Facundo
Cruz was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in February
1987 and since very little he had a close tie with music, being
brought up at a household where rhythms like progressive rock,
eighties rock and bossa nova were permanently being listened
to. At the early age of six he had his first encounter with
musical interpretation when he received a little piano as a
birthday present, which would for ever mark him leading him
to later on grow interested in other instruments.
This is how a few years later, at 11, he began
his guitar studies playing mainly rock, especially influenced
by artists like George Harrison and The Beatles and he took
part of several bands, improving his technique later on at the
Escuela de Música de Buenos Aires.
At 16, driven by a curiosity for India’s
classical music that awoke in him after listening to artists
like George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, he began his studies
at SaRGaM, a school specialised in the classical music of India,
where he took lessons of Citar and other instruments of Indian
music. His endeavour and determination for this music would
have him that same year playing live in various occasions together
with his master, Ariel Chab Tarab.
Next year, influenced by the sounds of sequences
and synthesizers from bands and artists like Virus, Gustavo
Cerati, Daft Punk and Kraftwerk that he’d absorbed during
his teens, Facundo begins developing an interest for electronic
music and starts experimenting with his computer, recording
various instruments and fusing electronic music with his previous
knowledge of Indian music.
In early 2004 he starts djing at random private
parties only to get his first gigs later that year at some bars
and pubs from Buenos Aires. March 2005 finds him playing at
Jacko’s Bar and other events like Blacky Fest, where he
shares the booth with Big Fabio, in which he begins peppering
his sets with the first fruits of his studio-time such as edits,
mash-ups and original productions. In December that year he
was a guest at Frisky Radio, which results in his performing
at some of Buenos Aires’ most important boots like Mao
Room, Bahrein, Caix and Pinar de Rocha where he was the dj guest
for the 2005 Christmas after-hours.
The year 2006 was a year full of achievements
for his short but intense career getting to perform alongside
renowned national and international artists like Above &
Beyond, Andrew K, Jason Jollins, Dario Ef, BsAs Deep, Victoria
R, Big Fabio, Festa Bros, Gustavo Ditomaso, Damian DP y Logistik
Sounds among others. In the first few months of that year he
was featured as a guest at several radios like Pure.FM, Frisky
Radio and KSK Radio. His productions began obtaining more recognition,
awarding him the support of artists of the size of Hernán
Cattaneo, Dave Seaman, Paolo Mojo, MOS, Martín García,
Deep Mariano, Tommyboy, Yvel and Tristan, Sam Perez, Nic Fanciulli,
Steve Parry, Chloe Harris, Dj Tarkan, Festa Bros, Victoria R
and Chris Salt to name a few, and his track El Eternauta was
included twice on Hernan Cattaneo’s weekly radio show.
Later that year, in the second edition of the Paradise Garage
parties, he was responsible for warming things up for duo Above
& Beyond on their first visit to the country where he played
before 2,000 people. In November that same year he took part
of the Proton Sunday Fest line-up, where he shared the bill
with artists like 16 bit lolitas, Rowan & Jaytech, Rowan
Blades and Ricky Ryan among others and in which he was the headliner
of one of the floors of the event.
Facu starts 2007 with his two first releases,
his remix of Rorsoul by local duo Festa Bros, on Acute Recordings,
and after receiving the support of artists like Hernan Cattaneo,
Dj Tarkan and Michael Burns, he signs his first EP, El Eternauta
on Bit Records Mexico.
In January he begins a weekly radio series on FM Kosiuko sharing
the slot with BsAs Deep, Nicholas Van Orton and Gerardo Boscarino
every Saturday at 9 pm. The year 2007 presents itself as a year
filled with work for Facu who, at his young age, has made for
himself a very interesting place in the local scene.