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 bass lines with thumping cajon, quijada and conga percussion.

'Afro', recorded mostly in Lima, Peru, features 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, Mangu' Vaquez, Milagros Guerrero, Oscar Avil's 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. The album includes additional production on all tracks by Nitin Sawhney's and studio wizard Toni Economides.

This is a modern work with today's arrangements and the spirit of yesterday.

"Excellent party music" The Daily Telegraph

"Haunting vocals and niftily programmed beats" Independent on Sunday

1. Chinchivi
2. Bandolero
3. Malató
4. Machete
5. Candela
6. Mandinga
7. Zamba Lando
8. Ay Bembe
9. Toromata
10. Cardó
11. Alcajazz
12. Mayoral
13. Regresa / Con La Capilla