Naif – Atlas [2xLP] (1982, Filobus Records)

By the beginning of the 1980s, Barcelona had become a fertile meeting point for musicians working far outside the boundaries of conventional rock or jazz. Among the most active figures on that scene was Víctor Nubla, a restless composer, clarinetist and conceptual artist whose work would become closely associated with the city's experimental underground. Together with bassist and multi-instrumentalist Enric Cervera, he launched Naif, a collaborative project that brought together musicians from different backgrounds to explore free improvisation, contemporary composition, folk influences and surreal humor without worrying about stylistic labels. 

 
Released in 1982 by Filobus Records, 'Atlas' perfectly captures that adventurous spirit. Filobus was a small independent Barcelona label that specialized in experimental and avant-garde music, giving artists complete freedom to pursue ideas that fell well outside the commercial mainstream. At a time when Spain's independent scene was rapidly expanding after the political transition, the label became an important outlet for adventurous recordings that blended improvisation, electronics, jazz, contemporary classical music and sound experimentation. 

 
Although Naif revolved around Víctor Nubla and Enric Cervera, 'Atlas' was very much a collective effort. Nubla contributed clarinets, cornet, organ, paidophon, synthesizer, dulzaina, whistle and vocals, while Cervera played double bass, electric piano, synthesizer, percussion, whistle and vocals. Guitarist Albert Giménez was another key figure throughout the sessions, joined by a wide circle of collaborators including Foguete on percussion and vocals, Néstor Munt on trumpet and flugelhorn, Queca Hosta on vocals, Oriol Pons de Vall on alto saxophone, Juan José Ordinas on guitar, Claudio Zulián on piano and the intriguingly credited "spectral pianist" Conrad Setó. Together they created an album that constantly shifts in mood and instrumentation, with each musician adding another layer to its remarkably rich sound.

 
Spread across two LPs, 'Atlas' runs for roughly eighty-five minutes and is built around four extended compositions, each occupying an entire side of vinyl. Rather than presenting variations on a single idea, every piece explores its own musical territory. The opening side is the most approachable, weaving together contemporary chamber music, jazz, acoustic textures and electronic touches before gradually drifting into more abstract territory. From there the record becomes increasingly unpredictable, moving through minimalist passages, unsettling synthesizer textures, sparse percussion, buzzing brass, free-flowing saxophone improvisations and unexpected vocal interludes. Another side dives headfirst into a dense collision of fuzz guitar, trumpet, Hammond organ, percussion and uncompromising free jazz, while the closing piece slowly dissolves into looser, almost weightless structures where electronics and ethereal female vocals emerge from the increasingly spacious arrangements. 

 
Over the years, 'Atlas' has earned a reputation among collectors and fans of experimental music as one of the hidden gems of Spain's avant-garde scene, with some listeners even describing it as one of the most provocative albums of the 1980s. That reputation comes from its refusal to settle into a single style. Instead, it embraces constant change, inviting the listener through an ever-shifting landscape where contemporary composition, improvisation, electronics, folk instruments and free jazz all coexist without clear boundaries. It remains a remarkable document of Barcelona's creative underground at a time when musicians were discovering just how far they could push their ideas. 

 

 

Label: Filobus Records – FD 11 28 

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered 

Country: Spain 

Released: Oct 9, 1982 

Style: Jazz Fusion, Prog Rock, Experimental, Avant-garde Jazz, Free Improvisation, ECM Style Jazz

 

Tracklist: 

Cara Fina 

A1 Cristall 3:24 

A2 Paisatje Urba 8:33 

A3 Preludi Europeu 0:39 

A4 Dos Ciclistas 1:28 

A5 El Camp De Les Cireres 8:04 

Cara Dura 

B1 Cristall N° 2 5:29 

B2 Pirri 6:30 

B3 Nuovo Cante (At The Sanatorium) 4:58 

B4 El Mandalin 3:31 

CarAmba 

C1 Tema Lent 1:48 

C2 El Somni Dels Despertadors 1:25 

C3 Mediterrànea (La Musa Dispersica) 5:21 

C4 Al Oeste Del Eden 0:32 

C5 Un Espejo Azul 10:54 

C6 Enigmatica Providencia 0:16 

En Cara Gràcies 

D Work Zone 18:19 

 

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Mortimer – Profesión / Travoltini [7''] (1979, Chapa Discos)

By the time Mortimer released the 7" 'Profesión / Travoltini' in 1979, the Barcelona underground was still finding its identity. Just a couple of years earlier, the city's emerging alternative rock scene was built around only a handful of names: La Banda Trapera del Río, Basura, Peligro and Mortimer. It was a difficult period for independent bands, with very few opportunities to record or play regularly. In the end, only La Banda Trapera del Río managed to establish a lasting career, while the rest disappeared almost as quickly as they had appeared, leaving behind only a handful of recordings.

