Azafrán Media (2025)

23/12/2024

Visto por ahí

21/12/2024

"Canciones Para Un Planeta Herido" is now available in Singapore through Amazon. sg

20/12/2024

Greco Bastián ranks ONE on the David Cortés Arce's top 2024 albums!!!

Now, if you don't know who is David Cortés, well, let me tell you he is probably the most influential, documented, music journalist in Mexico.

10/12/2024

On The Prog Corner YouTube channel

10/12/2024

It's a living thing

AP1209 AMAROK (Spain). “Gouveia 2005”
Hot live set recorded at the Gouveia 2005 Festival in Portugal. Amarok is a Spanish progressive rock band led by multi-instrumentalist Robert Santamaria. Its a large ensemble that draws obvious inspiration from the music of Mike Oldfield and Camel but infused with a strong world music flavor.

Led by multi-instrumentalist Robert SANTAMARIA, this mainly acoustic band uses a variety of instruments, like the guitar, oboe, violin, piano, didgeridoo, tabla, saxophone, organ, drums and percussions. Mireia SISQUELLA's clear voice creates soundscapes characterized by their simplicity and calm, and this makes her the counterpart of Portuguese singer Teresa SALGUEIRO (MADREDEUS). Some keyboards rhythm sequences are the basis for the superb melodies pictured by the vocals, in a peaceful atmosphere between ENYA's acoustic new-age, L'ENSEMBLE RAYE's minimalist chamber rock and IN THE LABYRINTH's ethnic music.

“This is a great live set, perfectly recorded at the great Gouveia festival in Portugal. One of the very best current Spanish 'progressive rock' bands around”. Steve Feigembaum (Wayside Music)

10/12/2024

Hold your horses, Eduardo García Salueña !

AD1108 SENOGUL (Spain). “III”.
“Amazing release from Spain. Those who like the spanish prog from the seventies must try this album. Senogul has his own style, but I can hear influences of international bands like King Crimson, ELP, Arti+Mestieri, Mahavishnu Orchestra or Locanda delle Fate and influences of spanish bands like Alameda, Iman, Guadalquivir or Crack.The music travel from RIO, to flamenco oriented rock, passing through free jazz or gameland style compositions with odd tempos and strange harmonies...allways surprising the listener.” (Almanzor, ProgArchives)

09/12/2024

AP 2138 SAENA (Mexico) “Días Eternos”.

Almost 15 years have passed since the first SAENA album. The wait was worth it. SAENA is back with an album full of high levelled progressive rock sounds. Every piece has been carefully ensembled as if it were a timepiece, taking care of every single detail, always looking for perfection. This is how “Días Eternos” was crafted.

06/12/2024

Two new releases today!
Deep Limbic System (not available on physical media)
Amoeba Split (not available on digital media)

Break a leg, guys!

06/12/2024

Sweet psycho killer Fingers,
Qu'est-ce que c'est?

AP1107 SWEET FINGERS (Mexico). “Sweet Fingers”
Ten, fifteen years ago, the idea of “Progressive” was Yes or Genesis, nowadays it’s all about a state of Mind said Mike Portnoy and he was so right! Progressive Rock has taken a new path towards “alternative” music, not unlike Muse or Ozric Tentacles. Sweet Fingers (hailing from Central Mexico) is the living proof. This is the way, step inside.

“The performance is quite masterful, up to the standards set by ‘70s art-rock bands.” (Vitaly Menshikov, ProggresoR)

06/12/2024

Cultural heritage

AP1106 EBLEN MACARI ENSAMBLE (Mexico). “De Beirut a Cosamaloapan”.
“De Beirut a Cosamaloapan”, the newest release by Eblen Macari Ensamble, is a collection of pieces that trascend categories and presents you, the listener, a joyous and inspiring experience.
The Eblen Macari Ensamble is a quartet including Macari on 6 and 8-string guitars, his son on various ethnic percussion, Olga Martinez on harpsichord, and Yusuf Isa Cuevas on various ethnic wind instruments. Their music has some elements in common with Avant Folk but fits more neatly in the world music category, generally lacking the rock elements of Avant Folk, with the harpsichord and the wind instruments a big difference.

“A rich blending of jazz, folk and ethnic Music that makes this album one of Azafrán Media’s most exciting releases so far”. (Bernard Gueffier, Musea Distribution)

06/12/2024

Space is deep, right?

AP 1105 ETER-K (Peru). “Watching The Universe”.
ETER-K, Peruvian best kept secret, comes back to life following a ten years hiatus. Now a trio made up of Iván SANTOS (guitar) Adrián ARGUEDAS (Drums), and Eduardo VELARDE (Bass), and guest musician Tavo CASTILLO (of Frágil) on flute. The band develops its own mixture of instrumental Progressive rock, space and hard-rock. The formula expanded with the addition of a jazz-rock touch, leaving room for improvisation. Published in the year 2011 by Azafrán Media label, Eter-K’s fourth album "Watching The Universe" showcases five long tracks, both captivating and diverse.

“I’ll play again as soon as the hallucinations pass”. (Peter Thelen, Exposé Magazine)

05/12/2024

Do you like scary movies?
Here's Nicklas!

