Out on December 3rd via the Geometrik label are two vinyl releases by Esplendor Geométrico, the cult pioneers of industrial rhythms, the first being “Live in Utrecht” which comes in an expanded edition. The original album was released in 1990 (Discos Esplendor Geometrico), re-released in 1999 (Geometrik) and in 2010 (Captain Trip Records, Japan).

Recorded 25th November 1989 in the Cultural Centre EKKO, Utrecht – Holland, it was produced for the program De Bovenbouw/Nos-Radio, Hilversum, Holland. Except for “Signos de Energía” (a faster version than the one in the “Mekano Turbo” album) all of the tracks were completely new at the moment this record was released.

This special “expanded” edition comes additionally with an extra LP, featuring not less than seven tracks from the late 80’s, that were originally released on cassette only: four tracks are from 1987, the other three are from the studio sessions of “Mekano Turbo” (1988), but were not included on that album.

Next is the 40th anniversary edition of “EG-1” which comes in a limited and numbered edition of 500 copies.

After their first single, “Necrosis en la poya” (1981), Esplendor Geométrico released their first cassette that same year: “EG-1”. The first edition of “EG-1” (300 copies) quickly sold out in the international underground circuit of cassette labels that was emerging during those years. It was reissued on the same format by different labels, such as Datenverarbeitung (Germany, 1982), Ortega y Cassette (Barcelona, 1985), EGK (Madrid, 1987) and Línea Alternativa (Madrid, 1989), and later on there would be two CD editions – equally deleted for ages.

For this special limited reissue on vinyl, the material got remastered from the original tapes. It also includes an exclusive insert and each copy has been individually customized with stickers and hand-stamped.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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This is a gem for fans of early (80s) electronic music from Spain. Out in the next weeks is a double vinyl called “Cronica Tecnica: compilation of industrial and noise from Madrid 1981-1991”.

The set includes an 12 page A4 booklet with information, images, photos and two exclusive texts, in Spanish and English, by Francisco Felipe (La Otra Cara de un Jardin) and Andrés Noarbe. You can order this 2LP vinyl right now.

The selection for the compilation (check out the tracklist) was made by Andrés Noarbe, manager and editor of Esplendor Geométrico since its founding in 1980 and director of the pioneer label in publishing electronic music in Spain: Discos E.G. (now Geometrik Records). The compilation is the second volume of the Spanish Underground Cassette Movement series after the first one: “Fungus Cerebri”, dedicated entirely to Esplendor Geométrico and still available right here.

The Spanish electronic scene in the eighties

During the 80s, the Spanish electronic scene saw a ton of electronic music cassettes being released, often edited and distributed by the artists themselves. You could find releases from pioneers such as Esplendor Geométrico (EG-1, 1981), La Otra Cara de Un Jardín (1981), and el Internado (the first project of fame Francisco López). Shortly after, artists and labels appeared throughout the Spanish geography, such as Ortega y Cassette and Laboratorio de Música Desconocida, both in Barcelona, Auxilio de Cientos (Granada), Interacción (Madrid), El Consumo del Miedo (Jaén), Necronomicón (Puertollano), STI (Zaragoza), and so on.

In Madrid you would find cassette labels such as Toracic Tapes (directed by Miguel A. Ruiz), I.E.P. (founded by musician Luis Mesa), Proceso Uvegraf (by Juan Teruel), and EGK (the sub-label for cassettes of Discos Esplendor Geométrico). The compilation we talk about here picks from this Madrid-based scene with music recorded between 1981 and 1991 and which focused mainly on Industrial, noise and experimental music. Some of the musicians, such as Uvegraf or Miguel A. Ruiz, are still active.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Genre/Influences: Industrial-rock, doom-metal.

Background/Info: Ortega is a band from The Netherlands, which started terrorizing the underground scene since 2007. The band remained rather unknown to me, but I now had the opportunity to discover this new opus featuring 5 tracks. “Sacred States” has been released on different labels. The Belgian Consouling Sounds released the CD-format, Narshardaa Records the vinyl and Tartarus Records a cassette edition.

Content: Ortega sounds hard and merciless mixing different sound elements together. There’s an explicit industrial-rock touch, but still a more doom-metal inspired basis. I sometimes get the impression of hearing an offspring between early Swans for the industrial bombast and Godflesh for the metal/industrial-driven guitar riffs. The harsh and enraged vocals totally match with the sound aggression you’ll be exposed to when listening to Ortega.

Some passages are a bit slower in cadence, but you can hear some inhibited power behind the music. And when the power comes through again you get the impression of entering an industrial hell room.

+ + + : The album only features 5 songs, but the elaboration and progression is absolutely amazing. “Crows” holds you in its grip for more than 18 minutes revealing the multiple influences running through this work. “Maelstrom” is another recommended song, which also is an appropriate tilt for this heavy sound experience. I think it’s the kind of track that will please Godflesh lovers.

– – – : The extreme character of the album is not directly appealing for a wider audience. It’s not typically metal-like and industrial-minded in the widest sense of the work. Ortega will catch the attention of a very selected target of music fans.

Conclusion: “Sacred States” is a demonic piece of music where power and darkness have joined hands to terrorize the listener. No doubt about it there’ll be some lustful subjects that will fully enjoy this kind of torture!

Best songs: “Maelstrom”, “Strong Eye”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.facebook.com/ortegadoom

Label: http://consouling.be / www.facebook.com/ConsoulingSounds

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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