Novalima sounds like a bridge between a centuries-old coastal village and a high-end underground club in London or Lima. The music is anchored by the woody, resonant snap of the cajon and the earthy power of Afro-Peruvian chants, but it is entirely modern in its execution. You'll hear deep, sub-heavy basslines and shimmering synth pads that wrap around traditional melodies, creating a sound that is both grounded in history and floating in a digital ether.
What makes them truly distinctive is their restraint. While many global fusion acts lean into frantic tempos, Novalima excels in the mid-tempo pocket, allowing the complex polyrhythms of the percussion to breathe. They treat traditional voices not just as samples, but as the emotional heart of the track, often processing them through dub-style delays and reverbs that make the music feel expansive and cinematic.
Start with the album 'Afro' to hear the foundational blueprint of their sound, then move to 'Coba Coba' for a more polished, high-energy take on their signature style. It is the perfect soundtrack for moments that require a sophisticated but undeniable physical groove.
Novalima is a Peruvian band. Novalima's style blends Afro-Peruvian music with Electronica, Latin American beats, and other contemporary genres. Novalima is a Latin Grammy nominated band formed in 2001 by four childhood friends, with music based on afro-peruvian percussion and chants (many from times of slavery), mixed with influences from Dub Reggae, Electronic beats, funk, soul & afrobeat. As of 2021, Novalima has released 6 studio albums and 5 remix albums, and has toured extensively throughout the globe playing in the most prestigious festivals: Central Park Summer Stage, Chicago's Millennium Park, Montreal Jazz Fest, Womad, Womex, Roskilde Festival, amongst others.
Shares nu jazz, downtempo, tropical (subgenres); sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); soulful, energetic, nostalgic (moods)
Shares chanting, harmonized (vocal style); sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); downtempo, nu jazz, dub (subgenres)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); downtempo, tropical, nu jazz (subgenres)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); nu jazz, funk, downtempo (subgenres)
Shares downtempo, tropical, nu jazz (subgenres); soulful, energetic, joyful (moods)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); downtempo, dub, tropical (subgenres)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); urban night, rooftop, festival (atmosphere)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); soulful, nostalgic, joyful (moods)
Shares tropical, funk, nu jazz, chanting (subgenre)
Shares dub, nu jazz, chanting, soulful (subgenre)
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