In the first 4 minutes of Coba Coba, Novalima’s third album, you will have traversed hundreds of years of Afro-Peruvian history and culture. When Rosa Mercedes Ayaraza de Morales first transcribed “Concheperla” (Pearl Shell/Mother-of-Pearl) she had no way to know her great-grandson, Rafael Morales, would play it for the world. “Concheperla” is a marinera, widely considered Peru’s national dance. Musica Criolla, a collective term for Afro-Peruvian music, was developed on Peru’s coastline juxtaposing Andean music Peru is typically known for.This, until recently, hidden bastion of African culture was developed from slaves brought from all over the continent. Having few common customs, Musica Criolla is an alluring fusion of African and Latin rhythms and percussion.Under the oppression of conquistadores, slaves adapted instruments out of wooden boxes (cajon), donkey jawbones (quijada de burro) and church collection boxes (cajita). Sharing a love for Afro-Peruvian culture and today’s DJ Culture, Novalima keeps true to this rich history by using the same instruments, while pushing the envelope by tastefully utilizing contemporary sounds of the studio.
From tapping into history on the lead track, the second track, “Liberta,” prophesizes the coming of a black president, and introduces listeners to the new sound of Afro-Peru. If you’re not shaking your rump yet, “Se Me Van,” blending Latin bass-lines, horns and guitar with a troop of percussionists, will get your hips in a fury. The story of Ruperta on “Ruperta/Puede Ser,” however, is a chilled-out Cuba-Peruvian collaboration bringing together ska and hip-hop beats with rhymes touching on the social consciousness of a marginalized community.That vibe continues with “African Lando,” which is like a smoky room-thick at the bottom with acoustic bass and percussion, and permeating your aural senses with synthesizers, a suave female voice, and a string section.Each track has its own blend of African, Latin and Caribbean influences traversing genres from hip hop to salsa and back again. Bringing numerous Afro-Peruvian musicians into the studio for the first time this album is a not only a testament to perseverance and vibrancy of African music, but hopefully a taste of what’s to come from Peru.
In preparation for their US and European summer tour, Novalima let some of the world’s premiere DJs and producers have a crack at Coba Coba, resulting in the dance-floor-ready Coba Coba Remixed. Da Lata’s adaptation of “Tumbala” starts the party with infectious guitar riffs and Nina Miranda’s Brazilian lyrics flowing over a driving beat. Zeb’s rendering of “Ruperta” gives listeners a heavy dose of dub, but maintains the song’s Latin roots with acoustic guitar. A gem of this remix is “Bomba” (not on the original album) the boys of Novalima show off their skills in the studio.
To the untrained ear the Afro-Peruvian roots may seem lost between the synths and mixing board, but its nothing more than taking a rhythm typically played on cajon to a drum kit. These albums are a reminder of how closely modern dance music is tied to Africa, and also how avant-garde music can sprout from African roots.Coming from a country that only now is recognizing its African heritage, Coba Coba, an afro-Peruvian expression to incite musicians to “go for it,” and Coba Coba Remixed are a call-to-arms for everyone to celebrate our shared African heritage.
