it. Some are in our catalog, some could be available on demand.
Autolyse – Vaincre l’optimisme (Offside Records, L’Ouïe Pleure, Idées Noires Éditions)
Six songs that sound like dynamite! Right from the start this band makes the overall mood clear: rough sounds, angry French singing and direct, explosive, no-frills songs. Straight to the point, with a shot that ravishes you right from the start and with an unparalleled badassness. We’re talking about oi! mixed with hardcore with some raw punk and rock n roll echoes, and we’re talking about a French band, territory that in matters of punk is, to say the least, in good shape. The band from Villejuif, a city in the Île-de-France region, features former members of À Cran, Récidive and Iron Storm and on a thematic level writes about suburbia, hypersexuality, homoeroticism and rails against the bourgeoisie. An extremely raw, edgy and powerful record that we are sure will surprise you, embellished with old-school and perfectly fitting artwork!
Blowfuse – The 4th Wall (Infected Records, Epidemic Records, SBÄM, HFMN Crew | CD/12” LP)
A great comeback for the punk rock/hardcore band from Barcelona, which by now has accustomed us to catchy riffs and lots of bursting energy on both live shows and on albums. Like the previous ones, “The 4th Wall” is an album loaded with all those styles that contradistinguish the Spanish band. And so some healthy and fast punk rock combined with some 90s melodies almost nu metal and of course the speed of hardcore.
Call me Malcolm – Echoes and Ghosts (Bad Time Records | CD/12” LP)
Golden days for the British band. After signing with Bad Time Records, in fact, they announced a U.S. tour with some dates already sold-out, and in the meantime they hit the jackpot once again with a fine album. Like its predecessors, this “Echoes and Ghosts” is a sort of concept album, again on the band’s dearest topic of mental health. From the precise time references that appear in the first and last one, it is understood that the ten tracks unfold like pages of a diary covering the span of 24 years, from 1998 to 2022. Yet each track is potentially a single; they are all very effective both musically and lyrically. If you love “razor-toothed, harmony-infused, delicately ferocious” ska-punk with powerful drums and very catchy melodies, “Echoes and Ghosts” is for you!
Coxtola – Certi Giorni Sono Peggio di Altri (Mondo Trasho | CD-R, Tape)
“Certi giorni sono peggio di altri” is for you if you feel the need to listen to something warm and comforting, something that will caress you and at the same time dig into you while shaking you up. With these 7 tracks of emotive Kina-esque punk, it seems that Coxtola from Sondrio, Italy, have just thought of us eternal melancholic, rainy-day lovers. Introspective and sweetly sad lyrics, dealing with relational and personal issues as well as social ones as in “Quello che resta”, are interwoven with a melodic and clean guitar together with bass and drums that give the right solid support without giving up their personality. The voice then, is exploited in its nuances blending spoken phrases, choruses and clean singing to screamed parts but also to whispered phrases. Truly unique!
Dishönor – Chain Reaction, Mass Extinction (Septic Aroma of Reeking Stench, Aspects of Noise | 10″ EP)
Greece has been appearing a lot lately in our Diyno Mixtapes and today in fact caught our attention this devastating band from Thessaloniki that assaults our ears with a 6-track crust punk d-beat EP. The sounds are perfect, as are the screaming vocals that lend power and great impact to the anti-system lyrics that sound like a cry of rage against war, capitalism and the human being who is devastating the Planet. The band does its job by musically writing six devastating songs with pounding drums and riffs with just the right amount of melody shot through the roof. Mention must be made for the minimal but very appropriate artwork to the mood of the record, by Khaos Art. A definitely above average crust d-beat record, a must have!
Girth Control – Life’s too short for Girth Control (Insidious Industries | 12” LP)
The cover of this record looks very serious: gold lettering on a dark green background, it almost looks like an essay on a scientific or philosophical subject. Take a good look at it because it is the only serious thing you will see or hear. Shall we talk about the fact that the record, also available in a Dorito-colored version, comes with a pizza-scented air freshener? Or that the 25 tracks (yes, 25!) are about topics that would make Homer Simpson happy like pizza, beer, Doritos, coffee, loitering on the couch…? Bob, Jay and Mark from Albany, New York, manage to entertain us for a good 47 minutes to the beat of punk rock and ska-punk, and let’s face it, they have a great time, too. And, come to think of it, there’s more to it than that. First and foremost, that they can play, and well. And, last but not least, that this record has a message, and it’s right in that golden writing of the title: life is short, so let’s enjoy it like a pizza and not waste it! “No, I won’t tolerate a waste of pizza!”.
