Percussive, dubby, dancefloor sounds from Afro-Peru

Afro is the first international release by four Lima born producers known as Novalima. For the last few years they have been on a mission to bring Afro-Peruvian music up-to-date in the same way as Nicomedes Santa Cruz and others did decades ago when the fragile existence of this music was fading. The result is magnificent. Its raw and acoustic but at the same time electronic. Dark but soulful. Deep and haunting at times. Killer dub basslines with thumping cajon, quijada and conga percussions.They are joined on this album by some of the finest Afro-Peruvian musicians on cajon, guitar and vocals giving every song a live feel and the album includes additional production on all tracks by Nitin Sawhney’s and Da Lata’s studio wizard Toni Economides. Hypnotic African rhythm patterns are blended with unique percussion instruments (donkey skeleton jaw etc...) According to Martin Morales (I-Tunes/Songlines) "If you loved Gotan Project you will love this and in my mind these are much better worked songs, with greater diversity and depth."

'Afro', recorded mostly in Lima, features participations from Afro-Peruvian legends such as Nicomedes Santa Cruz, Lucila Campos, Lucha Reyes, and Zambo Cavero; in addition to renowned Afro-Peruvian musicians such as Juan Medrano Cotito, Mangue Vaquez, Milagros Guerrero, Oscar Avilés Jr., and Pedro Urrutia. They have managed to capture the real soul of Afro-Peru. You can hear it in 100 year old slavery chants, Cotito's thumping cajon playing, in Mangue’s percussion ensembles (Mangue is grandson of Porfirio Vasquez’, considered the founder of the Afro-Peruvian movement), in Milagros’ emotive voice, and Oscar Aviles Jr's sweet guitar playing.

This is a modern work with today's arrangements but the spirits of yesterday. 'Afro' kick starts a new chapter in the story of this amazing music...it begins here and now...

For more info: www.novalima.net or www.myspace.com/novalima

Buy this release here