Song of the Day: Nicola Cruz - Colibria

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Colibria” by Nicola Cruz from the 2015 album Prender el Alma, on ZZK Records.

Nicola Cruz - Colibria (MP3)

On his debut album, Ecuadorian electronica artist Nicola Cruz combines the past with the present to create a unique downtempo sound. Born in Limoges, France, to Ecuadorian parents, Cruz was immersed in both indigenous culture and modern technology. ZZK Records founder Grant C. Dull told Billboard Magazine, "Nicolá is the 2015 representation of these kids who have embraced their roots with an electronic musical production. He’s not just making electronic music, he’s bringing the Ecuadorian sound to the world."

According to a press release, the title "Colibria" is the feminine name in Spanish of a colibri, an artisanal instrument used in the recording of this song. Vocalist Daniela Baquero, aka Huaira, delivers her hushed spoken-style vocals over dance-floor beats and electronic blips. "Colibria was born when I was living at the foothills of an active volcano where daily we watched it bleed," Cruz explains. "This track signifies an inward search and the journey of being reborn." The song was recorded in an old warehouse in Quito, Ecuador with high ceilings that vibrated throughout the recording, giving the sound of water flowing throughout the song.

No U.S. tour dates yet, but follow Cruz on Facebook and Twitter to be among the first to know. In the meanwhile, watch this captivating clip for today's Song of the Day below, directed by Camilo Coba Riofrio in San Antonio de Pichincha, Ecuador: