Man, Europeans are just… different. Sometimes they’re ahead of us, and sometimes they’re behind. Other times, they’re not even running the same race. Now, take the Basque, who are just a little off, even by European standards, and you’ll have an idea of what Delorean’s junior album Subiza is like. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not like this album is something from the Dirty Projectors or anything. It’s not peculiar, it’s just a little… off.

It took a couple of listens to get a good feel for this album. Founded on the Spanish side of Basque country in 2000, this band is quintessentially European. On my first listen through, the electronic discotheque influences of the music came across pretty clearly. My second listen through of the nine tracks was kind of a wash, because nothing really stuck out. It all sounded the same. Bad. Same thing the third time around. And the fourth and fifth. And not bad as in painful to the ear. Bad, as in it sounded like house music attempting to masquerade as indie or alternative music. Bad, as in I was having disturbing nineties rave flashbacks. So, taking one for the team, I continued to listen to the album to get a grasp of it for you, precious reader. You’re welcome.

Taken as what it is, a European dance album, you’re not going to be surprised by much. It’s cheesy in its techno beats. Songs one through nine have the same repetitive electronic beats that mad Stevie B such a big thing so many years ago. Every one of albums tracks has the same guy incoherently and melodically singing over the same beat, just mixed in a different way. From beginning to end, there is not on stand out song. Only two of the songs, “It’s all ours” and “Infinite desert” show any change in tempo, and the only variation is from German acid house to French Mediterranean type house. Every song, especially the extremely upbeat “Come wander” and “Warmer places” would have fit perfectly into place on a volume of (shudder) Happy Hardcore. The end effect of the album isn’t something that’s completely atrocious, but its most definitely not good. Unless you’re really into electronica and you still dealing with late twenties or mid-thirties post-raver withdrawal syndrome, you should probably pass on this album. Sorry Delorean.