The founding members of Novalima, Grimaldo Del Solar, Rafael Morales, Carlos Li Carillo, and Ramon Pérez Prieto, grew up playing music together. But they were living in different cities - Barcelona, London, Hong Kong and Lima - when, in 2001, they formed the ensemble, composing and communicating by e-mail. Drawn to the rhythmic aspects of Afro-Peruvian music, they blended them with broken beat, dub and drum'n'bass. In 2002 they released a self-titled debut album, followed by Afro (2006). Soon after, they moved back to Lima, inviting Afro-Peruvian musicians to join the band and adding traditional instruments such as the cajón and cajita to the mix. Their disc Coba Coba came out in 2009.