Psicodencia Cahui EP reissue
Originally released in 1990, Cahui is the sole document of Mexico’s PSICODENCIA aside from a scattering of comp tracks. Going in, I was expecting blistering hardcore in the vein of ATOXXXICO, but that isn’t quite the case. While there is some overlap in tone, PSICODENCIA is far more eclectic, incorporating elements of new wave and even reggae to novel effect. That description may sound nightmarish on paper, but in practice it equates to an approximate blend of ARTICLES OF FAITH, NOMEANSNO, and the EFFIGIES. There is a level of raw talent exhibited on these five songs that stands up to the intervening thirty-five years without sounding dated like so many other releases from the era. The label’s description refers to this as a classic of Mexican punk, and I don’t think that’s mere hyperbole. Cahui is quirky, to be sure, but the execution is flawless and the sound quality is superb, avoiding the production pitfalls that one might expect. From the needle drop to the dead wax, this is killer without filler.