Nicola Cruz

Nicola Cruz’s music beautifully invokes the landscapes and rituals of his homeland, Ecuador, a country that contains both the majestic Andes mountains and the mighty Amazon jungle. His sound is an amalgamation of folkloric traditions and ancestral mythologies, crafted with fine detail and slick production techniques.

In 2012 Nicola collaborated with Nicolas Jaar on Clown & Sunset, and has since worked towards his debut album on ZZK Records.
Between past and present, traditional and modern, Nicola fits into a growing scene of South American artists exploring local indigenous and Afro-cosmologies, among fellow artists and ZZK label-mates like Chancha Via Circuito.

For his debut on Multi Culti, Nicola has created Mantis, and it is arguably his most accomplished club record to date, a 105bpm tribal chugger that flexes shamanic authority over hearts and minds. Invocacion goes even deeper into the new, new age, presenting traditional instrumentation and mysticism in a modern framework. Australia’s Xanga joins in with a super lively, rhythmic remix that is as joyful as it is deep. Finally, Brazil’s L_cio presents a version that strips things down for club play, upping the tempo while keeping the characteristic flavour of the flute.