Every band believes that what they’re doing is unique, but few have as much right to make that claim as Crystal Fighters. That is, unless you know of many other groups out there fusing traditional folk music from the Basque region with contemporary dance styles, using state-of-the-art technology alongside traditional Spanish instruments such as txalapartas and txistus, and whose debut album is based on an unfinished opera about the nature of existence and meaning of love written by a member’s grandfather in the final throes of a mental breakdown.
Their diversity makes itself apparent on their records, but perhaps even more so in concert, where Sebastian in the middle of the stage with his acoustic guitar and tambourine is flanked on one side by Graham on electric guitar and, on the other, by Gilbert with his table of electronics, computers and keyboards.
It is to Crystal Fighters’ eternal credit that from such esoteric raw material they have managed to fashion a supremely accessible debut album; ‘Star Of Love’, full of irresistible rhythms, anthemic melodies and chant-worthy choruses. “Our songs concern bigger themes than ‘my girlfriend dumped me’,” says Gilbert, who is fascinated by the evolution of music scenes and a 'genre-less future.’.