Uji Alborada

Uji spins a hypnotic spell of sounds on his debut solo release; “Alborada”, joining the canon of recent producers re-imaging world sounds within the realms electronic music – think Auntie Flo, Nicola Cruz, Clap! Clap! And Populous. Yet his music has thoughtful nuance and textural depth, exploring a rich organic palette of sounds that will easily appeal to fans of Nicolas Jaar, Pantha Du Prince and John Talabot too.
“Alborada” pays homage to the moment where the darkness and the mysteries of night transform into new possibilities with the first light of daybreak. Electronic production and alchemy never felt so close; creating an infectious enchantment that feels ancient at its core while exuding a futuristic quality.
Having been born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised throughout Latin America – the album reflects his experiences in both the Latin American and Afro-Latin diasporas, Uji´s enchantment seems to suspend time, encompassing the present while drawing from primal essences ingrained in our collective unconscious, enrapturing us in the ritual of dance. On tracks like “La Descarriá” featuring Corina Lawrence and Miss Bolivia, Uji skillfully crafts scenes from the high plains of Bolivia in their yearly carnaval celebrations before transporting us to Colombia’s tropical “pueblos” (villages) - dancing into the sweaty night on his remix of Petrona Martinez’s “Mariangola/Milagros” and then to daybreak in a Berlin warehouse on “Kiok” featuring Barrio Lindo. Nothing of Uji’s experimentation feels arbitrary, rather carefully woven into multi textured landscapes of sound, where a thought out process is palpable behind each track.
Most of the sounds on the album are field recordings done by Uji himself, compiling a vast sound bank over the years on his global travels, including a wide array of instruments from his collection such as; congas, cununo, marimba, balafon, charango, bombo leguero, sonajas, as well as analog drum machines, samplers, synthesizers and vocals. A multi layered assemblage with deep and rich textures from around the world.