Baiuca

Baiuca
Background information
Born
Alejandro Guillán Castaño

1990 (age 35–36)
Catoira, Spain
GenresPop, electronic, Galician traditional music, folktronica
InstrumentsVocals, gaita, flute, shells
Years active2011–present
LabelsCrispis (2014–2017)
Raso (2018–present)
Websitewww.baiucamusic.com

Alejandro Guillán Castaño (born 1990 in Catoira), known artistically as Baiuca, is a Spanish and Galician musician. He used the stage name Alex Casanova until 2017, at which point he left behind the pop music style to innovate with a mixture of electronic music and Galician traditional music. This resulted in a style that some call folktronica. He currently resides in Madrid.

Career

Baiuca began his musical trajectory as part of the group Alex Casanova, an electronic pop band in which he explored sounds closer to synth-pop. However, in 2017 Alejandro Guillán decided to go on a solo project that would allow him to connect more deeply with his Galician identity. This is how Baiuca was born, an alias that represents the mixture between the ancestral and the contemporary.

The name "baiuca" is a Galician term referring to an intimate and close space, and more specifically to small taverns or pubs where people gather to drink, eat, and socialize. These establishments are centers of social life, especially in rural areas or small Galician villages.

His music integrates traditional Galician instruments and elements, such as gaitas (bagpipes), tambourines, drums, and popular songs (muiñeiras, alalás, etc.), with electronic beats, synthesizers, and samples. This combination has resulted in an innovative sound that pays homage to the traditions of Galicia while projecting them to a global audience. His ability to innovate within folklore has made him an exponent of the new wave of electronic music with traditional roots.

Awards and recognitions

In 2022, Baiuca won two Independent Music Awards (Premios MIN), one for Best Electronic Music Recording and another for Best Album in Galician. He has managed to take his music to international stages, participating in renowned festivals such as WOMAD, Sónar, and other events in Europe and Latin America.

Year Award Category Candidate Result Ref.
2022 Premios MIN Best Emerging Artist Baiuca Nominated
Best Musical Production Alejandro Guillán Castaño Nominated
Best Album Embruxo Nominated
Best Album in Galician Won
Best Electronic Music Recording Won
Best Song "Veleno" Nominated

Discography

Antagonasia (2014)

  1. "¿No puede ser?" 03:17
  2. "Ni una sola vez" 03:37
  3. "Ciudad Carmín" 03:52
  4. "Todo va a estar bien" 04:42
  5. "Bocadillo de Luna" (with Aries) 02:52
  6. "Lulú" 02:44
  7. "Yo no me muevo por dinero" 03:55
  8. "Xeado de Limón" 02:33

Muiñeira (2017)

  1. "Muiñeira"
  2. "Xiabre"

Queimada (2017)

  1. "Queimada"
  2. "Faiado"

Mozas (2017)

  1. "Mozas"
  2. "Lamprea"

Muíño (2018)

  1. "Muíño"

Morriña (2018)

  1. "Morriña"

Solpor (2018)

His debut album received a great reception both in Spain and abroad. In this work, Baiuca establishes the foundations of his style, reinterpreting traditional Galician sounds through electronics. He compiled some of the singles he released previously while launching new songs.

  1. "Muíño"
  2. "Solaina"
  3. "Morriña"
  4. "Arrieiro"
  5. "Muiñeira"
  6. "Solpor"
  7. "Mozas"
  8. "Brétema"
  9. "Arume"

Olvídame (2018)

  1. "Olvídame" (with Aliboria)

Caroi (2019)

  1. "Caroi" (with Aliboria)

Mangüeiro (2019)

  1. "Mangüeiro" (with Aliboria)

Misturas (2019)

This EP includes collaborations with artists such as percussionist Xosé Lois Romero. It is a work that reinforces his exploration of Galician roots and expands his aesthetic proposal.

