genres: alternative/indie rock + emo + swancore
I’m discovering this album a few months too late. Released in late April, this debut short release is a wonderful summer record that crafts a perfectly chill vibe alongside some sneakily adventurous musicianship. Sani Bronco is the brother of guitarist Sergio Medina (Eidola/Sianvar/Royal Coda/Stolas/Nova Charisma) and hints of the frenetically technical experimental post-hardcore often labeled ‘Swancore’ that Sergio has helped bring to prominence is certainly here, but dialed back a couple notches. One Stop Everything Repair Shop first brings to mind late 90s/early 00s alternative/emo groups like The Julianna Theory, Number One Gun, or The Starting Line with a restrained production and minimally polished vocals but with bouncier guitars that flit between riffs instead of staying in a single place. Over the course of the album, more and more unusual elements begin to enter the mix. Highlights include the mysterious synth line throughout “Fairfield Dugout” and the horns section on “Onyx”.
Most consistently and notably however, is the front staging of Mexican elements, through nylon guitars and Spanish passages and extended even to the composition of some of the more typical rock instrumentation. While this isn’t the first album to incorporate these elements – it often brings to mind a more serious rock version of Andres, and even Swancore in general has naturally adopted a number of Latin influences from being geographically centered on the US southwest coast – Sani’s intentionality in bringing his cultural heritage into his music lends it a sincerity that not only works on a musical level, but aims to inspire more cultural and personal exploration in the scene.
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