‘Almas Conectadas’ (Connected Souls) [being released 22nd October via Tru Thoughts] is the sophomore album from renowned British producer Will “Quantic” Holland and Colombian folklore singer-songwriter Nidia Góngora. Bubbling with symphonic flourishes, the release explores the unique, rich, and mystical musical traditions of the Colombian Pacific Coast while being recorded at Quantic’s Brooklyn-based studio and creative powerhouse Selva. Delving into the concept of the album, Nidia explains:
“Almas Conectadas refers to the interrelation of cosmic energies, the aura and the way they manifest from the abstract; we are more than body and flesh and there are countless elements that connect us as beings that interact in the universe, physical contact does not always exist to be connected.”
The new album follows the duo’s critically acclaimed debut ‘Curao’ which alongside a world tour, received support from Q, Songlines, PopMatters, The Guardian and was named BBC 6Music’s Album of the Day. Their work together has grown into one of the most influential partnerships of Quantic’s career, including the formidable collaboration “Tierra Mama” from Quantic’s latest solo album ‘Atlantic Oscillations’.
Considered one of the foremost artists of the marimba music of the South Pacific region, and a guardian of the oral tradition, Nidia Góngora fronts leading regional outfits including Grupo Canalon and plays a key role as a counsellor to younger groups. Now based in the city of Cali, Góngora was born into a musical family in the Afro-Colombian community of Timbiquí. Commenting on the current crisis in Colombia, Nidia says: “We are in a situation of uncertainty, of fear. It’s chaotic.”
Quantic, aka Will Holland, is a British born musician, producer & DJ splicing electronica & global rhythms saturated in the sunkissed soundwaves of the Caribbean. One of the most talented and prolific artists in the world of alternative dance music today, Holland now works from Brooklyn, New York, after recent years in the highlands of Bogotá, Colombia. Quantic has developed a sound that bridges heritage and progression, marrying spontaneous musicianship with deep, exciting tonality.
Holland first became familiar with Góngora’s voice through the wall of his home in Cali, where he lived from 2007 for several years after visiting on a musical discovery mission. “My neighbour used to play a song from a Grupo Canalon CD on repeat”, he recalls. “From that moment, I realised how special Nidia’s voice was; then I got to know her compositions and lyrics, which are always incredibly beautiful.”
With three singles fronting the album; jubilant “Balada Borracha (Drunken Ballard)”, orchestral “Macumba de Marea” and tender “Vuelve”, ‘Almas Conectadas’ explores the nostalgia of impossible love, celebrates eternal bachelors, mourns souls lost at sea, and tells stories of dwellers from Timbiqui (whose location and cultural contrasts provides endless inspiration). Protecting the essence of the region’s rich songbook, and treating the cultural traditions of the Pacific coast with the utmost reverence, ‘Almas Conectadas’ is the perfect marriage of musical diversity, collective creation and intercultural dialogue. Nidia Gongora’s magnetic voice and captivating songwriting is matched to the unparalleled musicianship and pioneering production of Quantic, across eleven flawless tracks.
DISCOVER NIDIA GÓNGORA: SPOTIFY / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK / TWITTER
DISCOVER QUANTIC: BANDCAMP / SPOTIFY / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / WEBSITE / SOUNDCLOUD / YOUTUBE
Quantic & Nidia Góngora – ‘Almas Conectadas’
01. Doncella
02. El Chiclan
03. Balada Borracha
04. Almas Conectadas
05. Pronto Alivio
06. Adiós Chacón
07. Adorar la sangre
08. Orozul
09. Macumba de Marea
10. El Avión
11. Vuelve
No comments