Uji - Alborada (2018)

Uji spins a hypnotic spell of sounds on debut solo release; “Alborada”.

“Alborada” pays homage to the moment where the darkness and the mysteries of night transform into new possibilities with the first light of daybreak. Electronic production and alchemy never felt so close; creating an overall infectious enchantment that feels ancient at its core while exuding a variety of tasteful sounds from today.

Uji (Luis Maurette) is a nomadic electronic producer and multi-instrumentalist born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised throughout Latin America. Half of the pioneering duo “Lulacruza” since its inception in 2005, with whom he has released 5 albums, a feature film and multiple world tours. His music is dance floor bound: rooted in various indigenous traditions while borrowing from the aesthetics and sound design of electronic music. With his new solo project he has already toured extensively around Europe, the US and Latin America even before his debut album has yet to drop.

Reflecting his experiences in both the Latin American and Afro-Latin diasporas, Uji´s enchantment seems to suspend time, encompassing the present while drawing from primal essences ingrained in our collective unconscious, enrapturing us in the ritual of dance. On tracks like “La Descarriá” featuring Corina Lawrence and Miss Bolivia, Uji skillfully crafts scenes from the high plains of Bolivia in their yearly carnaval celebrations paired with a Tarantino-styled guitar riff. Or we find ourselves transported to Colombia’s tropical “pueblos” (villages) dancing into the sweaty night on his remix of Petrona Martinez’s “La Varita de Mariangola/Milagros”, to daybreak in a Berlin warehouse party with “Kiok” featuring Barrio Lindo. Nothing of Uji’s experimentation feels arbitrary, rather carefully woven into multi textured landscapes of sound, where a thought out process is palpable behind each risk.

Most of the sounds we find in this album are field recordings done by Uji himself, compiling a vast sound bank over the years on his travels all over the globe, including a wide array of instruments from his collection such as; congas, cununo, marimba, balafon, charango, bombo leguero, sonajas, as well as analog drum machines, samplers, synthesizers and vocals. A multi layered assemblage with deep and rich textures from around the world.

The album also features stellar vocalists, artists that have emerged onto the Latin American music scene such as Sof Tot, a long time collaborator of Uji and a part of the internationally acclaimed trio “Fémina”, and breakthrough artist “Anicca”, singer for the viral sensation “Perotá Chingo” who lends her commanding vocals to the title track “Alborada”. Uji also includes a remix for “Petrona Martinez”, a tribute to one of Colombia’s most prestigious singers and artists, an incredible influence on his music and a Latin American folk landmark.