ZZK Downbeat | Electronica | Leftfield 7 Items

Siku is Nicola Cruz’s eagerly anticipated new full-length album and first since 2015’s game-changing Prender El Alma. Building from where he left off, Nicola continues to develop his exploration of global sounds and cultures, and his fascination for electronics, translating this knowledge into expressive sound pieces that marry earthy textures with electronic sounds. With his new album, the in-demand Ecuadorian producer broadens his horizons beyond South America exploring a rich palette of sounds the world over. On ‘Siete’ and ‘Obsidiana’, Hindu harmonies are present amongst raw percussion, which is a common factor throughout the album. ‘Okami's colourful jazz-inflected vibraphone creates a woozy, alluring atmosphere that captures the rainy night it was recorded on (which can be heard in the takes) and the album closer ‘Esu Enia’ is rooted in the raw power of the African balafon, a piece made in collaboration with Portugal's Marcio Pinto. Yet Nicola doesn’t neglect the sounds of his home continent, something instantly apparent on album opener ‘Arka’, the Colombian cumbia rhythms of ‘Hacia Delante’ and the poetic ‘Criançada’, sung in Portuguese and owing much to the melodies and rhythms of Brazilian samba. All of Nicola’s work is approached with a high level of experimentation and sound design and what is apparent through-out is his ability to move you – whether your mind and soul, with mystical, ethereal songs, or your body, with tracks that wouldn’t be out of place spilling out of club speakers in the early hours of the morning. All of which are here on ‘Siku’.

The latest sonic adventure by King Coya, danceable alter ego of Gaby Kerpel (De La Guarda, Fuerza Bruta) a pioneer of Latin American folklore fused with electronic music, is called “Tierra de King Coya” (Land of King Coya) where rhythms such as the wayno and instruments from the Andes like the ronroco and tarka, are digitally intertwined with the ritual of dance and celebration. Like a sorcerer from the future, King Coya creates a map of sound exploration navigating the continent through his digital point of view. For this project he incorporates his own voice and also plays a smattering of live instruments.
Since his debut as King Coya with “Cumbias de Villa Donde” (2009) Gaby has produced remixes for artists such as Amadou & Mariam, Brazilian Girls, Julieta Venegas, Luzmila Carpio, Chancha Via Circuito, Tom Tom Club, Petrona Martinez and Magin Díaz amongst others. As well as forming part of the band Terraplén (2010) produced by Santaolalla and the album “Tira Torito” along the coplera Balvina Ramos.
The journey through the “Land of King Coya” begins with “Te Digo Wayno” a powerful track that highlights the joy of dance, and makes a poetic introduction of the Queen Cholas, a dance trio that performs with him during live shows. A true ceremony of celebration that integrates the audience into a singular immersive experience.
The album features diverse guest singers such as: La Yegros - musical companion from his first shows at Zizek Club and for whom he has produced 3 albums. On the first single “Algo” (Something) a sort of kuduro mutates into and Andean dub. For the song “Tierra de King Coya” a combination of Colombian buyerengue and Argentine carnavalito we find La Walichera’s enchanting voice. Balvina Ramos collaborates on “Pa que yo Te Cure” a remix of the song “Linda Flor” (Tira Torito - 2012). Iara Nara - one of the Queen Cholas - jumps in on the track “Pachamá” with airs of a coplera singer over dancehall beats, reinforcing the main objective of bringing folklore to the dancefloor.
“Como Saber” (How to know) and “Dorremi” invoke his foundational album “Carnavalito”, (Nonesuch Records 2001) instilling a particular energy to this album that aims to represent the journey in which Gaby Kerpel ultimately becomes King Coya. The end of this road comes with “Icaro Llama Planta” alongside Isabel Pinedo Rengifo’s mystical voice, a healer from the Shipibo community (Peru), whos shamanic chants invite the listener to reconnect with the earth and give closure to this festive ceremony.

Mitú are the electronic music duo of Julian Salazar, ex-guitarist of Bogota’s live-electronic band Bomba Estereo, and Franklin Tejedor, a master percussionist of Colombia’s great rhythmic traditions. Together they make music that draws from a wide spectrum of electronic influences, anchored to the percussive, tribal beats of their native Colombia.
In a break with the group’s tendency to record albums in relatively short time frames, the album was recorded over a longer period, giving greater importance to the sound recording of ideas at the time of their conception and less importance to post-production.
This time around, Mitú took the time to let the record mature in the studio and get the ideas to come together, making an album in which the sound is far removed from that of their previous records, almost totally electronic and minimizing the acoustic parts, conceived with the intention of being performed live in its entirety. As such, the album has a frenetic quality that captures the raw excitement of the live shows the band are famed for.

Limited edition for Record Store Day 2017!
Following the release of Prender el Alma (2015) and Nicola Cruz’s quick rise to stardom, the young Ecuadorian called on a crop of producers for remix duty. Serendipitously, Quantic, one of Nicola’s inspirations, answered the call in his signature way with a bass-heavy, jazzy and psychedelic display of genius that will move any dance-floor that thrives on Global beats.
The release comes on limited edition 180g 12” vinyl - the b-side lovingly etched with original artwork.

A modern classic of electronic world-music. Finally back for good!