First things first: this band has absolutely nothing to do with awesome stainless steel sports cars from the early ‘80s, nor do they mean to reference Doc Brown’s time trekking contraption from Back to the Future. Although, it would be easy to assume that some time travel was involved in the recording process of the Spanish four piece’s latest album Subiza. I stumbled upon Delorean like a musical tourist, but it ended up being one of the best music finds I’ve had in awhile. Like so many before me, I’m sure, I was reading music blogs and noticed the name Delorean making some headlines following their latest album release, and all I could think about is how awesome that car looked and how subsequently awesome this band must sound if they dare to evoke 1980s nostalgia. Luckily the name wasn’t their greatest strength, but rather their ability to bring some of that old school dance-club groove to an indie-pop record is what makes them a real discovery.

Their musical agenda makes sense when you think about their hometown of Barcelona, Spain. When I found myself there a few years ago, I saw a unique blend of all things old and new, ostentatious and carefree. It is a city that never sleeps, with clubs and bars open from sunset to sunrise, and a band would be hard pressed to make it in that world if they couldn’t keep people shakin’ their hips until 7am. This is where Delorean comes in. Their indie-rock sensibilities have been thrown in a blender with the Barcelonan late night dance agenda to form something unique. Many of their songs feature certain loops and echoing vocals that wouldn’t be out of place in an Animal Collective album, but the underlying dance groove is all Delorean. It seems to pull from everything from modern indie-rock to old school, to old school European house and techno music. This blend is never more clear than in their track “Real Love,” of which there are about a million remixes floating around right now, and for good reason. The song has a certain hook to it that isn’t solely reliant on the vocals or the groovy dance rhythm, but both are just incredible and could easily carry a remix. Other tracks that really highlight Delorean’s talents include the opening track “Stay Close,” and “Simple Graces.” The entirety of Subiza is just fantastic, and has warranted significant playtime in my headphones lately.

Subiza was released a few months ago, so why am I writing for a sudden call to attention? Because their tour is finally bringing them close enough that we can actually see these Spaniards up close and personal! The odds are that I will be seeing Delorean twice in the next few weeks, with shows in Santa Barbara and LA. In Santa Barbara they will be playing next Wednesday, September 1st at Soho, with their show presented by Club Mercy. Their stop in Los Angeles will be part of the epic FYF Fest on Saturday, September 4^th in the Los Angeles State Historic Park. I’m stoked, and you should be too.