Streaming across the celestial spheres and riding the ripples made by their latest Orcas (2015) off David Sulgaski’s (The Polish Ambassador) Jumpsuit Records, Colombian and Argentinian duo Lulacruza is descending upon San Francisco’s Elk’s Lodge on Friday for a night of electronically-fused South American folk music.
A self-described folk-electronica ensemble, Lulacruza offers a sound that reverberates with deep messages of love and the interconnectedness of humans and nature in a soul-stirring way by bringing together Latin American ritualism and global electronica. Gracing the Bay Area with their time and energy on a lengthy North American tour featuring appearances at Beloved and Enchanted Forest festivals, the band is on the rise with their latest, spellbinding release.
Orcas isn’t just a collection of interesting sounds, it is a beautifully constructed piece of art that transcends lingual and cultural boundaries. Sung entirely in Spanish, the album resonates on such a frequency that the intent behind each track can be felt to one’s core despite gaps in lyrical understanding. Each shift in the energy and direction of this work bring about new emotional responses; it grabs the listener by the hand and pulls him or her into a narrative that is spun like a sparkling web from track to track. Each of these stories captivate, enlighten, entrance, and stimulate in ways that other works are unable to. Accompanied by a Vincent Moon-directed visual album titled Esperando el Tsunami, the viewer and listener is transported worlds away and given a glimpse into landscapes of exotic beauty. The union of tribal rhythms with electronic vibrations mirror larger shifts in music that are folding the corners of the world map inwards to build an international community based in creative collaboration.
For those unable to make it to the city Friday night, the group will also be playing a community-based event at PLACE, a sustainable community in Oakland, on Thursday August 20. Another act like the Polish Ambassador, Lulacruza seeks to affect social change and contribute to community cooperation in order to address issues related to housing, food access, and the environment. Their music is an engine of change, delivering powerful teachings and insights across borders in a peaceful revolution. This weekend is not one to be missed and will surely be an intimate and meditative break from typical events.
Article by Conner Smith