A collective composed by a fluctuating number of non-musicians of an indeterminate origin-although established in the North-Western outskirts of Madrid- Migala is not what we usually understand as "a group". From the summer of 1995, this artistic comunna has been working with four-tracks recording machines, one or two domestic gadgets and some proper rock instruments, apart from a computer used in the search for classical songs strained through a rarefied filter.
On their most developed side -the recording one- and after two demos in March and November of 1996, they published, in 1997, an extensive first debut album, "Diciembre 3 a.m.". It is shown, in the eighteen tracks of the recording, the constant, personalised and anarchical way in which Migala work with the songs (the unity in the lyrics, melody and texture of the voice and the musical environment) and a kind of brief sonorous cuts with a most experimental character named "cuñas" by the group itself. In order to build both formulae -that are not always separated- they occasionally use appropriations, revisions, collages and samplings. An accustomed ear may say that they sound like Tom Waits, Tortoise, Neil Young, Nick Drake, George Moustaki, Nick Cave, Palace, Leonard Cohen or Lambchop, but with so many reserves that tradition couldn't avoid "Diciembre 3 a.m." to be chosen one of the best three Spanish LP's in 1997 by publications as Rock De Lux, Avui or AB.
"Así Duele Un Verano" was the title of their second LP (thirteen classical and non-typical, dense and introspective songs) that opened them the doors of some international markets with a common denominator: the emotional and instrumental tension. "Así Duele Un Verano" was published in France with an extra CD-EP, "The North On Fire", and some new themes. It was also distributed in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Holland.
After playing in FIB 2000, taking part in the compilatory "Brumario" and in a CD-Single tribute to The Cure, and after offering some concerts in Gijón, Namur (Belgium) and Madrid, they published a 7" in El Club Del Single (Sub Pop). The themes are "Sad Corner Song" (completely new) and "The North On Fire".
In 2000, the company Acuarela has published "Arde", Migala's third album. In 2002 Acuarela has published "Restos de un incendio". Migala are: Rubén Moreno (drums, percussion, violin), Jordi Sancho (piano rhodes, keyboards, bass), Coque Yturriaga (keyboards, noises, delays, electric guitar, chorus), Abel Hernández (voice, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, melodics, noises, special effects), Diego Yturriaga (accordion, dulzaina, Casiotone, irons, chorus) and Rodrigo Hernández (bass, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, melodics, chorus, noises, special effects).

www.acuareladiscos.com/migala/index.htm

• Diciembre 3 a.m. (CD, Acuarela, 1997)
• Así duele un verano (CD, Acuarela, 1998)
• Piedrita / Finnegans's Late (Single, Elefant, 1999)
  
• Así duele un verano + The North on Fire EP (2 CD, Labels, France, 2000)
• A tribute to The Cure: Plainsong (CD-Single, Acuarela, 2000)
• The North of Fire / Sad Corner Song (Single, Sub Pop, 2000)
• Arde (CD, Acuarela, 2000)
• Restos de un incendio (CD, Acuarela, 2002)

"Construit comme une dérive nocturne, découpé en galeries de portraits, histoires courtes et travellings instrumentaux, Arde s’attache à débusquer les derniers soubresauts d’un monde en cours d’effondrement, de décomposition." (Richard Robert - LES INROCKUPTIBLES - FRANCE)

"Interesting mix of samples, country, and art-rock is what best describes Migala. This sounds at times like the soundtrack to 'From Dusk to Dawn' and it's not surprisingly that Migala has been renowned for their soundtrack success for the Spanish play 'Flors'. Migala has a really odd sound but I find myself strangely attached to it. The album was wonderfully engineered and mixed to allow the sounds and music to fade and fall almost at its own will." (SMOTHER - USA)

"Affected, onirical, descriptive, evocative... Abel Hernandez's group challenges again the adjective collectors with a third album full of tempting fragility." (Jordi Bianciotto - EL PERIODICO DE CATALUNYA)

"Inspired and brave, the group from Madrid Migala holds a honour position among the pupils of classical rock. We are talking about Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits of The Velvet Underground's sweetest side." (Victor Lenore - LA RAZON)

"In their third LP, Migala still invoke twisted lines of melancholy and memory, lighting the sounds in order to give another chance to those moments that were too brief, too magnificient, that maybe only throbbed in the throad of ash conversations and blank pages." (Juan Cervera - ROCK DE LUX)