Silvania (band)
Silvania | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Lima, Peru |
| Genres | Shoegaze, dream pop, ambient pop, experimental (later techno/electronica) |
| Years active | 1989–2008 (as duo) 2008–present (Mario solo) |
| Labels | Elefant Records Click New Wave |
| Members | Mario Silvania (Mario) |
| Past members | Cocó Ciëlo (Jorge Luis Revilla; died 2008) |
Silvania was a pioneering Peruvian musical project founded in 1989 by Mario Silvania (Mario) and Cocó Ciëlo (Cocó, real name Jorge Luis Revilla). The duo is widely regarded as one of the earliest practitioners of shoegaze and dream pop in Latin America, blending ambient textures, ethereal vocals, and influences from bands such as Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine.[1][2]
The project emerged from Peru's underground music scene before the duo relocated to Spain (initially to Valencia and later to Madrid), where they further developed their career and became key figures in the Spanish indie and alternative music landscape of the 1990s and early 2000s.[3]
History
Silvania signed with the influential Spanish indie label Elefant Records in the early 1990s. Their debut album, Miel Nube Hiel, was released in 1992, followed by the critically acclaimed shoegaze LP En Cielo de Océano (1993), the maxi-single Paisaje III (1994), the single Avalovara (1995), and later works such as Naves Sin Puertos (1998) and Juniperfin.[4][3]
By the late 1990s, Silvania began incorporating more electronic and techno elements into their sound, contributing to soundtracks, art installations (including work for the Venice Biennale), and remixes by artists such as Autechre and Scanner.
In the early 2000s, Mario and Cocó shifted their focus to a new pop-oriented project called Cielo (or Ciëlo), releasing material on their own label, Click New Wave, while reserving the Silvania name for ambient, soundtrack, and experimental works.[5]
Tragically, Cocó Ciëlo was murdered in Madrid on September 29, 2008, at age 40,[6] bringing the original duo's active collaboration to an end.[3]
Since 2008, Mario Silvania has continued the project as a solo artist based in Lima, Peru, releasing ambient and soundtrack-oriented albums throughout the 2010s and 2020s, including Todos Los Astronautas Dicen Que Pasaron Por La Luna (2021), Banda Sonora para Cometas y Halos Lunares (2022), and Aeolian (2023).[1]
Legacy
Silvania is widely celebrated as a cult act and an early precursor to Latin American shoegaze and dream pop, influencing later generations of Peruvian and Spanish alternative musicians. The band has experienced renewed interest in the 2020s through digital reissues, availability on Bandcamp, and online appreciation within shoegaze communities.[2][7]
Discography
- Selected releases
- Miel Nube Hiel (1992)
- En Cielo de Océano (1993)
- Paisaje III (maxi-single, 1994)
- Avalovara (single, 1995)
- Naves Sin Puertos (1998)
- Juniperfin (late 1990s/early 2000s)
- Solineide Says 1991–1993 (compilation/reissue, 2003)
- Todos Los Astronautas Dicen Que Pasaron Por La Luna (2021)
- Banda Sonora para Cometas y Halos Lunares (2022)
- Aeolian (2023)
References
- ^ a b "A Glimpse of the Past and Present of Silvania". The Vinyl Hole. March 13, 2024. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ a b "SILVANIA". Bandcamp. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ a b c "Silvania Biography". Elefant Records. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ "Silvania". La Fonoteca. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ "Cielo Biography". Elefant Records. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ "ESCLARECIDO EL ASESINATO DEL DJ "COCÓ CIELO" Y DETENIDAS TRES PERSONAS". Servimedia. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ "Silvania Appreciation Post". Reddit r/shoegaze. March 28, 2023. Retrieved 2026-01-10.