Esplendor Geométrico

Esplendor Geométrico are a long-running Spanish industrial group founded in 1980 by Arturo Lanz, Gabriel Riaza, and Juan Carlos Sastre, all former members of synth pop pioneers Aviador Doro. Inspired by Italian futurism as well as British industrial bands like Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire, Esplendor Geométrico quickly established their own unique sound, pairing heavily distorted, hypnotic machine rhythms with robotic Spanish vocals. The group released several cassettes and LPs throughout the decade, including 1981's EG-1. Eventually losing Riaza and Sastre and gaining Saverio Evangelista, who joined in 1990, Esplendor Geométrico's sound continued to evolve, incorporating Arabic influences on 1991's Sheikh Aljama, recalling the work of Muslimgauze. Later efforts such as Ultraphoon (2013) and Cinética (2020) concentrated on danceable, tribal-influenced rhythms while retaining a bracing degree of distortion. Relentlessly experimental, the band has been a significant influence on numerous rhythmic noise, IDM, and minimal synth artists.