  1. "Olvídame" 3:48 (with Aliboria)
  2. "Caroi" 3:35
  3. "Toutón" 4:39
  4. "Mangüeiro" 4:48
  5. "Liñares" 3:10

Fisterra (2019)

  1. "Fisterra" (with Carlangas)

Caravel (2019)

  1. "Caravel" (with Nita [es])

Paisaxes (2020)

  1. "Fisterra" 4:14
  2. "Caravel" 4:38
  3. "Fisterra (El Búho Dub)" 4:18
  4. "Caravel (Uji Remix)" 5:45

Adélia (2020)

  1. "Adélia" 4:18
  2. "Adélia (Yeahman Remix)" 4:38
  3. "Adélia (Ohxala Remix)" 6:17

Luar (2021)

  1. "Luar" (with Lilaina)

Veleno (2021)

  1. "Veleno" (with Rodrigo Cuevas)

Meigallo (2021)

  1. "Meigallo" (with Lilaina)

Embruxo (2021)

In this album, Baiuca delves even deeper into the mystical and magical aspects of Galician culture. He is inspired by themes such as meigas (witches) and the mythical landscape of Galicia, taking his sound to a more atmospheric and immersive level.

  1. "Meigallo"
  2. "Veleno"
  3. "Embruxo"
  4. "Luar"
  5. "Cortegada"
  6. "Romaría"
  7. "Conxuro"
  8. "Lavandeira"
  9. "Diaño"
  10. "Lobeira"

Solstício (2022)

  1. "Solstício" (with Carlos Núñez)

Paxaro do Demo (2022)

  1. "Paxaro do Demo" (with Xoel López)

Diamante (2022)

  1. "Diamante" (with Alba Reche)

Diamante / La Mare (2023)

  1. "Diamante" (with Alba Reche)
  2. "La Mare" (with Alba Reche)

Vai Tu (2023)

  1. "Vai Tu" (with Leilía)

Barullo (2024)

  1. "Navajitas" (with Xurxo Fernandes & Felisa Segade)
  2. "Sísamo" (with Antía Ameixeiras)
  3. "Alentejo"
  4. "Ribeirana" (with Lilaina)
  5. "Barullo" (with Felisa Segade)
  6. "Sementei" (with Antía Ameixeiras)
  7. "MonteViso" (with Carlangas)
  8. "PAEQB"
  9. "Xoia" (with Antía Ameixeiras)
  10. "Rachafaldra"

Appearances on compilations

Year Title Compilation
2013 "Xeado de limón" Bababum "Vacacións"
"Como Mola!" Os Bolechas "Fan unha banda"

Videography

Year Title Director
2015 ¡No Puede Ser? Angel Pardal
2017 Solaina Adrián Canoura
2017 Ribeiro Adrián Canoura
2018 Camiños Adrián Canoura
2018 Xiabre Adrián Canoura
2018 Muíño Adrián Canoura

References

  1. ↑ "MelonaFest #3 – Parte I: Timpahn, Mazmorra, Rayotaser e Baiuca", Balea Cultural, 2018-05-26.
  2. ↑ "El pontevedrés Alex Casanova presenta hoy...", Faro de Vigo, 10/12/2014 (in Spanish).
  3. ↑ Neira, Fernando (2019-02-11). "Baiuca, un gaitero tímido en Malasaña". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  4. 1 2 3 ""Hai xente nova que non atopa conexión coa súa tradición e que a través da electrónica tal vez poida atopala" - Praza Pública". Praza Pública (in Galician). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  5. ↑ "BAIUCA : folclore gallego y electrónica". Colectivo de Raro Propósito (in European Spanish). 2017-07-04. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  6. ↑ Novoa, Raúl (2021-05-15). "Baiuca: "El gallego está vivo, es exportable y se pueden dar conciertos en nuestra lengua en todas las partes del mundo"". ElDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  7. ↑ "Baiuca gana dos Premios de la Música Independiente y Tanxugueiras, uno". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 2022-04-28. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  8. ↑ "Nominados". Premios MIN (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "Ganadores 2022". Premios MIN (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 September 2022.
  10. ↑ Mondosonoro. "Estreno Antagonasia". Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
  11. ↑ "Baiuca". Spotify. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  12. ↑ Bababum. ""Bababum, caderno..."". Archived from the original on 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
  13. ↑ Os Bolechas. ""Os Bolechas fan unha banda"". Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-06.