Artist Name

Tristeza

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Members
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Popularity
27

Followers
25,370

Origin
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Genre
Instrumental

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Active
1997 to Present...

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Most Loved Tracks

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	Golden Hill	236,608		1 users
	Memphis Emphasis	74,970		1 users

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Artist Biography
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Tristeza is an American post-rock instrumental band that formed in San Diego, California, United States, in the spring of 1997. Known for their melancholic yet often uplifting sound, the band has gone through several lineup changes and has released numerous albums and EPs over their career.

The original 1997 lineup included Christopher Sprague (guitars), James LaValle (guitars), Luis Hermosillo (bass), and James Lehner (drums). Stephen Swesey joined shortly after on keyboards, solidifying the quintet that would record their early material. The band's name, which means "sadness" in Spanish and Portuguese, alludes to their emotional instrumental music.

They quickly released their first single, Foreshadow, in the spring of 1998. This was followed by extensive touring across the United States, allowing them to refine their songs for their first full-length album.

Tristeza recorded their debut album, Spine and Sensory, in San Francisco in the autumn of 1998, and it was released in April 1999. The album was well-received and noted for blending math rock structures with atmospheric, new age influences.

Their second album, Dream Signals in Full Circles, was recorded in Chicago in just two weeks during a break from touring in April 2000 and released later that year. This led to their first headlining international tours in Europe and Japan in early 2001.

In the early 2000s, both Stephen Swesey and James LaValle left the band to focus on other projects, with LaValle continuing with his acclaimed solo project, The Album Leaf. After a brief hiatus, the core members regrouped in 2004, bringing in new members Sean Ogilvie (keyboards) and Alison Ables (guitars). This new lineup recorded one of their most celebrated albums, A Colores (2005).

The band continued to release music, including En Nuestro Desafio (2006) and Fate Unfolds (2009), while members dealt with the challenges of living in different cities (Oakland, Tijuana, and Michigan). Their most recent studio album, Paisajes, was recorded in 2010 with Tim Green, the producer of their first album.

While the band has been active for over two decades, they have not released new material in recent years, with members focusing on other ventures.


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Last Edit by HiImDannyGanz
23rd Oct 2025

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