Digital 21

Miguel Lopez Mora is the musician and video artist that is hidden behind the DIGITAL 21 pseudonym.

He started in 1988. He is one of the pioneers in the Spanish electronic music scene by combining electronic music with classical music instruments (+video art) in different projects. First on his 'videoart live acts' (opera, classical, experimental, classical choir). Later on 'Digital 21 vs Ana Curra' (classical piano). And from 2012 on 2 bands with Stefan Olsdal mixing electronic music with string quartet, church organ, orchestra, etc.

As a multi-instrumentalist musician (guitars, bass, synthesizers, theremin, drums, sitar, etc.), he has composed, arranged, and played every instrument of his solo albums. As a video artist, he has made video art live acts! video creations for their performances, and directed music videos.

In 2010 and 2012 and 2017 he was nominated a finalist in the Music Awards in Spain. Besides awards and mentions by magazines, radios (such as Radio 3) and other media.

In his 33 years career, he has toured Spain, Germany, Belgium, Morocco, Hungary, U.K., Russia, Mexico, U.S.A., China, etc.


PRESS (DIGITAL 21)

- Siglo XXI (Radio 3): "This genius of electronic music now surprises us with a double disc, with collaborations from a real treat. Fireproof and multifaceted. He is a musician, composer, producer and director of music videos. From the conception of the idea to the arrangements. His live shows are a veritable storm of electric shock. "
- Tendencias: ‘’The best national electronic music.’’
- Hipersonica.com: ‘’It’s a multidisciplinary artist who no longer exist, the Leonardo Da Vinci of the electronic age.’’
- Mondo Sonoro: "Miguel is the Genius: Digital 21."
- Rock Zone: "A Spanish genius that produces, composes, writes and plays all gadgets possible in each of his songs. The perfect mixture of electronic and rock music."
- TVE2 / Los conciertos de Radio 3: "Pioneer in Spain of the symbiosis between electronic and guitars from the '90s, a title that now validates with his last job."



DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL ( 2012 - 2021 / ... )


Currently, he has formed a new band/duo: "DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL'' where together with Stefan Olsdal (from the U.K. band PLACEBO) have created a hybrid of electronic music with a string quartet, club sounds, live instruments, etc. Live music is accompanied by video art created by Digital 21 in different formats for different areas, from festivals to theatres or museums. They have already released their first album ( 'inside', 2017 ) with songs like '' War", ", "Symmetry" (Feat. "Cuushe" from Japan) or "Spaces" Featuring Margrét Rán (From the Icelandic band Vök). And they are going to release the second album ('COMPLEX') along with more live performances (accompanied by a string quartet), in 2021/2022...



PRESS (DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL)

• “One of the best albums of the year” (Radio 3 / Spanish National Radio)

• Siglo XXI (Radio 3 / Spain): “Two great creators”
/ “ This is a very special album. It is the fruit of the talent shared between Digital 21 and Stefan Olsdal” / “Inside” is an exciting album. “
• Radio X (UK) “Debut of the year so far”
• Sold out Madrid show in Círculo de Bellas Artes
• 5 Spotify New Music Friday additions
• Best video nominated for the MIN music awards
• Mondo Sonoro (Spain) "a superb, spectacular work."
• EL PAIS (TENTACIONES): (Spain): About their Live Band in concert: "The soul of the machines"
• XLR8R (UK) “A sprawling hybrid of club-based sounds and organic instrumentation.” / "stunning interpretation of Moderat's "Rusty Nails."
• TVE2/La2 News (Spain): Album review “Organic Electronics that grow live, a clash between strings and synthesizers, a sensory journey in which the essence of both musicians is breathed”
• TVE2/La2 “Atención Obras” (Spain) “Brilliant. Very emotional music”


MADE FOR HUMANS (FROM 2020 / ...)

“MADE FOR HUMANS” is DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL's instrumental band.

After 7 years working as DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL, they had a lot of instrumental/cinematic songs that didn’t quite fit. So during the 2020 lockdown, from their recording studios, they formed a second band: "MADE FOR HUMANS". It’s the same two artists with the same love for classical instruments (like the string quartet, piano, etc), but here showing their most instrumental side.