 
Mortimer were a power trio made up of Xavier Dalmau on guitar and vocals, Josep Llobera on bass and Iñaki Ferreter on drums. Although they were frequently grouped with the first wave of Spanish punk, their sound leaned much more toward tough, streetwise rock. There were traces of British pub rock and hard rock running through their songs, resulting in a gritty, direct style that perfectly reflected the rough neighborhoods of late-1970s Barcelona. They weren't punk in the strict musical sense, but in the years immediately following Franco's dictatorship, attitude often mattered more than labels. Their confrontational live shows and rebellious image were enough to make them part of the same movement in the eyes of audiences and the music press. 

 
That perception was reinforced by their record company. Mortimer had originally been signed by Belter, which was eager to capitalize on the growing interest in punk and presented the band as part of that new wave of dangerous, antisocial rock groups. When 'Profesión / Travoltini' appeared on Chapa Discos in 1979, it found a more natural home. Founded by producer Vicente "Mariscal" Romero and distributed through Zafiro, Chapa had become Spain's leading label for hard rock and heavy music, releasing records by artists who sat outside the mainstream but had a strong following among rock fans. 

 
The single captures both sides of Mortimer's personality. "Profesión" delivers raw, no-frills rock driven by crunchy guitars and an energetic rhythm section, while "Travoltini" reveals the band's sense of humor and willingness to poke fun at contemporary trends, all without losing their rough-edged character. The performances feel spontaneous and full of swagger, preserving the same street-level intensity that had made the trio stand out on Barcelona stages a couple of years before. 

 
Although Mortimer split up soon after and never recorded a full-length album, 'Profesión / Travoltini' remains an important document from the earliest days of Barcelona's underground rock explosion. It stands as a reminder of a brief but exciting period when the lines between punk, hard rock and pub rock were still blurred, and when attitude, energy and a healthy disregard for convention counted for far more than fitting neatly into a musical category.

 

 

Label: Chapa Discos – H-33023 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1979 

Style: Punk Rock, Prog Rock, New Wave, Rockabilly 

 

Tracklist: 

A Profesión 3:55 

B Travoltini 3:22 

 

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Comando Bruno & Avant-Dernières Pensées – Muestras Sin Valor [LP] (1986, Discos Esplendor Geometrico)

'Muestras Sin Valor' arrived in 1986 as a strange and fascinating collaboration between Rafael Flores operating as Comando Bruno and Avant-Dernières Pensées, landing right in the middle of Spain’s flourishing cassette and industrial underground. Released by Discos Esplendor Geométrico, the album felt perfectly at home among the label’s early catalog, which was already building a reputation for pushing abrasive electronics, tape manipulation, industrial collage and all kinds of sonic mischief far outside the boundaries of conventional rock or synth music. The label had been launched by members of Esplendor Geométrico during a period when Spain's independent experimental scene was growing through tiny pressings, mail-order networks and cassette exchanges that connected artists from Madrid, Barcelona and beyond with the wider European underground. 

The record itself moves like a collection of fractured transmissions coming from different rooms of the same abandoned building. There are bursts of harsh electronic noise, odd samples, mechanical rhythms and sudden interruptions that create a tense and unsettling atmosphere. Some sections seem deliberately provocative, almost testing the listener's patience with distorted sounds and chaotic collisions, while others drift into unexpectedly gentle territory. That contrast gives the album its peculiar character. Just when things feel overwhelming, a warmer passage appears, with drifting synthesizers and small melodic details that soften the edges before everything slips back into hypnotic ambient spaces and rough industrial textures.

 
Rafael Flores had already been developing a highly personal approach through Comando Bruno, blending field recordings, musique concrète techniques, surreal humor and experimental collage. His work never sat comfortably inside any single genre, and 'Muestras Sin Valor' captures that freedom perfectly. Rather than following a clear structure, the album unfolds as a sequence of sonic events, fragments and moods that constantly mutate. The presence of Avant-Dernières Pensées adds another layer of mystery, bringing an even more abstract and dreamlike quality to parts of the record.

 
Looking back, 'Muestras Sin Valor' feels like a snapshot of a particularly adventurous moment in Spanish underground culture. While many industrial releases of the era leaned heavily into aggression and machine rhythms, this LP wandered into stranger territory, mixing confrontation with moments of almost psychedelic calm. It never sounds polished or concerned with accessibility, which is exactly why it continues to attract listeners interested in the outer edges of experimental music. More than a straightforward industrial album, it comes across as an audio scrapbook filled with bizarre ideas, uneasy atmospheres and unexpected beauty hidden beneath layers of noise. 

