Micro Audio Waves is a Portuguese musical group that originally started as a duo. Formed by Flak, the guitarist from Rádio Macau, and C. Morgado, who handles electronic instruments, the band emerged in 2000. In their early days, they focused on compositions with a minimalist and experimental orientation, a style that defines their self-titled debut album released in 2002.
The project took a new direction with the addition of Claudia Efe on vocals as a permanent member. Their sound shifted from purist electronics to electro-acoustic songs with more classic structures, all while maintaining an experimental edge. Their 2004 album, “No Waves,” was hailed as one of the most exciting releases of the year by the BBC’s John Peel and went on to win two Qwartz Electronic Music Awards in Paris for best album and best music video.
Their most notable success came with the song “Fully Connected,” featuring Claudia Efe delivering a sultry vocal performance of assembly instructions for studio equipment. The lyrics were cheekily modified—for instance, changing “until the cable is fully connected” to “until the body is fully connected.” This creative approach to lyricism continued in the song “Sold Out,” which utilized instructions from a sound processor.
In April 2007, they released “Odd Size Baggage,” featuring tracks like “Down by Flow” and the title song. The latter continued their tradition of using instruction manuals for lyrics, specifically from a StopTrack anti-theft service—ironically the only thing left behind after a band member’s laptop was stolen. The tracks “Down by Flow” and “Long Tongue” were both nominated for the 2008 Qwartz Awards, with “Long Tongue” winning in its category.
By 2009, with Francisco Rebelo joining the lineup, the group collaborated with choreographer Rui Horta to create “Zoetrope.” This multimedia production functioned as a staged concert, blending music, video, movement, and poetry. After its world premiere in Moscow, the show toured extensively both in Portugal and abroad, leading to a CD/DVD release in November of that year.
More recently, the band reunited with Rui Horta to develop “Glimmer,” a production that fuses performance art with a live concert, visual arts, and dance. Continuing their legacy of interdisciplinary art, the group spent 2024 touring the show across the country, further exploring the intersection of technology and human expression.
