Olaf El Vikingo

Description

In 1985, Los Nikis had already made it clear that they were about much more than simply playing punk at breakneck speed. After their first two EPs, "La amenaza amarilla" (1981) and "Sangre en el museo de cera" (1982), the Madrid band went through a few years of more limited recording activity, although they never disappeared from the live circuit. This period also left room for side adventures such as Negros S.A., the short-lived project they shared with Alaska and Ana Curra. Their return to record releases came through Tres Cipreses, the label that was then giving a home to some of the most interesting names on the scene, and it marked the beginning of a new chapter for Los Nikis. It was in this context that "Olaf el vikingo" emerged, a four-track EP released in 1985 that serves as the perfect bridge between those early releases and the world they would soon develop on "Marines a pleno sol" (1986). The title track finds Los Nikis ready to expand their musical palette without sacrificing an ounce of their personality. The song ventures into darker, post-punk-leaning territory before giving way to a gang-vocal chorus that turns Olaf's outlandish story into one of those little classics that gets stuck in your head. 'Mi chica se ha ido a Katmandu,' meanwhile, brings back the band's trademark speed and humor, transforming a romantic heartbreak into another one of their great anthems. It would eventually become part of the group's most recognizable live repertoire. The B-side holds two more surprises. 'Saturno es aburrido' moves away from straight-ahead punk and introduces a garage-rock edge that keeps building until it becomes irresistible, while 'Silvia Sobrini' leans into that unmistakable combination of simple melody, pounding rhythm, and a chorus made to be shouted along to at a live show. Four songs, just over ten minutes, and a collection of unforgettable choruses. "Olaf el vikingo" is a superb snapshot of Los Nikis just as they were on the verge of making the leap to the next level. Out of print since 1985, we are delighted to reissue this gem of Spanish punk once again, in collaboration with Discos Banana. TRACKLIST Side A 1. OLAF EL VIKINGO 2. MI CHICA SE HA IDO A KATHMANDU Side B 1. SATURNO ES ABURRIDO 2. SILVIA SOBRINI