A devoted practicioner of cultural mashup and an adept of chaos theory, Argentine maverick Axel Krygier presents his fifth album Hombre de Piedra ("Man of Stone"), a real turning point in the path he's been following: unlike his previous records, which were assembled with a collage-like technique, his new one is a concept album, a delirious journey inspired by the French documentary "Lascaux: Le Ciel des Premiers Hommes" (about the famous paleolithic cave paintings). To tell the story of this caveman who speeds through the entire history of mankind in fast motion, Axel Krygier has explored new sonic and musical territories. Including his talent as a singer: his confident, captivating vocal performances occupy center stage as they never had before and, even if one doesn't understand Spanish, his voice has a narrative quality which irresistibly carries the listener away.

Recorded in Buenos Aires, the album is a kaleidoscopic soundtrack which encompasses B movie lounge music (as in the title track) and bluesy dubstep (Invitame). Axel also settles old debts with rockabilly music (Tiempo y Tierra), spaghetti western (Mosquito), Balkanic rapture (Changarín) and even funky disco (Lo tendré que adivinar). In addition to Axel Krygier's usual musical partners (see below), Hombre de Piedra also features his compatriot Daniel Melingo, and French artist Judah Warsky (who was part of Axel's band several years ago).

Axel Krygier is definitely one of the central yet most atypical figures of the Argentine music scene. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer, producer, songwriter, activist and iconoclast militant, he is firmly rooted in Latin-American music but has a universal outlook. Axel Kygier is also a film soundtrack composer, and has written music for many plays, musicals and dance performances.  It should also be noted that Axel designs his own record sleeves and directs his own music videos.Axel Krygier is definitely one of the central yet most atypical figures of the Argentine music scene. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer, producer, songwriter, activist and iconoclast militant, he is firmly rooted in Latin-American music but has a universal outlook. Axel Kygier is also a film soundtrack composer, and has written music for many plays, musicals and dance performances.  It should also be noted that Axel designs his own record sleeves and directs his own music videos.

On his upcoming tours, Axel will be appearing with the Argentine musicians who have backed him on the album. Aside from guitarist Juan Ravioli, who has been working closely with Axel since 2010, and renowned for his talents as an arranger (a.o. for Melingo), the band includes drummer Diego Arcaute (who also tours with Juana Molina), bassist Seca Cutaïa (the son Argentine rock legend Carlos Cutaïa) and Manuel Schaller (a member of Sexteto Irreal and a close associate of Axel's since 2005) on theremin and synths. 

Mini-biog

Born in Buenos Aires, Axel Krygier first studied flute, piano and sax and went on to become a member of several leading bands of the Argentine rock scene. He's released three albums locally, set up his own experimental combo as well as a sound system with which he made club performances. Axel was one of the early members of Buenos Aires influential ZZK collective, which opened new paths in non-European dance music with their acclaimed digital cumbia style. Meanwhile, he's also composed music for films and theatre, including for renowned playwright Alfredo Arias' musical Three Tangos, which was performed in Paris in 2009. Axel Krygier's first international release was Pesebre, (released in 2010 on Crammed Discs), a genre-defying album which included Latin twist, Peruvian surf music, Andean bluegrass, digital cumbia, tropical klezmer and hip hop influences, all rolled together…

Press quotes on his previous album

Axel Krygier is undoubtedly the most remarkable personality in the current Argentinian scene. He effortlessly switches between the zany, the profound and the virtuosic, he's well able to go from a joropo chant from Colombia to a trumpet improv… Probably one of the most important Latin-American producers of the decade (World Sound, France)

Axel Krygier's unique sound —a mash-up of jazz, rock, electronica, cumbia, Argentinian folklore and experimental music — makes it easy to succumb to such tempting descriptions as 'Atahualpa Yupanqui meets Thelonious Monk, performed by Frank Zappa and remixed by Diplo', but the brush that this composer paints with is even broader than that. (Global Rhythm, USA)

A breath of fresh air… The music skips from Musica Folclórica and indie to hip hop and cumbia, [and] jumps around like a llama on speed…. All in all, it's the sort of album where you discover something new with evety listen – unashamedly, wonderfully weird stuff (Songlines, UK)