 

Label: Discos Esplendor Geometrico – EG - 004, Discos Esplendor Geometrico – EG-004 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1986 

Style: Experimental, Industrial, Musique Concrète

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Intro. La Verdad 

A2 Hermeneutica Dura 

A3 Landler 

A4 Helix (Febrer 1929) 

B1 Agresion Sensorial 

B2 Orpheu 2-Le Sang D'Un Poete 

B3 Pequeña Paz 

 

Other Versions: 

'Muestras Sin Valor' (Cassette, Album) Grand Mal Edicions (Spain, 1986). Mail-Audio project recorded in 1984–85. Andújar/Barcelona. It includes more tracks than the LP 

 

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Masters T De K – Las Nuevas Aventuras (De Los Masters T De K) [LP] (1989, La General)

'Las Nuevas Aventuras (De Los Masters T De K)' by Masters T De K is one of those underground Spanish rap records that feels like a straight-up time capsule from the late ’80s. It came out in 1989 via La General, right when hip hop in Spain was still in its infancy and everything felt new, experimental, and a bit improvised. 

The sound of the album is very much rooted in early hip hop aesthetics: drum machines, basic loops, scratches, and a DIY approach that gives it a rough but authentic edge. It doesn’t try to sound polished or commercial -instead, it captures that moment when people were just discovering rap and figuring out how to adapt it to their own language and culture. You can hear the influence of old-school American hip hop, but there’s already a local flavor creeping in. 

As for the group itself, TDeK have a backstory that’s a bit different from what you might expect if you only know this album. TDeK -short for Terrorism, Destruction and Chaos- is one of the most iconic hardcore punk bands to come out of Madrid in the 1980s. They didn’t start strictly as a rap act, and their evolution is actually what makes them interesting. After some lineup changes -including the departure of their original singer- the band continued as a trio and began experimenting. This shift became clear in 'A Toda Prisa' (1987), which moved slightly away from pure hardcore and played with new rhythms. The evolution continued with 'Como Una Pesadilla' (1988) and reached a surprising point in 1989 with 'Las Nuevas Aventuras (De Los Masters T De K)', a record often considered one of the first rap or hip-hop albums released in Spain. The band even modified its name to Masters T De K to reflect this direction before splitting up around 1990.

 
Lyrically, the album leans more into creativity and experimentation than into heavy social commentary. There’s a playful tone running through it, with bits of storytelling, humor, and that unmistakable feeling of artists testing boundaries. It doesn’t hit as hard or as politically charged as later Spanish rap, but that’s part of its charm -it’s about discovery rather than definition. 

Looking back, the record stands out more for its historical importance than for technical perfection. It’s one of those projects that helped lay the groundwork for what Spanish hip hop would become in the ’90s and beyond. Listening to it now feels like digging into the roots of a scene that hadn’t quite figured itself out yet -but was already on its way. 

 

Label: La General – 88.2030 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1989 

Style: Hardcore Hip-Hop. Hip Hop

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Jugar A Disfrutar 4:59 

A2 Velocidad 3:40 

A3 Hablando 3:27 

A4 Metéme Mano 3:46 

A5 Jugar A Disfrutar (Club Mix) 4:15 

B1 En Mi Moto Voy 5:00 

B2 Felipe 4:19 

B3 Noche Y Día 4:51 

B4 Ruf Mich Ann (Llámame) 4:45 

 

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Quincy – Quincy [LP] (1980, Columbia)

 

'Quincy' is the self-titled debut album by Quincy, a New Jersey–based new wave and power pop band, released in 1980 on Columbia Records. It’s one of those albums that didn’t make a huge splash at the time but has slowly built a reputation as a hidden gem among fans of early-’80s power pop. 

The band came together in the late 1970s and was centered around two sets of brothers, Stephen and Brian Butler and Gerald and Alex Takach, with keyboards and drums filling out the lineup. They were part of the wider New York and New Jersey club scene, drawing energy from places like CBGB, but their music leaned more toward melody and smart songwriting than punk aggression. 

The album was produced by Tim Friese-Greene, who later became well known for his work with Talk Talk. Sonically, Quincy sits comfortably alongside records by The Cars, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and The Knack. It’s tight, catchy, and polished, built on jangly guitars, strong harmonies, and punchy rhythms that feel very much of the era without sounding dated. 

Songwise, the record is consistent from start to finish. Tracks like “Critics’ Choice,” “Grow Up,” “Always in the News,” and “Can’t Live in a Dream” show off the band’s knack for memorable hooks and slightly sarcastic, everyday-life lyrics. There isn’t much filler here, just a run of concise, radio-friendly songs that deserved more attention than they got. 