Gurs – Gerran Bizi Gara (Symphony of Destruction | 12″ LP)
For the most historically aware people, the band’s name will immediately refer to the infamous French internment camp at the foot of the Pyrenees, Gurs precisely. The band chooses this name to remember the victims of political repression and racial discrimination and decides to reinforce the anti-fascist political connotation of this record through the title, which means “We live in war” in Basque, with the themes of the songs, sung in Spanish and Basque, together with the imagery suggested by the wonderful cover art by Aritz Aranburu. Musically we are talking about 8 post-punk songs with hardcore and vaguely oi! influences reminiscent of the new French wave of bands like Syndrome 81, Bleakness, Cran but also bands like Greek Chain Cult. Direct, somber tracks with a majestic sounding bass and these guitar lines that get into your head and envelop you like an icy fog. The greatness of this record and this band is that despite the many references, they maintain a unique, original and personal style distinguishing themselves from anyone else. “Gerran Bizi Gara” as far as we are concerned is already among the records of the year!
For those who would like to learn more about the history of the band’s name we recommend this article by DIY Conspiracy.
Katastrophen-Kommando – Nettikettenschwindel (Dackelton Records, Broken Silence | CD/12” LP)
This title that sounds like a tongue twister is actually a fusion of the German word Ettikettenschwindel (literally label swindle), meaning misleading advertising, and netiquette, the “etiquette” of the Web. As also well illustrated by the cover artwork, a delicious cake concealing a slice cut in a manner that would shock even the faintest sense of order, this brilliant album by the Dortmund trio is thus a ruthless snapshot of contemporary capitalist society. The appearance that deceives, the packaging that deliberately and fraudulently differs from the content. Thus the 13 tracks of upbeat, light, fun punk rock that at times borders on rock’n’roll or ska, conceal lyrics that address serious and dramatic topics. Bullying and the self-blame of those who suffer it in “Kein Problem.” The suffering of farm animals in “Lasst die Sau raus,” in which the almost childish melody combined with the harshness of the lyrics creates an unsettling and heartbreaking effect. The importance of consent even in entertainment venues in “Master of Spaß”: “The three of us – on a stage as privileged male persons – see it as our particular responsibility to reflect on our role and thus also to be part of creating safe spaces,” comment Zecki, Schmalle and Dän. And we can only approve.
Laura Jane Grace – Hole In My Head (Polyvinyl Record Co. | CD/12” LP)
Setting aside Against Me! for now, Laura Jane Grace churns out another solo album, once again intimate and scratchy. But without abandoning the anger and punk essence that distinguishes the singer-songwriter. Highs and lows, suffering and calmer moments, all come together thanks to Laura Jane Grace’s voice and guitar in “Hole in My Head.”
Note: Yes, the album came out in February, but for various reasons, we listened to it only in March.
Radigals – Unbroken (Hardcore Detonation, Pelir Productions | Tape, CD)
The Singaporean all-female band has been active since 2012 and in this 2024 knocks on our doors with an EP of 7 energetic songs imbued with powerful, direct and fierce hardcore with just the right amount of melody in the riffs. The lyrics express with anger and determination feelings of pain such as losing loved ones, finding strength in each other to move forward, but also solidarity, showing their stance against the ongoing genocide in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Inevitable then are the themes against patriarchy and sexism that rages in society, trying to motivate women not to be afraid and to fight against the roles and conventions that society would like to impose. An EP that sounds like a cry for strength and courage that shakes and recharges the batteries to the sound of hardcore punk!
STREBLA – Annegare (The Ghost is Clear Records (USA), Vollmer Industries, Rodomonte Dischi, Controcanti Produzioni, Bari Hardcore, Poison Hearts, troppistruzzi, 1a0, Fresh Outbreak Records | CD)
10 songs totaling 20 minutes that to categorize into a genre or style is in itself a heresy. There is so much urgency, venom and desire to experiment that it is frankly impossible to tell what they do. Yeah, because the Bari-based band moves into territory that explores hardcore, noise rock, post-hardcore, in short, a nice mix of noise with a DIY attitude. This second album sounds like it was written, recorded and thrown out on the spur of the moment, you can feel all the band’s discomfort and need to make some healthy chaos and what comes out is wonderful, a pleasant boarding with the Bari Hardcore flag hoisted on it. The lyrics speak of what the band feels and experiences on their skin, dealing with political and introspective themes, and they fit like a glove with both the screaming, restless vocals and the overflowing energy of the instrumental part. A resounding record that teaches us how self-publishing is the best way to express ourselves!
