Nineties-inspired indie guitar music, led by honest reflections and stories on daily life – Mexican creative Estrogeno blends the softness of singer-songwriter contemplation, with the raw energy of rock, for a series of original tracks.
As an introduction to the style, Super toxic tie end proves as distinct and attention-grabbing as its title, gently moving through warming layers of soft-rock and meandering verses, towards a high-energy and higher-noted hook section, for an ultimately alternative but anthemic sound.
Raw production lets the organic arrangement here connect for its humanity and flow. Cascading guitars and dissonant vocal harmonies offer a sense of busyness and togetherness amidst the likable groove. The switch from verse to hook is also noteworthy, and a huge part of what makes the song so memorable.
Elsewhere in the Estrogeno repertoire, the gentle guitar tone and cascading layers of guitars proves a recognisable calling card. So too is the humble and nearly whispered verse vocal. This time we’re immersed in a poetic story and an almost grunge-like lower-toned minimalism, in terms of the opening melody. Once again, however, things explode into life for the hook – a huge moment that again blends brightness and grunge to a rather uplifting, celebratory but heartbroken crescendo.
What works beautifully about these songs is that there’s clearly an evocative and poignant depth to the writing, and a sheer humanity and realness to the performances and recordings. It’s almost like a personal and folk-kissed take on the sound of The Pixies, a little off centre but natural and genuine, and that lets the ideas and melodies really take hold – prompting the mind to wander, and building a kind of comforting realm of escapism in the process.
Also released this year, Late Apologies is one more highlight from the Estrogeno repertoire. Here we’re presented with the now unmistakable and trustworthy format, and a personal identity that’s painfully intimate but relatable.
The song’s chorus also resounds consistently, with a distorted or warped guitar effect adding to the uniquely hypnotic weight of this looping melody and apology. It’s an impassioned call out of regret and longing to reconnect, and as ever, the music and vocally collaborative cloud of intention all makes for a hugely immersive and emotionally loaded crescendo of artistic desire.
Find Estrogeno on Bandlab, Amazon, YouTube & Bandcamp.
