The Timbiquí River has always been more than just a part of the local community’s landscape – it’s a space of memory, daily life, and music. It’s from this river that Nidia Góngora, one of the most important artists in contemporary Colombia, is known for her work with Quantic, Ondatrópica, and The Bongo Hop, among others. Her voice has become a symbol of Afro-Colombian traditions in the Pacific region. With the Nuevos Ríos project, the artist opens a new chapter in her work, combining the power of local traditions with a modern, trance-like sound.
The project arose from a meeting between musicians from Canalón de Timbiquí – a band founded by Nidia Góngora – and the French trio Reco Reco from Toulouse. Their collaborative music began during improvised sessions at the singer’s home in Timbiquí, where two worlds naturally merged: Afro-Colombian rhythms of the Pacific coast and a contemporary, electronic approach to rhythm and soundscape.
Góngora’s voice takes center stage in Nuevos Ríos’s music – deep, hypnotic, and incredibly emotional. Accompanied by the traditional marimba de chonta, the polyrhythms of local drums, bass, guitar, synthesizers, and electronic textures, the band crafts a sound that, on the one hand, preserves the organic character of Pacific music while, on the other, steers it toward contemporary trance and club energy.
Their work showcases Colombia’s Afro-descendant tradition in a new light. Nidia Góngora’s lyrics also play a significant role, recounting everyday life along the Timbiquí River, close to nature and community, but also the experiences of a region marked by conflict and the memory of difficult past events.
Musicians:
Antonis Antoniou – electric tzouras / vocals / electronics
Manos Stratis – bass synth / organ
Will Scott – bass clarinet
Ulaş Öğüç – drums / triggers