Not long after the album came out, the band ran into trouble over their name. Quincy Jones objected to them using “Quincy,” and Columbia Records chose not to fight the issue. As a result, the band was forced to change their name to Lulu Temple, which effectively killed the momentum they had built. They released a small EP under the new name a few years later before breaking up.

 
At the time, Quincy passed by with little commercial impact, but over the years it’s become a cult favorite. For power pop and new wave fans, it’s a snapshot of that brief moment around 1980 when major labels were signing hook-heavy bands with big pop potential, and Quincy had the songs to justify the gamble. After the band ended, some members went on to form Smash Palace, which found more success in the 1980s power pop scene.

 

 

Label: Columbia – NJC 36471 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: US 

Released: 1980 

Style: New Wave, Power Pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Turn The Other Way Around 3:15 

A2 Critics' Choice 3:47 

A3 Don't Knock On My Door 3:38 

A4 Always In The News 3:09 

A5 Dime Store Lies 3:34 

A6 Can't Live In The Dream 2:59 

B1 Just A Tragedy 3:32 

B2 Stop Now 3:12 

B3 Grow Up 2:44 

B4 Roamin' Catholic 3:49 

B5 Stuck On You 3:49 

B6 Ordinary Town 3:11 

 

Other Versions: 

'Quincy' LP, Album, Stereo CBS [S CBS 84451] (UK, 1980)

'Quincy' LP, Album, Stereo Columbia [NJC 36471] (Canada, 1980)

'Quincy' LP, Album Columbia [NJC 36471] (Spain, 1980)

'Quincy' Cassette, Album, Stereo, Dolby System Columbia [NCT 36471] (US, 1980)

'Quincy' LP, Album CBS [CLS-5708] (Mexico, 1980)

 

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Orfeon Gagarin – Halibut-Vaporub [Cass] (1990, Toracic Tapes)

Orfeón Gagarin is the experimental music project of Miguel A. Ruiz, a Spanish electronic musician who has been active since the early 1980s. He’s closely linked to Spain’s underground cassette scene and is known for releasing music through small DIY labels and his own imprint, Toracic Tapes. His sound moves between experimental electronics, industrial, noise, and abstract atmospheres, often rough, lo-fi, and intentionally strange. 

 
Over the years, Ruiz has worked under several different aliases, with Orfeón Gagarin being just one of many outlets for his ideas. This project in particular reflects his interest in unconventional structures, surreal titles, and a very hands-on, tape-culture approach to making and releasing music. 

 
'Halibut-Vaporub' is a cassette release from 1990, originally put out by the Tragic Figures label. Like much of Orfeón Gagarin’s work from that period, it was designed for the cassette format and fits perfectly into the late-80s and early-90s experimental underground. 

 
The music on 'Halibut-Vaporub' leans toward industrial and experimental electronics, with abstract textures, odd rhythms, and a raw, homemade feel. The track titles are playful and surreal, matching the offbeat character of the sounds themselves. Over time, the release has become something of a cult favorite. 

 
Overall, 'Halibut-Vaporub' works as a snapshot of Orfeón Gagarin’s early style and of a moment when underground electronic music was driven by curiosity, experimentation, and DIY spirit rather than polish or mainstream appeal. 

 

 

Label: Toracic Tapes – none 

Format: Cassette, Album, C46 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1990 

Style: Industrial, Experimental, Minimal Synth 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Halibut-Vaporub 2:15 

A2 Theory Of Raw Fish 1:35 

A3 Take Your Shotgun! 2:20 

A4 Life Under Your Seat 2:53 

A5 Un Improbable Omnibús 2:08 

A6 El Rencor De Un Viticultor 1:33 

A7 Procreation Dance 1:42 

A8 The Nameless Mussel 1:30 

A9 Un Malvado Hipocampo 1:40 

A10 Napalm Nap 3:17 

B1 Song Of The Glittering Sons 1:27 

B2 Ultimo Ritual En Nihombashi 1:55 

B3 El Error De Un Apicultor 2:12 

B4 La Premonición De Ismael 2:00 

B5 Perseguido Por El Vudú 3:08 

B6 Hípica Y Vida Birmana 0:50 

B7 Survol Du Pole Nord 3:01 

B8 El Címbalo Presuroso 1:50 

B9 Yo, Piscicultor 2:20 

 

Other Versions: 

'Halibut-Vaporub' (Cassette, Album, C46) Tragic Figures [TFT017] (Portugal, 1990)

 

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Moral Femenina – Moral Femenina [LP] (1985, Jaja Records)

Moral Femenina was a rock/new wave band from Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, active mainly during the first half of the 1980s. They came out of the local underground scene at a time when a lot of bands were experimenting with post-punk, pop and rock, but without much connection to the mainland Spanish industry. Moral Femenina developed a sound that felt raw and direct, very much tied to the atmosphere of the islands and the small venues where they played regularly. 

