Skip to main content

Nicolá Cruz - Rio Branco

Nicola Cruz was born in Limoges, France. His parents are from Ecuador. He uses electronic music as a means of exploring and reconnecting with his family's culture.

I've heard hundreds of attempts to marry electronic music with South American styles. None of it ever quite resonated with me. However, Cruz takes it to a different place. This is not your run of the mill Andean flute and techno beats. None of it sounds tacky or lacking respect for the source material. He samples and mutates the sounds of the Andes and Amazon without losing their soul. It's all there, intact, but presented abstractly. There's a depth here that is worth listening for intently.

Comments

Post a Comment

Trending Tracks

Patti Smith - My Generation (Live)

It's National Women's History Month. If Suzi Quatro was the queen of rock & roll, then Patti Smith was the leader of the female punk insurgency that redefined the genre. The 30th anniversary addition of Horses includes a bonus disc of the album recorded live in 2005 with Tom Verlaine (Television) on guitar and Flea on bass and trumpet. Tucked at the end of the disc is a sublime, nearly seven minute rendition of The Who's "My Generation." Whereas Roger Daltrey's version looked towards the possibilities of the future, Smith's looks back, exuding regret and anger. "My generation. We had dreams... We had dreams, man! And we fucking created George Bush! New generations! Rise up! Rise up! Take to the streets! Make change! The world is yours! Change it! Change it!" Black Lives Matter. Women's March. #MeToo. #Enough. #NeverAgain. This one's for the people in the streets! Change will come.
Post a Comment
Read more

Strawbs - Hero and Heroine

The Strawbs were an English group that dabbled in tasty genres like folk, progressive and glam rock. They are a band that I want... No! I need to dig into more. Rick Wakeman played with them before departing for Yes in 1970. Not nearly as technical as other prog bands, The Strawbs incorporated the softer sounds of fantasy and psychedelic pop. Melody was at the forefront of their songs, unlike groups like King Crimson or ELP who were more invested in musical gymnastics. At times, vocalist David Cousins can sound like early Peter Gabriel, which I like. There is nothing quite like the punch of mellotron combined with bombastic drums and wizard-like vocals. And that's what The Strawbs' "Hero and Heroine" delivers! Are you game for adventure? Suspend your scabbard from your baldric and bring along a flagon of wine. Here is the map for your journey. Click play and take the first step of your quest.
Post a Comment
Read more