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This is one the rare jewels coming from the limited prog art rock scene in Spain during 70's. They come from galicia (NW Spain) and they sing in Galician (sounds similar to portuguese). The disc was released in 1978 and was one of the first rock discs I heard in my youth. Because of this I cannot be impartial. They are very good musicians and they are widely unknown, even for google and many sites dedicated to prog music. It's a pity that the disc reedition in 2000 was so reduced that it's impossible to find the CD, so please don't blame for the MPC or the MP3@160 Kb/s because it was the only rip available in P2P. I've tried to purchase the disc with no success, but will continue trying in the future. meanwhile this is the best and only version I can provide. If you get a better version I'm the first one to be interested in, but I was quite glad to find at least this one!

Let's go with some comments and reviews from others and for those that prefer to hear a sample, here's the first song of the disc and the best one in my opinion. Hammond organ and guitar are simply outstanding...




1978 was Spain's boom year in terms of progressive rock music, and Grupo N.H.U. met the challenge head on. One of the finest from the Spanish progressive scene, Grupo N.H.U. contains everything that made the Spanish scene so special. Strong compositions marked by many changes. Fat keyboards, loud acid guitar, and a complex, exciting rhythm section make up the centerpiece of the group. An excellent vocalist and a strong fusion edge a la Mahavishu Orchestra rounds out one of the true bona fide classics of the Spanish scene. An absolute must hear.
One of the great tragedies however is that Grupo N.H.U., along with Atila's Reviure, missed out on the Spanish reissue trend of the last ten years. Only available as an original on the Novola label, expect to shell out some $$$ for this. At least it's a very nice gatefold cover! One of the greatest progressive albums still not on CD.
Good news: Grupo N.H.U.'s album has just been issued (under the moniker of just N.H.U.) on CD by parent label RCA.
Tom Hayes 18-Jan-2001 (http://www.gnosis2000.net/)

N.H.U. - N.H.U (1978)

The eponymous album from Grupo N.H.U. seems to be one of the more acclaimed albums from the rich Spanish progressive scene, and I had been eagerly awaiting its debut on the CD format so that I might finally hear it. Initially, I was somewhat disappointed, but the album has proven to be something of a grower for me personally. For starters, the group's sound is sorta atypical. Yeah, its symphonic all right, but the band eschews many of the flamenco/folk rock tendencies of contemporaries like Mezquita, Triana and Cai. Instead, much of the music here is vaguely psychedelic, made up of swirling stabs of Hammond organ and reverb-laden guitar work. Watery and unassuming at first perhaps, but the subtle melodic phrasing works its way in over time. Opener "Na Terra do Verde Chan" is particularly potent. Beginning with the sound of raindrops, the band breaks in and settles into a lurching, gloriously distorted groove, over which sprinklings of piano melodies and the steady, pleasant vocal part rest comfortably. "A Titiritada" and closer "A Trancas e Barrancas" get as close as the album ever does to "rocking", thanks to a relatively intense Hammond jams on both. To be sure, almost nothing manages to jump out at the listener here, particularly on first impression. Early listens brought upon a feeling of complacency, boredom even, on the part of the players. But the band's purpose isn't to bop you over the head with how good they are, instead they place a heavy emphasis on atmosphere, gorgeous tones and the little things; like how nice this rich organ note sounds against this ecstatically fuzzed out guitar. The whole thing has this sweet, savory vibe that makes you want to crawl up inside the speaker to absorb it all. Given time, NHU proves to be an immensely rewarding little gem that will be a sure delight to anyone looking to dig into the array of great Spanish albums from the period. - Greg Northrup [February 2002] (http://www.progweed.net/reviews/n/n.html)



Tracks:
1 - Na Terra do Verde Chan - 10:22
2 - A Titiritada - 2:52
3 - Friky & Alexo - 7:45
4 - Doente - 5:31
5 - Hay un Tren - 5:33
6 - A Trancas e Barrancas - 7:05

Musicians:
Xurxo Pérez (Hammond)
Roberto Abal (guitar)
Xose Ferreiro (drums and vocals)
Antonio Fernández (guitar) (by Xoan Piñón, by Xulio Ferreiro)
Tino Grandío (bass).


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