The band’s core members included Pablo Meneses on vocals and Juanjo Jorganes on guitar, with different bassists and drummers passing through over the years. Before becoming Moral Femenina, some of the musicians had played in an earlier group called Los Tumores, which helps explain their slightly edgy, alternative approach. 

Their self-titled album 'Moral Femenina' came out around 1985 and was released as a mini-LP on a local Tenerife label. It’s the only proper official record the band put out during their original run, which gives it a kind of cult status today. The album was recorded locally and has a very “of its time” feel: lean songs, punchy guitars, and lyrics that move between irony, desire and everyday tension. The cover artwork, inspired by Botticelli’s "The Birth of Venus", added a touch of art-school attitude that matched the band’s image. 

The track “Sexo” ended up being their most well-known song and is usually the one people mention first when talking about the band. Other songs on the record balance energy and moodiness, mixing straightforward rock with more reflective moments, which fits well with the post-punk and new wave spirit of the era. 

Moral Femenina never really broke out nationally, but they were well respected in the Canary Islands and are still remembered as an important part of the local 80s scene. The band eventually split up in the 1990s, though their music never completely disappeared. Over the years, recordings have circulated online and among collectors, and there have even been occasional reunions or special performances, showing that interest in the band is still very much alive. 

Today, the Moral Femenina album is often seen as a small but significant snapshot of Canary Islands alternative music in the 80s: not flashy or overproduced, but honest, local, and full of personality. 

 

Label: Jaja Records – JA-JA-8 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1985 

Style: New Wave, Post-Punk, Goth Rock, Jangle Pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 La Noche Es El Calor 3:24 

A2 Sexo 2:53 

A3 Electricos 3:06 

A4 Flores Olvidadas 3:03 

B1 Esperando 5:00 

B2 Los Peces En El Rio 3:13 

B3 Amor De Madre 3:57 

 

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Gen Ken – Beyond My Ken [LP] (1989, Discos Esplendor Geometrico)

 

Gen Ken Montgomery is an American sound artist, composer, and mail-artist born in 1957. He is regarded as a pioneer of the cassette-culture movement and of experimental, noise, and musique concrète practices. Although he did not receive formal musical training, his curiosity and hands-on exploration led him to develop a distinctive style that incorporates cheap synthesizers and everyday objects such as refrigerators, laminators, and aquarium pumps to create unique and immersive soundscapes. 

In 1989 he founded Generator Sound Art in New York City, considered the first sound-art gallery in the city and an important platform for the underground experimental scene. He also co-founded the label Generations Unlimited, which helped support the independent cassette-based experimental music movement. Montgomery began recording in 1981 under the name Gen Ken & The Equipment, producing homemade tapes, experimental albums, and sound-art projects, often released in very limited editions. In the mid-1990s he adopted the alias Egnekn for projects that were more playful or conceptual, including his well-known lamination rituals. 

His artistic practice focuses on recontextualizing everyday sounds. He works with domestic appliances, ambient noise, environmental recordings, and common objects, transforming them into dense and often disorienting sonic compositions through collage, tape manipulation, electronics, and improvisation. His performances are often multichannel and immersive, sometimes presented in total darkness, inviting audiences to experience sound in a radically different and heightened way. Montgomery’s approach embraces a philosophy of anti-virtuosity, valuing spontaneity, chance, improvisation, and the direct relationship between sound, object, and listener rather than technical mastery. 

In 1989 he released the album 'Beyond My Ken', issued on vinyl. This work is noted as his last major stereo release from that period and reflects his experimental ethos. The album combines field recordings, domestic sounds, electronics, and abstract noise, continuing his interest in transforming familiar auditory environments into highly unconventional and exploratory sound pieces. 

His broader discography includes numerous cassette works from the early 1980s, later experimental releases, and compilations that document decades of sonic experimentation. Among these, 'Pondfloorsample' stands out as an extensive compilation covering a wide span of his work. 

Beyond music, Montgomery has worked in collage, visual art, mail-art, and the creation of unique sound-object editions, always maintaining a strong DIY aesthetic. His artistic philosophy consistently challenges traditional ideas of musicality, encouraging listeners to rethink their relationship to sound, environment, and the everyday. 

