Las Nubes is a Miami-based group composed of DIY music movement mainstays, Ale Campos and Emile Milgrim. The group's combination of 90s-influenced punk rock and dream pop has created a unique sound featured in their upcoming sophomore LP, “Tormentas Malsanas.”
After the 2019 release of their debut LP, “SMVT,” Las Nubes took a hiatus from releasing music to tour and participate in recording sessions all over the U.S. and Mexico. The group performed with artists like Shannon and the Clams, Jens Lekman, The Coathangers, Sheer Mag, Mark Sultan, Torche and Alice Bag. They also backed Iggy Pop in the legendary performer’s first all-female lineup of The Stooges.
“Las Nubes are far and away the hottest band in Miami, and the most socially relevant,” said Iggy Pop in a provided news release. “Like the children and the young at heart across North and South America, they rock from the soul, covered in tattoos and attitude. They represent an uncompromising lifestyle trend that is the future. They’re f - - - ing loud, too.”
The group’s upcoming record, “Tormentas Malsanas,” is set for release on June 14. It is a multilingual sonic journey through garage pop, shoegaze, dream pop and punk. The album’s title translates to “unhealthy storms” and serves as an auditory metaphor for the changing of a clear day into one of gray skies, a representation of the struggles the band has endured. Their new single, “Would Be,” was released April 19 and was inspired by the canceled live-action “The Powerpuff Girls” series.
“I grew up in the 90s and PPG was one of my favorite cartoons, so I was really excited about this,” said Campos in a provided news release. “One day Emile and I were talking about how cool it would be to write the theme song for the show, so ‘Would Be’ was the result of that … It took about 20 minutes to write. At the time I felt like my best years were flying away before my eyes, and I used that as inspiration for what it might feel like to be an aging ex-superhero.”
"Would Be" fades in with a dissonant harmony, reminiscent of a defunct music box in a haunted kids' bedroom. The vocals are both enraged and monotonous, matching the lyrics in equal parts angry lamentation and resigned acceptance of the aging process.
Lyrics like “I know the more I give, the less I’ll get back” support the song's overall message of the pains of growing up, emotions fully unleashed in a powerful guitar solo at the song’s end. The track is consistently full and backed by repetitive electric guitar progressions and high-intensity drums. These lend a punk element to the group's genre-bending tendencies.
The last song on the album is "Drop In," which was released Dec. 15, 2023. The song begins with a 2000s pop-punk riff that remains a consistent motif throughout the song. However, the electric guitar riff and main vocal lines are drowned out by the raucous drums, rhythm guitar and background harmonies. These elements create an even greater punk energy and fuel the power of the song.
The last single of “Tormentas Malsanas” is “Enredados,” a song primarily sung in Spanish. While representing the bilingual aspect of the album, the song also features the stylings of a heavy metal guitar. This genre is an interesting contrast with the vocals involving gentle “ooohs” over an intense musical background.
Las Nubes has earned praise from BrooklynVegan, NPR: Alt.Latino, Rolling Stone, IDIOTEQ, BBC Radio 6 Music and Talkhouse. The band’s sound is a fuzzy blend of many styles, all serving to create a loud, passionate genre telling powerful and personal stories. The group's upcoming LP will continue this trend and grow it to even greater heights.
