La Cordillera

by Alper Tuzcu

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about

Alper Tuzcu composed “La Cordillera” while traveling in Argentina in January 2023. The main guitar motif of the song symbolizes the geography and nature of the Andes Mountains in South America.

The composer described the inspiration for the song with these words:

“I composed “La Cordillera” while traveling in Argentina earlier this year. I was inspired by the grand Andes mountains and their relationship with the geography below. At the foot of the dry, snowy mountaintops, one finds great vineyards and olive trees. Since this area does not get a lot of rain, it’s the melted snow from the Andes mountains that gives life to these vineyards and olives below. This friendly relationship was very inspiring to me, so that’s why I like to imagine that the guitar flows like water down the mountain slope.”

In this case, he uses delightful guitar melodies with an instrumental LoFi sound aesthetics, which is quite popular these days (also known as ChillHop). The vinyl crackl sound throughout the song is a reflection of this sound. This is actually Tuzcu’s fifth LoFi single release after Uzaklarda (placed in Spotify Turkey Editorial Playlists), Morning View (nearly 500k streams), Azul, and Uç.

The single also features a short poem excerpt by the legendary Argentinian folk artist Atahualpa Yupanqui, from his own voice:

I don’t study things or pretend to understand them.
I recognize them, it’s true, because I have lived in them.
I converse with the leaves amongst the mountains
And receive the message of roots that are hidden.

And thus I roam the world, without age or destiny
Protected by a cosmos that travels with me.
I love the light, and the road, and the star, and the river
And I blossom in guitars because I was once the timber

And so, how can I not believe in fate?

lyrics

(Original in Spanish)

Yo no estudio las cosas ni pretendo entenderlas.
Las reconozco, es cierto, pues antes viví en ellas.
Converso con las hojas en medio de los montes
Y me dan sus mensajes las raíces secretas.

Y así voy por el mundo, sin edad ni destino.
Al amparo de un cosmos que camina conmigo.
Amo la luz, y el río, y el camino, y la estrella.
Y florezco en guitarras porque fui la madera.

eso es… cómo no voy a creer en el destino?

(English Translation)
I don’t study things or pretend to understand them.
I recognize them, it’s true, because I have lived in them.
I converse with the leaves amongst the mountains
And receive the message of roots that are hidden.

And thus I roam the world, without age or destiny
Protected by a cosmos that travels with me.
I love the light, and the road, and the star, and the river
And I blossom in guitars because I was once the timber

And so, how can I not believe in fate?

credits

released August 18, 2023
Voice - Atahualpa Yupanqui
Guitar, Production, Mixing, Mastering - Alper Tuzcu
Cover photo - Aimé Cichero

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about

Alper Tuzcu

Alper Tuzcu is a composer, producer and a guitarist who creates music that erodes cultural borders.

His music has been featured on NPR, BBC Radio, RTVé, and many others.

He collaborated with Grammy-winning musicians such as Marcelo Woloski (Snarky Puppy) and Ganavya (Esperanza Spalding, Residente). ... more