 

Label: Discos Esplendor Geometrico – EGD 017 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1989 

Style: Experimental, Musique Concrète

 

 

Tracklist: 

A New Age Machines 19:56 

B1 Up The Backwards Treppe Avanti 2:22 

B2 A Question Of Arrival 2:13 

B3 Forced Hesitation 2:21 

B4 Testing Without Hypothesis 2:06 

B5 Monkey In The Window 2:17 

B6 Rolling On A Whisper 2:35 

B7 The Missing Half Of The Langensheid Bridge 2:18 

B8 Stepping On The Red Wire Undertow 2:16 

B9 Fallout On Lietzensee 2:24 

 

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Brilliant – Colours [12''] (1983, Risk Records, Rough Trade)

 

Brilliant was a Brit-funk pop group, active in the British 80s nu pop scene. Formed when Killing Joke's Youth left his group and along with Ben Watkins (later, Juno Reactor) and Jimmy Cauty (later one half of The KLF) they started the group, releasing singles from 1982 to 1984. The first line up was completed with Marcus Myers and Guy Pratt, later in Icehouse. In their first four years of existence, they hosted a roster of over 30 musicians. The final line-up found them as a trio with June Montana on vocals, later a one-hit wonder dance diva with whom they released their sole album with a Stock, Aitken & Waterman production. Among their hits were James Brown's "It's A Man's World" and the 1963 hit for Skeeter Davis, "The End Of The World". 

 

Label: Risk Records – RTT 105, Rough Trade – RTT 105 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1983 

Style: Synth-pop, Funk 

 

Tracklist: 

A Colours 5:13 

B Colours (Monster Mix) 6:08 

 

Other Versions: 

'Colours' (12") - Nuevos Medios, Rough Trade [41089 M, 41 089] (Spain, 1984)

 

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Pistones – Primeros Tiempos [LP] (1984, Producciones Twins)

 

Los Pistones were a Madrid-based pop-rock band formed in 1980 by Agustín Jiménez (vocals), Ricardo Chirinos (guitar and vocals), Fran López (keyboards and vocals), José Marín (guitar), Enrique Martín (bass) and Ramón López (drums). The origin of the group's name comes from the fusion of the names "Sex Pistols" and "Ramones", two of the favorite groups of drummer Ramon Lopez. 

 
With this formation they recorded their first demo thanks to the work of Fran López and the radio announcer Gonzalo Garrido, who financed it. This first demo was broadcasted in some radio stations, especially in Radio España - Onda 2, one of the most influential in the Madrid scene and in clubs like El Penta, getting the support of Paco Martín who, together with Julio Ruiz, founded a new record label called MR. 

 
After the recording of the first demo, José Marín left the group and Agustín Jiménez, after separating from the group, founded Opera Pop. Later on Enrique Martin left the group to join Los Esqueletos, being replaced by Juan Luis Ambite on bass. 

 
In 1982, Los Pistones that gained a recording contract were formed by Ricardo Chirinos, Fran López, Juan Luis Ambite and Ramón López, recording their first vinyl, a 7'' single entitled 'Las Siete Menos Cuarto', edited by MR. It contained four songs of a pop style very influenced by the British new wave. In the same year their second 7'' single was released, entitled 'Voces', an album more eclectic than the previous one and with pop, funk and soul songs, with the track "Metadona" standing out. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]

 

 

Label: Producciones Twins – T3001 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1984 

Style: Pop Rock, New Wave, Power Pop, Movida Madrileña

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Las Siete Menos Cuarto 

A2 El Artefacto 

A3 Te Brillan Los Ojos 

A4 No Estás De Suerte 

A5 Los Ramones 

A6 Quien Llama Por Telefono 

B1 Voces 

B2 Soulfinger 

B3 Metadona 

B4 La Cazadora 

B5 Vuelve Pronto 

 

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Lavabos Iturriaga – Imágenes Del Ruido [12''] (1984, Discos Suicidas)

 

This Bilbao band emerged in 1981, before the Radical Basque Rock era. It was formed by Ana Jiménez (voice and polyphonic synthesizer), Oscar Amezaga (guitar), Javi González "Koketo" (synthesized guitar), Paco Marcilla (bass) and Roge Blasco (synthesizer). Their live appeareances showed them in white makeup and strange uniforms halfway between The Residents and Kraftwerk. Hypnotic melodies, instrumental songs, Japanese settings, songs in invented languages, collaborations with the singer of Itoiz... They were among the few who recorded videos produced for the newborn Basque television. In 1982 they recorded in the Du-Manoir Studios (France), for Discos Suicidas, the single 'China'. The following year, they were included in the LP compilation 'Sintonía Independiente', together with groups like In Extremis, Los Santos and Rufus. Having spent two years since the recording of their first single, in 1984 they recorded the EP 'Imágenes del Ruido' for Discos Suicidas, but this time without Ana. The band at that time was formed by "Koketo" (voice, guitar and drum machine), Paco Marcilla (bass), Roge Blasco (monophonic synthesizer), Oscar Amezaga (polyphonic synthesizer) and Juan Carlos Pérez collaborating on vocals. [SOURCE: GRUPOS NACIONALES NUEVA OLA 80]

