Crystal Fighters

Crystal Fighters juxtapose the eerie flavour of traditional Basque folk music with churning basslines and catchy energetic vocals, resulting in a jubilant and uplifting sound unlike any other. They offer raved-up, percussive folktronica, veering from Fischerspooner-style euphoria to Animal Collective-toned delicacy, underpinned by a progressive contemporary London bass sound. Though their distinctive production techniques take in all this and more, Crystal Fighters draw a broader and more profound influence- the energy and wild liberty of the 80s Spanish/Basque anti-todo youth movement, including the songs of bands such as Eskorbuto, Sinistro Total and Golpes Bajos.

Lauded debut album, Star Of Love‚ was released by Atlantic Records in 2012. The stunning collection of songs explores the themes in their singer Laure’s grandfather’s writings, which are the main inspiration for their music and the reason the band exist today. These include the unfathomable mystery of the universe, the turbulent journey towards being at peace with death, the triumph of love, and the omnipotence of the sun.

The breakneck energy and captivating beauty of their dramatic live performances has drawn worldwide applause, with Mixmag declaring them to be ‚ the single most exciting live show in dance music. The band recently performed at this year‚ SXSW not to mention selling out venues from Miami to New York City, San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Crystal Fighters have spent much of the past two years on the road, with countless headline shows from Europe to Australia, Russia to Japan and beyond. The summer of 2011 saw the band perform at over 40 festivals, from late night raves at Bestival (UK) and Benicassim (Spain) to bewitching crowds at Montreux Jazz (Switzerland) and Moseley Folk Festival (UK). Last fall, having previously supported Foals, the band sold out their Shepherd‚ Bush Empire headline show in London.

Since coming together in 2007, Crystal Fighters have earned ecstatic acclaim for their unprecedented fusion of experimental electronica, punk rock beats and the organic folk instruments of the Basque region of Spain. The band name Crystal Fighters came from an opera composed by enigmatic Basque singer Laure Stockley grandfather in the latter years of insanity, which Sebastian, Graham & Gilbert, the core of the band, describe as a bizarre poetical opera about Basque music, Basque mythology and his experiences in the Basque country when he was growing up and the world around him.

Profoundly inspired by the opera and the dark, melodic sounds of traditional Spanish folk music, the group soon began melding unique Basque instruments like txalaparta, danbolin, and txistu with booming basslines and euphoric electronic fun Crystal Fighters were born.