Crystal Fighters

Crystal Fighters are an English/Spanish electronic band who formed in Navarra, Spain in 2007.
They are Sebastian (lead vocals, guitar), Gilbert (electronics, guitars, txalaparta, percussion) and Graham (guitar/ txalaparta), plus Laure and Mimi (vocals).

Sebastian and Gilbert were old friends, while Gilbert and Graham met through various parties. The three then began making music under various guises before being joined by Laure and Mimi. The band now play with a live drummer.

The group took their name ‘Crystal Fighters’ from an unfinished opera which Laure’s grandfather had penned during his final months of insanity. Laure came across the manuscript while clearing out the reclusive old man’s remote home in the Basque countryside. She quickly became obsessed by the intriguing scrawls within it and shared it with the others. Captivated by its seemingly prophetic contents, the band took on the name and formed in an attempt to expand upon the wild and deranged spirit of the old man’s writings.

Crystal Fighters’ style is a fusion of genres – fast progressive dance music joined by the melodies and dances of traditional Basque folk, alongside synthesisers, bass-driven wonk-funk, with beats fuelled by early 80s Spanish punk and experimental electronica from bands such as Aviador Dro, Las Vulpes and Dulce Venganza. Basque music informs much of their songwriting: the riff on ‘Champion Sound’ is lifted from the Basque folk piece ‘Sagar Dantza’ and ‘In The Summer’ draws upon music heard at the Carnival of Lantz in Navarroa.