 

 

Label: Discos Suicidas – DS-3 

Format: Vinyl, 12", Maxi-Single 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1984 

Style: Synth-pop, Minimal Synth

 

Tracklist: 

A Imágenes Del Ruido 

B Instantánea 

 

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Jabir – Vuelo Por Las Alturas De Xauen [Cass] (1988, EGK)

Both a polymath and erudite musician, Jabir (real name, Francisco Javier Sánchez González) decided to pay homage to the marriage of spirituality and science inspired by the legacy of Al-Andalus, the muslim Spanish civilisation. For that aim, he relied on a vast array of acoustic instruments (ney, violin, ud, bendir and daf), as well as on digital synthesizers and a complex system of computers able to generate aleatory melodies in Middle Eastern scales. He released two albums, the cassette 'Vuelo por las Alturas de Xauen' (1989, EKG) -old, crude-sounding synths and flute, violins or drums over looped synth melodies, over background noise; a beautiful, calming source of forgotten mysticism-, and the LP 'Vuelo por las Alturas de Alhambra', originally published in 1988 on Discos Esplendor Geométrico and a hidden gem in the catalogue of this influential Spanish label. The album unfolds a series of subtle and mesmerising compositions, and it's a recommended listening for those into the most narcotic side of Muslimgauze, the Dariush Dolat-Shahi's lps on Folkways, Jon Hassell's "Fourth World" explorations or even the recent work of contemporary Iranian experimentalists like Sote and Saba Alizadeh. [SOURCE: AGUIRRE RECORDS]

 

 

Label: EGK – EGK 012 

Format: Cassette, C60 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1988 

Style: Experimental, Progressive Electronic, Post-Minimalism 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Vuelo Por Las Alturas De Xauen 

A2 Cuadro De Una Exposición Árabe 

A3 Billik Sami 

A4 Cúpula Y Alminar 

A5 Yoryina 

B1 Calles, Mezquitas Y Puertas 

B2 Meditación Anatolia 

B3 Bismillah 

B4 Y Los Espacios Vacios 

 

Other Versions: 

'Vuelo Por Las Alturas De Xauen' (Cassette, C60) (1989, Linea Alternativa), Spain

 

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WAQ – Mira Por Donde [12''] (1983, MR)

Waq is one of the forgotten bands of the early 80s, formed in Madrid in 1981 by Miguel Bañuelos (vocals and synthesizers) and Antonio González (guitar, bass, drum machine and vocals). They have been labeled as naif synth-pop, making simple songs with ingenious texts backed with good bases of keyboard and guitars. 

 

In the middle of 1981 Miguel convinces his friend Antonio González to start the band, rehearsing that summer songs like "La Monja", "Smoking Rosa", and "Osa Mayor". On March 1982 they give their first show in Rock-Ola and on the following month they register their first demo in RNE. On June 1982 they recorded the videoclip of '"Ladrones de Juguetes", their most celebrated song, in the TVE show "Pista Libre". The next day Paco Martín, boss of the record label MR, called them to record his first EP.  

 

Antonio is called to the military service, so Miguel asks Guillermo Caso to take care of the guitars. On August they recorded 'Las Cebollas' on Doublewtronics. Miguel is also called to serve the country and in a permit (February 1983) they recorded "Toros Blancos" for a compilation, and another EP, 'Mira Por Donde'. [SOURCE: GRUPOS NACIONALES NUEVA OLA 80]

 

 

Label: MR – MF-600838 

Format: Vinyl, 12" 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1983 

Style: Synth-pop, Minimal 

 

Tracklist:

A1 S. I. 4:33 

A2 Nudo En La Garganta 2:41 

B1 Triturado 2:37 

B2 Lazibones Atravesando El Océano 2:31 

 

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Acces 22 – War!! [12''] (1990, Megabeat Records)

 

Access 22 was a Spanish Techno project from Valencia formed by DJ and sound technician Fran Lenaers, DJ and producer Vicente "Gani" Manero, and musician Julio Nexus (Julio Pastor), that recorded under other aliases such as Ground Zone, Interfront, Invisible 2, Megabeat, Nexus, Robotics, Spook, The Impossibles, The Lords Of The New Beat, The Ora:cle, The Sun Corporation and Tyrell Corporation.

