Aiko el grupo

Spain's Aiko El Grupo draw from noise pop forerunners such as Joanna Gruesome and Veronica Falls, alongside the rebellious energy of riot grrrl bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile. Their raw and emotionally charged first full-length, Va Totalmente en Serio…, came out in 2020, while the 2023 follow-up Me Estan Apuntando Con un Arma brought denser sonic layers, more prominent guitar weight, and keyboards that stood out more clearly.

Guitarists and vocalists Teresa "Tere" Iñesta and Lara Miera formed the group together with keyboardist and vocalist Bárbara López. After several rehearsals and a handful of casual performances as a three-piece, they rounded out the roster by adding drummer and vocalist Jaime Acosta, who approached them following their debut official gig. The band quickly built an audience through their fiercely energetic concerts, leading to the release of their initial single, "A Mí Ya Me Iba Mal de Antes" b/w "Si Me Conoces Tanto (¿Por Qué Me Haces Sufrir?)," on Elefant Records in March 2020. Both tracks later surfaced on Va Totalmente en Serio… that December, with a limited colored vinyl edition on Elefant selling out almost immediately. Although the members originated in separate cities and relocated for their studies, they had settled in Madrid by that point. A cover of El Columpio Asesino's "Toro" appeared toward the end of 2021.

Carlos Hernández (Nombela) handled production and mixing duties for the second album. Me Estan Apuntando Con un Arma landed on Elefant in October 2023, delivering a thicker, more robust sound paired with equal measures of disillusionment and irreverence. By then, their midyear cover of El Columpio Asesino's "Toro" had accumulated over a million streams.