In 2003 the collective independently released its debut album, "novalima", recorded and produced throughout various countries with guest artists from across the world: Lima, Rio de Janeiro, London, Valencia, Barcelona, Rome and Hong Kong; covering a wide spectrum of Latin styles (son, guajira, cumbia, samba, bossa) blended with downtempo beats and live Afro-Peruvian percussions. The debut album had a strong reception in Peru and achieved Gold status in its home country.
In 2004 the collective released their first international 12" single through Outcaste Records UK (EMI) with the track "Ritmos Negros", a vanguard dub Marinera (trad. Peruvian style) featuring poems by the great Nicomedes Santa Cruz. The track is also included in the compilation "Essential Latin Flavas Dos"/Outcaste.
Subsequently, NOVALIMA regrouped in London with UK producer Toni Economides (Nitin Sawhney, Da Lata, 4Hero, Bugz in the Attic) to mix their second album AFRO, a selection of versions and adaptations of traditional Afro-Peruvian songs (some of which are more than 200 years old), blended with electronic beats, dub, and NOVALIMA's own compositions.
AFRO, recorded mostly in Lima, features original performances from Afro-Peruvian legends such as Nicomedes Santa Cruz, Lucila Campos, and Zambo Cavero; in addition to renowned contemporary Afro-Peruvian musicians such as Juan Medrano Cotito, Mangué Vaquez, Milagros Guerrero and Oscar Avilés Jr.
In 2005, NOVALIMA signed with UK label Mr. Bongo, which released AFRO in the UK and Europe to rave reviews by critics, press and the public, which packed each of the band's sold-out shows during their first European tour in April 2006 to promote the album.
In June 2006, AFRO was released in France by Because Music (Manu Chao, Amadou & Mariam) and in August 2006 in the USA/Canada by the USA label Quango.
Currently, the NOVALIMA producers are dividing their time between DJ gigs across Europe and South America, live shows with the full NOVALIMA band (comprising the core four producers on beats, guitar, keys and bass, in addition to 3/4 percussionists in cajon, cajita, congas, bongos, timbales and vocals - all of which participated in the recording of AFRO), and the studio, where they are remixing for other artists as well as producing new tracks for their follow up album. A new US/European tour (summer 2007) should be announced shortly. Keep posted for dates!