Ecuadorian Electronic eclectic Nicola Cruz took to the Red Marquee stage for a special late night live set Friday here at Fuji Rock Fest. The vibes were electric and the beats heaving as waves of bass and tribal instrumentation washed over the tunnel of fans.

Donning his special live setup based around Ableton Live and a rack of modular synths, this digital / analog hybrid approach provides the best of both worlds. You get the ease and arrangement possibilities of Ableton with the richness and endless sound design possibilities of modular. Cruz takes full advantage of this setup by slowly and unhurriedly transitioning from traditional pan flute modulations to more modern minimal techno excursions. His set Friday was actually leaning a bit on the latter compared to the previous performances I’ve seen, no doubt playing to the late night electronic crowd of the Red Marquee.

The visuals were equally otherworldly, contributing to a complete audio/visual experience. Rotating Meteorites and various 3d abstractions danced alongside the cascading waterfalls of organic sound. Although just the first official night of the festival, the energy levels already felt high and the crowd was on board for every twist and turn.