Carlos Niño Shares New Music Collection 'Placenta'

Visionary percussionist, producer, curator, and communicator Carlos Niño has released the latest music of a Carlos Niño & Friends collection called Placenta on all streaming platforms via International Anthem.

It follows the album's May 24 initial physical release, with only two tracks released on streaming platforms prior to today: lead single "Love to all Doulas!" and focus track "Birthworkers Magic, and how we get hear..." (featuring André 3000, Maia, and Jesse Peterson). The latter came as a perfect description of the album, which Niño has dedicated to “Mothers, Children, Babies, Aunties, Doulas, Midwives, Birthworkers…” 

This album is the fourth collection of Carlos Niño & Friends music released by International Anthem in the last four years, and the first released since Niño made news in November 2023 for André 3000’s New Blue Sun – an album which Niño produced alongside André, while co-writing, co-creating/playing, and co-mixing every song.

Placenta was announced on the 1st solar return of Carlos and his partner Annelise’s new Earth child Moss Niño. Their experience of pregnancy, labor and delivery were all profoundly impactful for Carlos. Becoming a father again (a whole 24 years after the birth of Azul Niño, who has become a regular Visual Arts collaborator with Carlos) he felt total inspiration for this set of recordings, and hence it is perhaps the most conceptually-grounded Carlos Niño & Friends album we've yet to present – fully connected to the spirit of family, birth, and "how we get here."

Placenta features many musicians living and working in Los Angeles – the community which Niño is deeply rooted in, himself. Some live in other parts of the world; almost all are longtime friends and collaborators of Niño’s. In order of their appearance on the album, featured artists on Placenta include: Nate Mercereau, Jamire Williams, Sam Gendel, Jamael Dean, Dexter Story, Brandon Eugene Owens, Maia, André 3000, Jesse Peterson, Ariel Kalma, Surya Botofasina, Annelise, Haize Hawke, Aaron Shaw, Devin Daniels, Tiffany de Leon, Michael Bolger, Michael Alvidrez, Moss, Iasos, Photay, Deantoni Parks, Adam Rudolph, Andres Renteria, and Cavana Lee.

Since early 2024, Niño has been touring as performer and music director for the New Blue Sun Live experience, beginning with a January 24th performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. See the full list of upcoming shows and ticket links for New Blue Sun Live here.

Niño found space between the New Blue Sun dates to lead his own Carlos Niño & Friends ensemble in a celebration upon the release of Placenta in Los Angeles at 2220 Arts & Archives. The last time that Carlos Niño & Friends played at 2220 Arts was July 22, 2022 with Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina, Aaron Shaw, Diego Gaeta, Andres Renteria, Maia, V.C.R., Annelise, Linafornia, and special guest Kamasi Washington.

TRACKLIST

Love to all Doulas!
Some rest for the Midwives...
Real Vital Organs
Surges Expansions
In Appreciation of Chico Hamilton's Vast Influence on the West Coast Sound
Birthworkers Magic and how we get hear...
This "I" was not
Placenta Nourishment New Home The Galaxy
Carla's Beads
Moonlight Watsu in Dub
Generous Pelvis
Bi-Location
Play Kerri Chandler's RAIN