Rooted luminous songs unfolding in sonic landscapes

“Shamanic Electronica. Lulacruza bring together Colombia and Argentina with the rest of the world in an electro ethnic ritual” - Rolling Stone

LULACRUZA is an electronic folk duo at the junction of the hypermodern and the ancient. Their music weaves together hypnotic female singing, South American instruments, found sound objects, field recordings, and electronic manipulation. The result is a cross-genre, world-esque music unfolding with mesmerizing vocals, aquatic textures and up-tempo, handcrafted South American rhythms.

Lulacruza is made up of Alejandra Ortiz (Colombia) and Luis Maurette (Argentina). Alejandra is an extraordinary songbird and plays the Colombian cuatro, shruti box, tar and kalimba. Luis Maurette complements with electronic processing and sequencing, as well as percussion, charango, and amazonian flutes. Together they create catchy, powerful and intimate music that is hard to classify, but has been called pop, folk, electronic, latin, ambient, world, new age, ethnic, experimental, and even jazz.

Since meeting at Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA, Lulacruza has independently released 3 albums: Do Pretty! (2006), Soloina (2008) and an EP of remixes called Canta (2009). They have played in over 30 cities in 5 countries, growing steadily since their debut in 2006. Their music has been included in documentaries in Colombia, Argentina and Mexico, as well as compilations in Argentina, Italy, the USA and Venezuela. In 2007, they were chosen Today’s Top Tune in Morning Becomes Eclectic KCRW 89.9. In 2008 they were Artists in Residency at the Red Poppy Art House in San Francisco, CA; and were recipients of the Zellerbach Family Foundation Grant & the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation Grant for their multidisciplinary performances. In 2009, their second album was included in the prestigious “Club del Disco” catalogue in Argentina.

During the Summer of 2010, they performed throughout the USA with shows in NYC, Miami, Santa Fe, San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc. They also played the Beloved Festival in Oregon, Denver’s Biennial of the Americas -where they opened for Juana Molina- Priceless Festival and more.

Lulacruza currently share their time between the San Francisco Bay Area (USA), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Bogotá (Colombia). In February they release they much awaited third album, an EP called Circular Tejido, edited by Nature Bliss (Japan) and Acqua Records (Argentina). In March the duo will travel to Colombia with french videographer Vincent Moon to create a visual album that documents Lulacruza’s collaborations with contemporary and traditional folk musicians in different areas of the country.

“For Luis Maurette and Alejandra Ortiz, music is a test of the human spirit, of nature, and of ephemeral concepts of reality. Through live drumming and digitally altered hooks, the group manages to create a sound that challenges what we expect from contemporary music.”
San Francisco Bay Guardian, CA (USA)

“Lulacruza is a cornerstone in the musical DNA of Latinamerica”. Revista Veintitres (Argentina)

“Their eclectic mix of Amazonian flutes, Colombian kalimba, cuatro and womping bass, keyboard, and samples taken from the jungles of South America is ayahuasca for the ears. The combination of indigenous instruments as well as indie and modern electronica sensibilities creates songs that sound as if a shaman, Manu Chao and your favorite dubstep DJ had an orgy.” -Santa Fe Reporter, NM (USA)

Click here to see what we’ve been listening to.

Luis Maurette Luis is a percussionist, electronic musician, and multimedia artist. He graduated from Berklee College of Music, studied at CCMIX in Paris, and Mastered in Experimental Electronic Music at Mills College. He has performed and released music in NYC, Paris, Buenos Aires, Bogotá, San Francisco, Boston & São Paulo. In his music and video work, Luis explores the relationship of ancient and contemporary ways of life, how these two seemingly opposite viewpoints overlap and can nurture each other. He has lived throughout the American continent, bridging north and south, and exploring universal principles that connect different cultures. Sound, as a carrier of meaning and knowledge, as the unifying vibrational building block of the universe, as a reflection of time, as song, music and culture, is the primary inspiration for his art and life. luismaurette.net transfolklorico.com		Alejandra Ortiz Alejandra is a singer/songwriter from Bogotá, Colombia. She has a deep connection with the immemorial practices of her land and plays native instruments from different cultures. She has toured Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia & the US, and has recorded over 20 albums. She graduated from Berklee College of Music, and the Sound, Voice & Music Healing Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, California. She is inspired by being in nature, being in silence and by the possibilities of using sound for transformation. She is also a sound teacher and healer, very much in love with birds, mountains and all forms of water.