Hailing from Linda-a-Velha and emerging in the 1980s with an initial post-punk edge, Astronauta Desaparecido was originally formed by Fred, António Dias, and Carlos Raimundo. The members themselves viewed the group as a sort of escapist side project, leading to a history of being picked up and set aside multiple times over the years. It wasn’t until the early 90s that the project was reactivated with a more committed approach, shifting its focus toward a sound deeply rooted in electronics and experimentalism.
At that time, Carlos Raimundo—who handled bass, percussion computers, and samplers—was also a member of Duplex Longa, a role that helped open several doors for the group. The lineup still featured Fred on guitar and sampler, alongside António Dias, who provided vocals and managed tape manipulation and guitars. Together with an RX5 drum machine, they began crafting a distinct sonic identity that moved away from their rock origins and toward something more mechanical and atmospheric.
In 1990, they produced and distributed a demo tape featuring the tracks “Veronika” and “Porco do Mar.” While the first track stayed closer to their past, imbued with the melodic spirit characteristic of many bands within the 4AD label’s universe, the second track was already dance-oriented, heavily influenced by Electronic Body Music (EBM). This release marked a clear turning point, showing a band that was comfortable navigating between ethereal melodies and the rigid, driving rhythms of the industrial underground.
In many ways, the group was becoming a pioneer in Portugal of what is now known as “appropriationism.” By using fragments taken from commercially released music, their goal was to treat existing recordings as a vast public database of sound. They deconstructed these samples so thoroughly that the original sources were rarely recognizable in the final mix. This method turned the act of sampling into a form of abstract collage, reinventing the familiar into something entirely alien.
The band’s music was defined by the fusion of elements from completely different musical families. Esthetically, it sat as a hybrid between ambient textures and noise, featuring rock resonances and industrial influences, all driven by a purely experimental motivation. It was a dense and challenging soundscape where contrasting genres were forced to coexist, creating a unique atmosphere that felt both futuristic and gritty, perfectly capturing the avant-garde spirit of the era.
By 1991, a new lineup emerged, now reduced to the duo of Carlos Raimundo and Carlos Paes. Their creative process utilized an impressive arsenal of tools, including four cassette recorders, CD players, turntables, radios, and even televisions, alongside samplers, drum machines, and traditional instruments like flutes and electric guitars. Under this formation, they released the cassette “Sound and Fury” through the Porto-based label Tragic Figures, further cementing their status in the experimental scene.
Carlos Paes was, in fact, Rui Eduardo Paes, a critic who had already served as the producer for Duplex Longa’s CD “Forças Ocultas” earlier that same year. His involvement brought an extra layer of technical and intellectual depth to the project. Through this collaboration, Astronauta Desaparecido finalized their evolution into one of the most singular and daring entities in Portuguese electronic music, leaving behind a legacy of sonic exploration that remains a fascinating relic of the 90s underground.
