Ecuador’s Nicola Cruz’ Takes Listeners on a Spiritual Journey with ‘Siku’
Ecuadorian producer and percussionist Nicola Cruz follows up his 2015 breakthrough debut Prender el Alma, with a great new recording that takes the listener on a spiritual journey inspired by indigenous South American musical roots.
Named after an Andean wind instrument, Siku pays homage to the ancestral sounds of the Andes mountains, fusing together echoing layers of electronic beats and house-like bass synths with Afro-Latin and Eastern-influenced percussive rhythms and melodies into a sound he calls “Andes step.” Through the album, he also incorporates other musical styles from the South American region like cumbia, and Brazilian samba.
The album definitely grooves, however the music also has an overall uplifting spiritual energy throughout the eleven-track recording. Siku is Cruz’s most forward-thinking and experimental release to date, taking his sound to new heights while also paying tribute to his musical heritage. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Nicola Cruz — ‘Siku’
(ZZK Records)
