New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Alternative shoegaze quartet Maff will be releasing 'Desfile', the first single from their forthcoming sophomore 'Melaniña' EP, slated for release in April. This is Maff's first sonic offering since blazing a remarkable trail through shoegaze, alternative rock, and noise pop territory surrounding their self-titled debut album. This is also their first Spanish-language single, as their debut album 'Maff' was entirely in English.
'Desfile' is about feeling trapped in your life and being in a place you do not deserve to be, surrounded with toxic people and feelings.
Gomez sings "Soporto un dia mas, con desechos me toca desfilar" (I hold on one more day...I'm in a waste parade".
Formed in 2012 in Santiago, Chile by Ricardo
Gomez and Nicolas Colombres, Maff's music blossomed from a love affair with guitar pedals. Their sound was greatly influenced by The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Pixies, Ride, Sonic Youth, and My Bloody Valentine. The current line-up is Ricardo
Gomez (vocals, guitar), Nicolas Colombres (drums), Valentina Cardenas (bass) and
Martin Colombres (guitar).
Maff is also teasing the new EP with a video for 'Act 2'. This is the sequel to 'Act 1' from the band's debut album. The video was created by Pennsylvania's Tim Busko, who also created the video for 'Act 1'.
The new album was inspired by Gomez' first child Augusta. 'Melaniña' is an acronym combining the word 'melanin' (a group of natural pigments found in most organisms), chosen since
Augusta is slightly albino, with the word 'niña', Spanish for little girl.
Created by Nicolas Colombres, the album cover artwork features an image of Augusta, who witnessed the whole process of creating this EP (songwriting, recording, mixing). "She has been my source of inspiration. This is my gift to her," says Ricardo Gomez.
"During our break between albums, I learned to be a father and learned to play the guitar. I started to write music surrounded by new feelings in my life. It is always fascinating to keep learning new things, and I was fortunate to have these two moment's crash together in the same period of my life. I locked myself in my home studio and started to write music".
Maff is virtually the only Chilean band ever to have caught the attention of Creation Records founder Joe Foster, well renowned for his knack for identifying great artists and trends, who says "Maff's music shows the worldwide spread of this particular style of very non rock electric guitar music. A whole world exists in which these guys excel. Love em".
Foster also provided mastering support, with the bulk of the mastering performed at
Black Bacon Sound by Tomas Stewart. This EP was recorded by Eugenio Larrain at Fat Master Studio (Santiago) and Chilean producer Victor Schlesinger at several locations, including Santiago, in a cabin on Mantagua Beach, and surrounded by the vineyards of the
Casablanca Valley. Schlesinger also mixed the EP and produced it, together with Ricardo Gomez. These recordings also feature guest appearances by Alberto Parot of Weiza (drums) and Tomas Vidal of Condor Jet (synths, guitar).
Maff's new single 'Desfile' will be released on February 2 via online stores and streaming platforms, but the full 'Melaniña' EP, which is slated to release on April 2, is already available for pre-order via Bandcamp.
TRACK LIST
1. Act 2
2. Desfile
3. Hawaii
4. Deserts
5. Appear
"Elements of Swervedriver tastefully mixed with Catherine Wheel, Ride and newer bands like Bloodhounds on My Trail, Cheatahs, Whirr, and Presents for Sally. This is a band to watch for in 2018" - Big Takeover Magazine
"Santiago's answer to Weekend, while the band keeps their sound-sites set on the bold chord pop found on much of the SideOneDummy roster. Santiago will forever have our ears fixated" - Impose Magazine
"Where shoegaze meets grunge, but with wavelengths of beaming positivity" - The Record Stache
"Pretty damn impressive. Thunderous, euphoric and yet dream-like... a glorious aural assault" - Overblown Magazine
"Magical and ethereal. A shower of electric noises that echo out into the swirling space that is song" - The Equal Ground
"Maff bring something new and refreshing to the musical scene, despite the fact that they are based as far as you can get from its "hub"… noticeably rooted in positive atmosphere" - Jammerzine
