Mirafiori

MIRAFIORI is born as a duo formed by Nacho Fernández and Gonzalo Portellano, although eventually it would become Nacho's own project. Nacho started in the music world at the beginning of the 90's. He met Gonzalo, who coul play guitar, at school and soon they started rehearsing together, although they wouldn't form MIRAFIORI until the year 2000; until this moment, Nacho played in different bands and started writing his own songs.
 

From their first recordings, MIRAFIORI's music has been influenced by the warmth and the harmonies of the folk and pop music from the 60's (THE BYRDS, THE LEFT BANKE), combined with a taste for classicism and the beauty in the instrumental arrangements (Isao Tomita, Erik Satie). To this we must add the eighties flavour of the drum programming, and a final touch that is as close to Spanish early indie sound (FAMILY, LA BUENA VIDA) as to British indie-pop (THE FIELD MICE, BRIAN). MIRAFIORI's lyrics, some times more symbolic and dreamy, other times more straight and direct, almost always covered with a veil of despair, join the music in an urgent search for beauty, following the tradition of the pop song patterns.
 

2000

In April MIRAFIORI record their first demo and in September the second one, both recorded at home. Seven songs in total, with which MIRAFIORI get their first media appearances: second best demo of the year for the listeners of the radio show "Viaje a los Sueños Polares", two number one positions in the radio show "El Kastillo de las Lágrimas", as well as highlighted reviews in Rockdelux magazine and several fanzines. Gonzalo and Nacho play live twice in Madrid (sala Ochoymedio and Café de la Palma), with the help of Pablo Hernández and Carlos Yndurain, from PORTONOVO. Around those dates, MIRAFIORI also record a cover of the song "I don't need you" by MY BLOODY VALENTINE, for a tribute CD released by the fanzine Insidethetaxi.
 

2001-2002

In mid-2001 MIRAFIORI record their first EP, "Cinco minutos", for Annika Records. Produced by Guille Milkyway (LA CASA AZUL) and with graphic design by Gregorio Soria, the record won't see the light until May 2002. "Cosas que es mejor no hacer" is chose as the June 2002 song for the radio show Disco Grande (Radio 3), and "Cinco minutos" is the fifth best Spanish song in the 2002 readers' poll on Rockdelux magazine, featuring as well on the compilation CD that comes with the mag. Nacho starts working on the debut album.
 

2003

Gonzalo travels to France to finish his studies. Shortly later, Nacho travels to Germany to work for one year, then to France for two more years. In the distance he finishes writing the songs for the album, and in 2004 he starts the recording with Guille Mostaza from Spanish band ELLOS.
 

2004-2006

The album, titled "No podemos volver a casa", is recorded and mixed in Madrid in several recording sessions between end of 2004 and beginning of 2005. During this time, Annika disappears as a label, and the album is finished to be released on Autopop in the summer of 2006.
 

"No podemos volver a casa" is the first album by MIRAFIORI, four years after their debut EP "Cinco Minutos" (Annika Records). The reasons for this long silence are varied: Nacho is living abroad, which makes recording and production a lot harder, and Annika has disappeared during the recording of the album. Finally, and after several efforts from all sides, MIRAFIORI's first album is ready to be released on Autopop in the summer of 2006.
 

Recording started in late 2004 at the Amarillo studios owned by Guille Mostaza (singer on Spanish band ELLOS and producer of PORTONOVO, among others), with almost all songs already written and recorded as demos by Nacho.
The songs belong to different moments, from the times of MIRAFIORI's first demos ("Estamos desafinados"), the months following the first EP in Madrid ("Recuerdos del lago artificial", "Luciérnagas", "Nosotros y nuestros abrigos", "Agujeros en la arena"...), and Nacho's long stays in Germany ("En la luna", "Hasta que vuelva", "Acto de contricción") and France ("El idioma de las flores"). The songs have been recorded for the album in Amarillo, Guille's own studio, and work has been distributed between Nacho (lead and backing vocals, guitars, programming and keyboards) and Guille (bass, synthesizers, percussion, keyboards, programming, violin...). Reyes García-Miró, singer in PORTONOVO, is also doing a cameo hidden among other friends in one of the songs.
 

By the end of the spring in 2006 they consider the album to be finished and ready to be manufactured and released on Autopop.
 

After the release of "No podemos volver a casa", MIRAFIORI intend to play live the songs of the album, so Nacho Fernández forms a spectacular live band.

As a frontman, of course, we find Nacho on guitar and vocals, along with Gonzalo Portellano (former member of MIRAFIORI's original line-up, who along with Nacho did the band's demos and first EP). Apart from them, there's Guille Mostaza on bass (member of ELLOS and producer of the album); Ana González on keyboards (ex VACACIONES); and Antón Suárez (ex PURÉ) on drums.
 

MIRAFIORI played live with this line-up on November 1st at Siroco in Madrid, and also on November 16th at El Sol in Madrid, supporting CAMERA OBSCURA.
 

"Agujeros en la arena" is the chosen song for the first videoclip by MIRAFIORI. The video is directed by Paco Casado and Richard García from Producciones Entre Líneas (usual collaborators of our label: they have previously done videos for CORAZÓN, ENTRE RÍOS, TREMBLING BLUE STARS, NIZA, LA MONJA ENANA, ME ENVENENO DE AZULES, IBON ERRAZKIN...). The clothes are provided by a young, upandcoming designer, Rocabert, and the video star along with Nacho Fernández is young actress and TV presenter Loreta Sáez (with her own show on Spanish TV channel Cuatro).
 

By the end of 2006 MIRAFIORI included the song "No podemos volver a casa por Navidad" on the Christmas compilation "Cuentos de Navidad", the fourth volume of the series "Teoría y práctica melódica" released yearly by Spanish label Jabalina, where they appear along with other Elefant artists as CORAZÓN, LA MONJA ENANA or LA CASA AZUL.
 

Discography in Elefant:
AUTO-007 MIRAFIORI "No podemos volver a casa" CD (September 2006)

Songs in compilations:
JAB-2036 VV.AA. "Cuentos de Navidad" CD Digipak (December 2006)