FESTIVALS

He has performed at festivals such as: SZIGET FESTIVAL (Budapest), INTRO (Beijing), Sónar, Klubbers, Actual, Sonorama, Contempopranea, SantiRock, Ecopop, Universimad, FIB (Benicassim), GOA, FIMA (International Festival of Advanced Music), ULTRA (Miami), White Night (Washington), SFS Festival (Mexico D.F.) and many others.

And now with Digital 21 + Stefan Olsdal (Live Band!): POHODA FESTIVAL (Slovakia), SONORAMA FESTIVAL (Spain), Internationales FilmFestival Braunschweig (Germany), Etc...


MUSEUMS

Not only he has played in electronic festivals, but also in museums as: GUGGENHEIM, Contemporary Art Museum (MUSAC), Patio Herreriano Contemporary Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest), MACBA, Cervantes Institute in Fez (Morocco), Culture and Art Institute in Mexico D.F. World Trade Center, MUA, MACBA, Cervantes Institute in Beijing, Shanghai, etc.
Recently he collaborated with UCM choir, in a theatre in the "International Day of the Book", mixing classical choir music with electronic music.



BALLET

Through the years he has filmed countless classic or contemporary ballet dancers from USA, China, and the Spanish National Ballet for his video art. DIGITAL 21 has been claimed by the American ballet company "Company I e" to compose and play the music for his new show of contemporary dance at the Lansburgh Theatre at the Harman Center For The Arts in Washington (U.S.A.).
He has also composed and produced the music for the choreography of the American dancer Jason G. based on a poem by Federico García Lorca,''The little mute boy’’, who is touring now.



VS.

Along his career, many artists have required the services of DIGITAL 21 as a composer, arranger, musician, producer, ...

- Paul Schroeder (producer of Stone Roses, The Verve, etc. ) or Mike Marsh (mastering engineer of the most iconic albums of electronic music).
- Fangoria, who asked him to sing on a Mexico’s tour. Also with Aviador Dro in Madrid.
- Vive la Fête who called him to be his guest artist at the premier gig of his last album in Madrid.
- Invisible Limits, who invited him to sing their version of Joy Division in their last concert.
- OUTSIDER (2009) (the fourth lp of his discography) with the collaboration with artists such as Stefan Olsdal (Placebo), Dave Tarrida (Tresor, Germany), Miki Craven (Tresor), etc.

- Digital 21 Vs Ana Curra (2011)
In his fifth Lp Miguel mixes all their instruments with classical piano. They have performed live in theatres and also in the premiere of Ultra Festival in Miami.

His collaborations and works with other artists are a constant throughout his career.



VIDEO ART

In the audiovisual field, his work starts in 1990 with the creation of his first piece of video art,
since then he has written, directed and edited all his visual works. Besides giving a conference of video art and Master Class for years, DIGITAL 21 has a "VIDEO ART LIVE ACT!" which combines experimental music with video art. A live performed in museums such as Guggenheim, theatres and also as closing his video art conferences.
In this field, he has collaborated with artists such as the painter and photographer Ouka Leele or classical dancers of the National Ballet.
He has realized Video Art works like “Triste”(2009) which had his premiere in the 29 International Contemporary Art Fair of Spain 2010 (ARCO), with a Live Act! during ‘’Atmósfera’’, an experimental electronic music radio program (Radio 3). Triste was also in the Málaga Spanish Cinema Festival and has the second audience award in the Madrid Video Art Festival 2010 (Madatac).
He has made several video installations that have led on tours like in 1999-2002 when with 9 TVs and his own video creations made an audiovisual show for festivals like FIB, Santirock, Sonorama, etc... And in concert halls such as Riviera and Razzmataz. Years later that assembly has been recreated in some museums and theatres.




RECORDING STUDIO

DIGITAL 21 has also done work for radio, television and cinema (ads/promos for the Fox channel, different pieces of music for tv campaigns, music for programs such as Metrópolis of TVE, DGT campaign, jingles for Radio 3, etc).



