Intriguing singer-songwriter Luis Mojica has released a live video for ‘Shaman Food’, a track from his second studio album ‘How A Stranger Is Made’, Filmed by Joel Patterson at Utopia Soundstage, Luis Mojica is joined by Evan Glen Adams on drums. Patterson also edited this videoe with sound recorded by Jeff Harrigfeld.
The new album features production from Mercury Prize winning producers David Baron (Bat For Lashes, Peter Murphy, Lenny Kravitz, The Lumineers) and Simone Felice (The Lumineers, Bat For Lashes, Dan Mangan), as well as mixing by three-time Grammy award-winning producer Justin Guip (Levon Helm).
Mojica’s new long-play is intimate and empathic – a beautiful tapestry of piano-driven songs that quite intimately express his healing journey through shamanism, sexuality, trauma and ecstatic joy.
Not long ago Mojica revealed his new self-produced video for ‘City Friends’. Earlier, he previewed the enchanting video for the first single ‘The Ranger’.
‘How A Stranger Is Made’ features 11 piano-based songs that incorporate the wurlitzer, celesta, harpsichord, organ, saxophone, percussion and a rich texture of backing vocals that display Luis’ wide 3+ octave vocal range.
This record follows Luis’ journey into the deep parts of his mind and heart, as he faces and transforms unresolved pain into bliss and freedom. Sexuality, male identity, betrayal, love, and spirituality, particularly shamanism, are consistent themes on the record. The songs are very personal, as if taken from the artist’s personal journals.
Mojica released his first studio album ‘Wholesome’ in August 2016 after two years of touring with the avant-garde cello band Rasputina. He toured this album, which features his unique style of live looped beat boxing and rich vocal harmonies, both as support for Rasputina and as headliner. The album’s limited pressing sold out quite quickly and now is only available digitally.
A pianist and vocalist now based in Woodstock, New York, Mojica began developing his unique musical style in the crowded apartments and crumbling theaters of NYC’s East Village. In 2012, he moved upstate to the mountains of the Hudson Valley, where he’s become renowned for both his holistic healing work, as well as his musical compositions.
Piano-based, his songs blend his 3+ octave vocal range to create choir-like textures, as well as utilizing unusual character voices and harmonies that explore androgyny, spirituality, and unorthodox male identity. Mojica’s music and sound esthetic is inspired by Leonard Cohen, Tori Amos, Patti Smith, Joanna Newsom and Kate Bush.
The scenario, filming and direction for this video were all handled by by Mojica himself. Video editing was performed by Joel Patterson at Mountaintop Studios in Petersburgh, NY. The accompanying video was written, filmed and directed by Kelly Merchant with editing and compositing by Fredo Viola. Merchant also took the photo for the cover artwork, while Viola designed it.
‘How a Stranger is Made’ is now available everywhere online, including Spotify, and also available directly from the artist via Bandcamp. Luis Mojica will be embarking on an East Coast tour in early 2020 in support of this album.
TRACK LIST
01. Insane
02. Shaman Food
03. Invoked
04. Moon Men
05. Cowboys
06. De La Saint
07. Witch Love
08. City Friends
09. The Ranger
10. Queen Song
11. Stranger Song
ALBUM CREDITS
Written, arranged, and performed by Luis Mojica except ‘Stranger Song’ (written by Leonard Cohen)
‘Queen Song’ produced by Simon Felice & David Baron
‘Cowboys’ mixed by Fredo Viola
‘Stranger Song’ mixed, recorded and co-produced by Fredo Viola
Other songs mixed by Justin Guip
Piano and vocals recorded by Jason Sarubbi
Evan Glen Adams – drums
Caelan Manning – saxophone
Sister Ursuline – cello
Rebecca Moore – violin on ‘The Ranger’
Anders Bostrom – flute
Al Romao – Percussion and arrangement on ‘Witch Love’
Jason Sarubbi – bass & bass arrangements on ‘The Ranger’, ‘Witch Love’ and ‘Invoked’
Mastering by Mike Tierney
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
Jan. 08 Brooklyn, NY – Gold Sounds
Jan. 09 Hamden, CT – The Cellar on Treadwell
Jan. 24 Piscataway, NJ – Radisson Hotel Piscataway-Somerset
Jan. 25 Somerville, MA – The Jungle Room
Jan. 31 Pittsburgh, PA – 222 Ormsby
Feb. 01 Frederick, MD – Cafe NOLA
Feb. 07 Burlington, VT – Radio Bean
Feb. 13 Buffalo, NY – Buffalo’s Mohawk Place
Feb. 21 Toms River, NJ – The Clubhouse of Toms River
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