Terminal Filth – Traces Towards Oblivion (Agipunk | Mini-LP)
After their impressive debut with “Death Driven,” the Berlin-based band is back at it again with this four-track mini-LP lasting about 20 minutes. Accompanied by a post quoting astronomer Carl Sagan and “Pale Blue Dot”, this record should in fact be experienced as a journey beyond the boundaries of mankind and of our planet, trying to look at the Earth from afar, from the perspective of someone (or something) leaving it forever, being the last remnant of a world that is no more and turning backwards for a last gaze through the void of space. The lyrics deal with existential topics, the relationship with the world and the space that surrounds us, while musically we are faced with crust punk / stenchcore (Nomen omen, since the band’s name is the title of the cult record by Deviated Instinct, pioneers of this subgenre). Explosive riffs with just the right amount of melody, dark overtones, screaming and desperate vocals and sometimes cadenced and sometimes more pressing rhythms make this record a great gem, with the icing on the cake of a masterful artwork!
Wise Guise – Kick the Hive (CD)
Debut with a bang for the feminist and anti-capitalist band from Toronto, Canada. “Kick the Hive” is a kick at everything that imprisons us. Most of all to the patriarchal, sexist society that, as in the game “Simon says,” dictates to girls what they should or should not do and demands that choosing not to have children is not an option. But also to the social media mania, the appearing and receiving acclaim at all costs that takes time and breath away from real life. Musically, “Kick the Hive” is also a kick at sub-genre boundaries in a continuous change of rhythms over which the scratchy and expressive voice climbs and glides breaking the words with an effect of great emotional power. Also notable is the presence of sax in the track “Neon God.” The EP closes with “Troubled Young Man,” released some time ago as a single, against the justifications (“after all, he was a good guy”) for racist and sexist crimes perpetrators. The only flaw in this record? It ends too soon!
Also keep an eye on…
Across – Blackout (Duff, Tuscia Clan, I Ragazzi Fan Da Sé, Mastice Produzioni, Underground Stars Records, Gi-Kill Autoproduzione, Impeto Records, Flamingo Records, Poison Hearts, Rumagna Sgroza Records | 12″ LP). The band from Cosenza brings out an album of melodic hardcore sounds with a sometimes dark sometimes furious mood. Great work!
Aingura – Garenaren Arrazoia. Second album by the band that describes itself as “music for dark moments, made of commitment, love and fighting passion.” Seven tracks in Basque, one in Spanish, very melodic and catchy, hovering between oi! and punk rock.
Animal Byproducts – Groundwork (INiiT Records). A bizarre quartet from Manchester that will intrigue you. Punk with a throbbing bass, a seductive trumpet and sudden changes of rhythm. Irony, puns, alliterations and a pinch of poetry.
Brux – Fills De La Nit (La Vida Es Un Mus | 7″). A wonderful perfect combo of oi!, rough punk and post-punk that after its tape release in late 2023 comes out in 7″ format to the delight of vinyl fans!
Future of Despair – S/T (1753 recordings | Tape). From Los Angeles comes back to the scene this band playing metal punk reminiscent of bands like Inepsy. 9 deflagrating tracks embellished with evocative artwork.
Incisions – Living Proof (TNS Records). 5 hardcore punk songs that among riffs with just the right amount of melody, screaming vocals and an angry shot manage to get in your head right away. Their proposal is fresh and original, definitely give them a listen!
The Kittyhawks – From brass to bullets (CD/12” LP). Sparkling debut album by the Australian band: fun and catchy ska-punk all to dance to with the two voices taking turns creating captivating melodies.
Profilo Basso Fanzine #53. Since 2012 this self-produced fanzine “for the price of a pint” has been leading us into a world of punk, oi! music, British, stadium, casual subculture, also informing us about upcoming albums and upcoming dates. Very interesting and completely DIY collective writing work!
RefuseResist #17. The fanzine reaches its fifth year of age with this resounding new issue. Lots of interesting articles including interviews and reviews that will accompany you to discover bands and artists from the Italian underground scene, including metal, punk, hardcore and more!
Scemo – Ecate (DIY). 6 rapid-fire tracks of essential hardcore punk sung in Italian that knows two tempos: fast and very fast! 6 minutes or so of great sonic impact!