 

 

Label: Megabeat Records – MEGABEAT DURO 1 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM, 45 RPM, Mini-Album 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1990 

Style: EBM, Industrial, Electro, Techno, Makina

 

Tracklist:

A1 War!! 4:45 

B1 Ducted 5:10 

B2 Trust Me 4:04 

B3 Sex Floor 4:31 

B4 1-Ex 3:33 

B5 Up 2 U 2:06 

 

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Recursos Ajenos / Merz – Una Exposición [Cass] (1987, IEP)

Luis Mesa is a Spanish electronic pioneer now disappeared from the scene, he was a true precursor of noise. He published his first cassette in 1983 at the same time that he founded his record label IEP (Investigaciones Estudios y Proyectos). He began in the eighties with groups like Esplendor Geométrico, Macromassa, La Otra Cara de un Jardín... He recorded with other pseudonyms such as Merz (with José Manuel Mesa, Alfredo Alvarez and Oscar Mayoral), Recursos Ajenos and Bercomice.

 

 

Label: IEP – IEP 07 

Format: Cassette 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1985 

Style: Experimental 

 

Tracklist:

A1 Recursos Ajenos – El Himno De Los Muertos 

A2 Recursos Ajenos – Juegos Blancos 

A3 Recursos Ajenos – Cánticos 

B1 Merz – San Remo '84 

B2 Merz – La Cólera 

 

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Zush · Tres – Evrugo Mental State [LP] (1989, Grabaciones Accidentales)

Albert Porta was born in Barcelona in 1946, who adopted the nickname Zush from 1968 until 2001, when he became known as Evru, as he currently calls himself. Self-taught, he defines himself as ArtCienMist, that is, artist, scientist and mystic. He has been drawing since he was very young, but his first contact with the art world was through René Metras, a French gallery owner, in 1962, who encouraged him to continue creating. He establishes contacts and works with artists such as Jordi Galí and Silvia Gubern, among others, with whom he later forms the Grup del Maduixer. It is in 1964 when his work is shown for the first time to the public in the collective exhibition "Presencias De Nuestro Tiempo" ("Presences Of Our Time") at the René Metras Gallery. 

The year 1968 is established as a transcendental point in his artistic career, since he decides to create Evrugo Mental State, accompanied by his own communication code and change his name to Zush. During this period his work stands out for a psychedelic aesthetic created by means of phosphorescent pigments and a great formal anarchy, understanding his works as the construction of a personal mythology, something applicable to a great part of his creation. Thanks to several scholarships he studies Holography applied to Art at the M.I.T. in Boston, something that is reflected in his works from the mid 80's onwards, integrating technology. Exhibitions in renowned venues such as Documenta in Kassel in 1977, the Guggenheim in New York in 1980 or the Pompidou in Paris in 1989 stand out. 

In 2001, during his retrospective organized by MACBA, Zush is renamed Evru. It is at this moment when the concept of ArtCienMist appears, which defines his new artistic figure. His long career to date has led to major museums dedicating retrospectives to him, such as the one presented in 2007 in different museums in China, such as the Today Art Museum in Beijing and the MoMA Duo Lun in Shanghai. In addition to having exhibited in many important museums, he has also received several awards. Examples are the Premio Nacional de Grabado in 1997, the Premio Laus in 1999, the Premi Ciutat de Barcelona in 2000 or the Premi ACCA de la Crítica d'Art in 2003.

 
In 1989 he releases the LP 'Evrugo Mental State' composed by the artist Tres from the commission of Zush himself in 1982. Tres (Three) was a multidisciplinary artist and sound researcher (Barcelona, 1956 - Premià de Dalt, 2016), named so himself by the day he was born and never revealed his real name. Very appreciated in the artistic community for his generous and positive attitude, he always remained faithful to his creative search, knowing that he moved in a minority and nothing commercial. Known for his ingenious works on silence, he would be part of the Klamm group during the eighties. Among its most important arguments stand out truths such as "in this society verbally incontinent, there are no spaces for silence". That is why he created spaces and situations that made possible to perceive it so that it was a path of interior search. In his artistic career he cultivated several disciplines such as painting, sculpture, performances and music. [SOURCE: FUNDACION SUÑOL]

 

 

Label: Grabaciones Accidentales – 4GA-0361 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1989 

Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave, Avantgarde, Art Rock, Experimental Rock

 

Tracklist:

A1 Evrugo Mental State National Introelectric Anthem 5:59 

A2 Sun & Steel 2:00 

A3 W.A.R. 3:09 

A4 Three Men On A Boat 4:23 

A5 Viruses 1:33 

B1 The Grand Gland 4:13 

B2 On The Rooms Of Mush 3:12 

B3 Heroino Y Zeaglea 1:35 

B4 Three Quarks For Musther Mark 3:37 

B5 Extroduccion Evrugo 2:37 

B6 Silencio 0:15 

B7 Litsu 1:14 

 

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