Quantic & Nidia Góngora

“Nidia has a very special story, and as a singer she embodies the spirit and ancestral treasures of her origin”, says Will “Quantic” Holland, of the singer who has lent her unique energy and talent to some of his most popular releases and live outfits.

Considered one of the foremost artists of the marimba music of the South Pacific region, and a guardian of the oral tradition, Colombian folklore singer-songwriter Nidia Góngora fronts leading regional outfits including Grupo Canalon and plays a key role as a counsellor to younger groups. Now based in the city of Cali, Góngora was born into a musical family in the Afro-Colombian community of Timbiquí.

Quantic, aka Will Holland, is a British born musician, producer & DJ splicing electronica & global rhythms saturated in the sunkissed soundwaves of the Caribbean. One of the most talented and prolific artists in the world of alternative dance music today, Holland now works from Brooklyn, New York, after recent years in the highlands of Bogotá, Colombia. Quantic has developed a sound that bridges heritage and progression, marrying spontaneous musicianship with deep, exciting tonality.

Holland first became familiar with Góngora’s voice through the wall of his home in Cali, where he lived from 2007 for several years after visiting on a musical discovery mission. “My neighbour used to play a song from a Grupo Canalon CD on repeat”, he recalls. “From that moment, I realised how special Nidia’s voice was; then I got to know her compositions and lyrics, which are always incredibly beautiful.”

The duo released their critically acclaimed debut ‘Curao’ (2017) an album that explored the unique, rich, and mystical musical traditions of the Colombian Pacific Coast. Alongside a world tour, the record received support from Q, Songlines, PopMatters, The Guardian and was named BBC 6Music’s Album of the Day.

 ‘Almas Conectadas’ (2021) is their sophomore LP, and a body of work that questions the nostalgia of impossible love, celebrates eternal bachelors, mourns souls lost at sea, and tells stories of dwellers from Timbiqui (whose location and cultural contrasts provides endless inspiration).

Protecting the essence of the region’s rich songbook, and treating the cultural traditions of the Pacific coast with the utmost reverence, both albums showcase a perfect marriage of musical diversity, collective creation and intercultural dialogue. Nidia Gongora’s magnetic voice and captivating songwriting is matched to the unparalleled musicianship and pioneering production of Quantic.