Back catalogue: International

Review: A thousand miles away from the beating musical hearts of Rio and Sao Paulo in the late 70s, the Brazilian city of Belem gave rise to a little-known record label called Erla - Estudio Rauland. Though not prolific in its output, the label made up for it in quality and experimental offerings, with several records on the label now becoming sought-after pieces among collectors. One such release is the sublime four-track psych, MPB, and rock EP by singer-songwriter Jarbas Mariz. Though the EP 'Transas Do Futuro' was recorded in 1977, it gained inspiration from the psychedelic hippy idols of the previous decade ,and could easily have been a soundtrack to an acid trip scene in an obscure Brazilian movie. Lo-fi and quirky, there are moments of beauty and splendour but also hints of darkness. At points Jarbas will have you drifting through a folk flute daydream, the next moment a growling, psych-distorted guitar breaks and parts the calm. An ability to make those elements blend cohesively is where Jarbas' true brilliance shines through.

Review: Mr Bongo's Brazil 45s series continues its consistently rich vein of form with two more beautifully contrasting - and previously difficult to track down - Brazilian soul jazz fusions from the 70s. Side A is inhabited by one of the era's most interesting individuals. Infamously censored and eventually exiled, Taiguara's chaotic flute, guitar and piano arrangement is a tight weave of melodies, counter melodies and start dynamics. Flip for the classically soul-oriented "Deixa Eu Te Amar" will bright horns, brash drums and a bold vocal from Marisa Rossi. Pow.

Review: Veteran Brazilian singer-songwriter Joyce first teamed up with Mauricio Maestro for Visions Of Dawn, a 2009 album of samba, bossanova and folk which celebrated everything vital about Latin American music culture. Now they're back on Far Out with a new album of sunkissed magic that will take you right back to that feel-good place they explored on their first collaboration, taking in delicate balladry and playful whimsy steeped in soul and sentiment. It's a joyous listen from two totems of Brazilian music, produced, arranged and conducted by Claus Ogerman.

Review: Brazilian rapper Marcelo D2 shares the release of new direct-to-disc album via Night Dreamer. Recorded alongside electrifying live band Sambadrive, the album revisits some of Marcelo D2's most important tracks, mining 25 years of groundbreaking music from the Brazilian legend, and capturing his now timeless 'samba hip-hop' sound in full flow. The aforementioned is an unusual yet compelling sound, marking the voice and style of a torchbearer and innovator, and not the last to be marked by the motto "looking for the perfect beat". Now, in 2024, D2 retells his story from a new perspective. Inspired by the iconic jazz-samba trios of the 60s and 70s, Sambadrive emerged from the improvised and often spontaneous jams that would preface Marcelo D2's live shows. Touring the world and reuniting with producer Mario Caldato Jr., the group dropped in on Haarlem's Artone Studio in October 2022 to record an album of 10 tracks, drawn from four of Marcelo D2's most loved albums.

Review: Mariana Zwarg is an accomplished Brazilian flutist and saxophonist who presented her Universal Sexteto group in 2020 with the Nascentes album. Released on CD by Scubidu Music, it's now getting a vinyl pressing thanks to Equinox in Australia, getting the music further afield, which it thoroughly deserves. Zwarg's group deals in a modern, sprightly kind of jazz led by her own joyous vocals and flute flurries, but there's also a sense of the deep heritage of Brazilian jazz hanging behind everything she does. It's a vibrant album bursting with kinetic energy - just the kind of revitalising tonic to lift the spirits through long winter months in the Northern hemisphere.

Review: Brighton based record label, publishers, cinematographers and legendary former London record store Mr Bongo present the first installment in their new 'Mr Bongo Record Club' compilation series. It features, in their words "a selection of favourites, recent discoveries and sought after obscurities, which form the basis of our DJ sets and our radio show of the same name." There really is some great music on here that has been sourced from all corners of the globe and as much as they're oldies: they certainly are goodies. Our favourites weren't limited to: Brazilian duo Lemos E Debetio's charming "Morro Do Barraco Sem Agua", the African funk explosion of Lantei's "Fish & Funjee (Komi Ke Kenam)" and some truly hot reggae vibes in the form of Big Youth's 1977 unclassic "Mammy Hot Daddy Cool" among many others on this fine compilation.