Self Oscillation by Nicola Cruz

‘Self Oscillation’ is made up of 5 club-ready psychedelic workouts swaying with natural momentum, from Ecuadorian superstar Nicola Cruz, who makes his 2nd appearance on London’s Rhythm Section INTL.

The internationally renowned producer, Nicola Cruz, has been instrumental in pioneering the sound of Andean music over the last decade. Born and raised in Ecuador, Nicola has found his own unique way to tap into Latin America’s illustrious musical past to create something utterly contemporary. His previous projects have had the 4 elements running through as major themes: Fire and lava erupted during his sophomore album, Siku, with an Ecuadorian volcano doubling up as a recording space. And now, with his second Rhythm Section release, we are met with sounds of flowing water that Nicola describes as “aqueous explorations”.
On this EP, ‘Self Oscillation’, Nicola Cruz fuses experimental production techniques with underwater, bass-heavy constructions. Moods change like the tides; from euphoric highs with acid riffs and latin drum patterns, the music quickly dives to moody submarine basslines and dark, frenetic rhythms.
With ‘Cadera’, Soca rhythms flow through the track, juxtaposed by glitching, robotic bass - combining to startling effect. As Nicola says himself, “I’m always trying to re-interpret this afro caribbean feeling, and trying to figure out how I could humanize this through the machines”.
Nicola also cites the principles of physics as influences in his creative process.
The title track, ‘ Self Oscillation’ writhes with a pendulum like motion, swaying from left to right with dizzying hypnotism. 909’s intertwine seamlessly with conga patterns to create a seamlessly never ending building of momentum and forward energy.
‘Neo Costeno’ - is the most straightforward dancefloor cut of the EP, with nods towards a 90s house sound characterised by organic drums layered with rich percussion and off key organ stabs.
As we move to ‘Pulso Invisible’, forest atmospheres and bouncy synth stabs are manipulated into a high tempo polyrhythmic workout. The Sub-tropical environment in which the music is created appears as a recurring motif in Nicola’s music as an ever-changing life force that subtly weaves in and out of each track.

‘Self Oscillation’ sees Nicola’s production move to new heights as he expertly bridges the gap between natural and mechanical sounds. With the help of iconic 80s and 90s synths and the retro colours of a Roland Space Echo, his newest work is a hybrid of electronic dance music and a synaesthetic image of nature. In the spirit of his previous EP on Rhythm Section INTL, ‘Self Oscillation’ showcases the synergy - or rather ongoing battle between the organic and inorganic, the analog and digital, civilisation confronted and confounded by nature. It’s within this dichotomy that Cruz revels, and manages to say so much, without words.

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