Planeta Lem

The next new sound from Barcelona
There's no such thing as purity in Barcelona. At least not within its ridiculously hyperactive music scene. Like Marseille or Napoli, it's a port city that's always benefitted from a transient, ethnically diverse population intent bringing with it their own sounds. Why, just cup an ear in the direction of hometown heroes Manu Chao or Ojos De Brujo for proof of the city's cross-breeding soundtrack. Now, from the ashes of the rather splendid (but now deceased) Go Lem System, come Planeta Lem, another Barcelona outfit keen to mix and match. Currently in the studio with that man Manu Chao in the producer's chair, they skilfully fuse rock, pop, funk and reggae into one big bubble of sunshine. The result is something typically Barcelonan - as beguiling as a mazy Lionel Messi dribble and as refreshing as a perfectly chilled bottle of Estrella Damm.
(Biography written by Nige Tassell 2010)