AP1104 NICKLAS BARKER (Sweden). “El Último Fin de Semana”. Original Soundtrack.
Anekdoten’s front man, Nicklas Barker (bass, mellotron, theremin, gong & synthesizers) displays dazzling technical artistry and delicate sensitivity in this spectacular soundtrack to the Spanish master of suspense, Norberto Ramos del Val’s film “El Último Fin de Semana”. With Martha Barker on cello Karolina Bergström on violin and Peter Nordins on drums.
Translated into 'Our Last Weekend', 'El Ultimo Fin De Semana' is a dramatic horror film, and in this music, Barker seeks to mirror the eerie vibe of horror cinema, mostly relying on a number of keyboard instruments.

"El Último Fin de Semana is an extraordinary soundtrack. A feast of mellotron and fear. Highly recommended for all who love this instrument in particular”. (Memowakeman, Prog Archives)

04/12/2024

...And Then There Were Pogo and 4 Horror Tales

AD1003 1870 (Mexico). “Pogo y 4 Historia de Horror”.
1870 (Mil Ochocientos Setenta, in Spanish) is a highly unusual Mexican band who employs two French horns, an English horn, a theremin, voices, oboe, electronics and real-time processing to wide and surprising effect.
These guys chose that date in memory of Count de Lautréamont's death, famous for his writings entitled "Chants De Maldoror" so, this may give you a clue on what to expect. Musically speaking, references are also French-oriented, as they can be found by Art Zoyd's, or Belgian Univers Zéro's chamber music. “Pogo y 4 Horror Tales” is dedicated to the infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy so, this may give you an idea on what to expect.

“Subtle, careful, unusual and impossible to categorise. Unique”. (Chris Cutler, ReR Megacorp)

04/12/2024

Tell me, do you remember?

AD1002 AVANT FOLK -ENSAMBLE ELECTROACÚSTICO MACARI/SOLTELO- (Mexico). “Avant-Folk”.
A peculiar string ensamble, creating delightful lush soundscapes that express different musical languages in between “progressive rock” and “world music”.
Eblen Macari is an experienced and renowned Mexican-Lebanese composer and musician, who has explored a wide array of sounds, combining the eight-string classical guitar with state-of-the-art technology, developing a unique style. On the other hand, fellow musician Mauricio Sotelo is a self-taught guitarist/ Chapman Stick player, and the founder in 1995 of CABEZAS DE CERA, a Progressive Rock band that experiments with a number of musical styles from classical to experimental.

“This CD is both lively and lovely, at times a Mexican counterpart to Gordon Giltrap, Anthony Phillips, or Pat Metheny, sometimes quite

03/12/2024

2010... Here beginneth the journey.

AP1001 ALTAIR (Spain). “La Esencia del Tiempo”.
Compilation of the three original albums; both studio and live; from this all-instrumental duo, which used to guest a bass player for live performances, consisting of Alfredo Arcusa on drums (also the main composer) and Isabel Muniente on keyboards. Their style is close to that of ELP, with some shades of UK, Kevin Leonard, North Star and King Crimson thrown in.
Arcusa's drum play is solid, somewhat reminiscent of Nick Mason on early PINK FLOYD albums ("Ummagumma") and Muniente’s piano work is really stunning.

"The music is very skilled and reminds me of UK and KING CRIMSON". Bill Bruford

01/12/2024

What could it be?

28/11/2024

Artist: ICONOCLASTA (Mexico)
Title: ALTER EGO
Catalogue Number: AP2347
Format: CD (2 Panel Digy-Wallet)
World distribution: Azafrán Media (Mexico)
Distributed in France by Musea
Distributed in Japan by Marquee/ Belle Antique, Disk Union and Kakereco
A fascinating album that marks a new beginning for one of the most long-lived, deep rooted, and well-known Progressive Rock acts coming from Mexico.
Active since the early 80’s, Iconoclasta, reduced to duo, driven by founding member, guitarist Ricardo Moreno, is back with a new symphonic progressive rock studio album. This time, Iconoclasta has come up with new compositions as well as a revisited version of “Manantial”, from the first album, issued 40 years ago! This CD also includes acoustic renditions for Carlos Jiménez Mabarak’s “Fanfarria Olímpica México 1968” and Le Orme’s beloved tune “Storia o Leggenda”.
Despite the fact that Iconoclasta’s personnel is reduced to GRETA ROMERO: (Bass, voice, vocal arrangements) and RICARDO MORENO (Guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, percussions, composition, lyrics and arrangements) the overall sound is still provocative: yes, very much influenced by the Italian school, indeed; and shows a more mature acoustic approach.
Recorded at ICONOSTUDIO, Querétaro, Qro. Mexico, 2018
Engineered and mixed by Ricardo Moreno
Remastered by Jorge Orozco
Cover illustration: Carlos Tello Nielsen
Graphic design: Rafael Junior González
Executive producer: Juan José Salas
Tracklist:
1.- Life is… (3’59’’)
2.- Sacbé (A tribute to the Toussaint) (3’53’’)
3.- Tito’s Tita (Hats off to a great man: A.E.R.) (3’33’’)
4.- A rainy summer night in Queretaro (7’15’’)
5.- Repeat 28 times (2’59’’)
6.- Astral voyage (5’10’)
7.- Spring (5’05’’)
8.- Son (For Albéniz Moreno) (4’44’’)
9.- I can’t be what I don’t want to be (3’35’’)
10.- Performance with a happy ending (4’06’’)
Bonus Tracks:
11.- Olympic fanfare Mexico 1968 (2’37’’)
12.- Storia o leggenda (5’13’’)
For enquiries, please contact us at
[email protected]
Phone (+52) 427 488 05 46

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