DFMK
Playa Nuclear
(Alternative Tentacles)
4.5/5
Hailing from Tijuana, DFMK has been active in the underground punk scene since 2009. Their newest LP, Playa Nuclear, brings the best of surf rock to mix with their hardcore punk roots and comes to a frothing head.
Technical proficiency shines through early. DFMK has been refining their sound for over 15 years, and it’s obvious. Excellent playing, mixing, and engineering combine to make an album that feels like it punches far above the group’s monthly listener count.
Playa Nuclear rips out of the gate at a breakneck pace and follows through with Herculean staying power. By the time it spits you out, there’s nothing to do but jump back in and ride the waves again.
And in an album full of gnarly waves, “Sumisos y Aburridos” is a towering tsunami. With a bass line and keyboard that sweeps you off your feet, and a chorus you can scream until your throat gives out, it’s sure to find a home on any self-respecting punk’s daily playlist.
“Lo que Necesito” is the eye of the storm. Battling across a tempestuous sea, you arrive in a brief expanse of calm. The vocals lull you, rip your heart out, then suddenly you’re right back in the deep end with a shredding guitar riff and pounding drum beat leading the way. True to the song’s name, it was what I needed, and it’s what I need now still.
I’ve listened to this album 20 times over, every time hearing something new and incredible. If you want an album that calls upon the best punk has to offer and rises to meet it, this one is for you.
Spanish is not my tongue, and I can’t speak to the messages found in DFMK’s lyrics. I can, however, promise you this: Playa Nuclear speaks truth to power with its music. In a genre that all too often loses sight of its roots, this album feels like an incredible breath of fresh (smoky basement) air.