MASTER CLASS

In addition to teaching video art, Ableton Live or making video clips for years in Artenet (School of Arts and Technology in Madrid), and The Author’s Foundation, he has been claimed by universities such as Valencia, Alicante, Málaga ... and other parts of the world like China or U.S.A., to teach electronic music or video art Master Class.



DJ LIVE ACT!

DIGITAL 21 develops the club sound in his ELECTRONIC LIVE ACT!, live in which he plays instruments like synthesizers, theremin, samplers, voice, fxs,… etc. Focused on the dance floor and electronic clubs. With this live he has toured clubs worldwide. This is one of the reasons why he joined a German booking where he shared team with Dj Hell or Make the Girl Dance. He was also called from the German label Datapunk Records to make the official remix of the single '' Mother'' by Anthony Rother''.




REMIXED BY:

"Rebellion" (Remixed by Dave Clarke)
"High in the sky" (Remixed by Dave Clarke)
"High in the sky" (Remixed by Timo Maas)
"High in the sky" (Remixed by James Teej)
"Spaces" (Remixed by Timo Maas & James Teej)
"Spaces" (Remixed by Dave Tarrida)

Other Remixers: Alex Guerra, Ed is Dead, David Kano (Cycle), Big Toxic (DIrty Princess, Fura Dels Baus, ...), Ioan Gamboa, Cumhur Jay, etc...


TIMO MAAS REMIXED BY DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL
Utopie Remix



ABLETON LIVE

DIGITAL 21 is together with Daft Punk, NIN, Richie Hawtin, Mogwai, Sasha, and Hot Chip, one of the artists worldwide of Ableton Live.




CLUB / DJ SET

Currently, DIGITAL 21 is the resident and/or promoter of several clubs in Madrid: ‘’LET'S DANCE CLUB’’, ‘’INDIE DISCO CLUB’’, ‘’ARCADIA’’, ‘’S.E.C.R.E.T’’ and ‘’FRIDAY’’ in venues as Siroco, Maravillas Club, Pirandello, Siglo21, Denombrepúblico, Charada, Taboo, etcetc.




DIFFERENT LIVE PROJECTS

Currently, he has 3 different live performances:

- DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL (+STRING QUARTET) IN CONCERT (Festivals, concert halls, etc.).
- DIGITAL 21 DJ ELECTRONIC LIVE ACT! (Electronic clubs and festivals).
- DIGITAL 21 VIDEO ART LIVE ACT! experimental music with Video Art (museums).




CONFERENCES/LECTURES

He has made conferences worldwide. The CAFA (Central Academy of Fine Arts) in Beijing, Sónar Festival, University of Málaga, Faculty of Fine Arts in Valencia, University of Alicante, Cervantes Institute in Beijing or the French Embassy in U.S.A. are just a few examples.

He currently teaches three conferences:

- “VIDEO ART: THE AUDIOVISUAL FREEDOM.”

- "THE ARTIST IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM: THE RETURN OF DO IT YOURSELF."

- “VIDEO CLIP: FROM PROMOTION TO EMOTION”.



Press & Contact:
p.estereo@gmail.com
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DISCOGRAFÍA SELECCIONADA
DISCOGRAPHY (ONLY STUDIO ALBUMS)

In his records, he produces and plays all the instruments (sitar, theremin, vocals, guitars, analog synthesizers, ukelele, bass, drums, etc.).

1. The Sound Station (Roadrunner Records, 2000).
2. Espacio Infinito (V2 Records, 2005).
3. Nuclear (Junk Records, 2007).
4. Outsider (Double album, Algoenblanco Records, 2010).
5. Digital 21 vs. Ana Curra (PIAS Records, 2012).

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With Stefan Olsdal:

6. DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL 'inside' (Kobalt/Everlasting Records, 2017).

7. MADE FOR HUMANS 'Made For Humans' (Electronic Bits Records 2020).

8. DIGITAL 21 + STEFAN OLSDAL 'COMPLEX' (Electronic Bits Records 2021).