Tags: Portuguese

Review: Rotterdam is one of the many big port cities around the world that welcomed a high number of Cape Verdean immigrants. In the 1970s, Americo Brito was one of them and he soon got involved with the local music scene and found an ever larger community of likeminded talents. He took to the stage with his band and made for a buzzy little scene that found them tour with their own sound system. Here he works with Rotterdam local Arp Frique to serve up Cape Verdean music old and new with plenty of traditional Funana and Coladeira sounds next to jams influenced by wave, disco and funk, jazz, reggae and Latin pop.

Review: One of Norway's finest jazz artists, Alex Figueira, shares a surprise mini-album via Jazzaggression, whose solar-punky, psychedelic description of the record is as gleeful as the implied beam of light which emanates from behind the artist's front-cover printed visage, and on which the warped art nouveau typography detailing its title wafts: "a vibrant fusion of tropical rhythms layered with a dazzling array of synth-driven psychedelia." Said to have played every instrument on the LP himself, Figueira's ends are irreverent and sun-soaking; his ultra-obscure Norweigan tropical music scene is married well to the all-improv, time-pressed nature of the recordings going in, all of which were immured and hothoused behind the walls of Utrecht's Studio Pelto.

Review: Principe continue to rep the realest of Lisbon's dance culture with this sophomore adventure from long-standing resident and batida beatsmith Lycox. Often lending vocals to the tracks himself, he continues to build on that warm, relentless signature of his: Gutsy sample hooks wrapped up in traditional Latin instruments and motifs then blasted with gritty ghetto attitude. The results pummel and massage in equal measure... From the relentless kuduro turbo of 'Pedale Ku El' to the contemplative swells and graces of hypnotic tracks such as 'Guetto Love' and 'Energia', the whole range is rolled out right here in a way that flips between ghetto dreams and global reality. Ferociously fine.

Review: In 1969, Duo Ouro Negro travelled to the US and came back changed. By 1972, they channelled said many cross-country encounters with Black Power politics, spiritual jazz and liberation struggles into Blackground: a bold, pan-African statement recorded not in Luanda but Lisbon. The Angolan duo, already global stars in Portuguese-speaking circuits, were heard fusing jazz-funk with messages of decolonisation and Black identity, summed up in Raul Indipwo's cry: "Don't forget your blackground." A decade later, in 1981, the record was reworked with fresh arrangements and additions like the instrumental 'Iemenja' and the percussion-heavy 'Aruandai'. This new edition from Digei De Bairro brings that fiercely rhythmic and politically charged LP back into circulation, a vital slice of Lusophone jazz-funk with global intent.

Review: We guarantee you won't have heard percussion like Serpente for some time. Offering three tracks of disorientating, complex beats, from 'Perda Outra' to 'Dobra De Ra', the triptych is rhythmically challenging but absolutely captivating, and certainly the kind of thing that's going to prove demanding for anyone obsessed with smooth, clean transitions in a mix. Flip this wild six pack and CZN's trio of tunes are similarly beguiling. Space age desert folk drums, suppressed ritualistic thrumming, and top-heavy pulsating arrangements that seem poised to generate high energy while never managing to release the tension. Quality bits we don't really know what else to say about - genre obsessives need not apply, this is no place for you or your structures and rules. But trust us, letting go of such ideals and diving in here will be one of the best things you do this week.

Review: Mayra Andrade's live album, recorded at Union Chapel, features the warmth and eclecticism of her music in an intimate setting. Known for blending Cape Verdean Creole, English, and Portuguese in her songs, she pulls from a variety of cultural influences to craft a sound that's truly global. Her live collaboration with guitarist Djodje Almeida, 'reEncanto,' takes listeners on a journey through her discographyifrom Navega (2006) to Manga (2019).Andrade's music dances between traditional Cape Verdean rhythms and contemporary beats, with touches of reggae, African soul and pop influences, making every performance feel both rooted and adventurous. Her voice, full of depth and color, effortlessly shifts between romantic ballads and playful, rhythmic tunes. A nomadic spirit is evident in her music as she reflects her life's experiences and travels. On stage, Andrade is stunning, and the energy she brings in this live recording transports listeners straight to Cape Verde's sun-drenched shores. For those unfamiliar with her work, this album is an ideal introduction to the vibrant, evolving world she's built through her music, full of passion and heartfelt storytelling.

Review: This debut album is sure to prove a solo breakthrough for DJ Narciso. It taps into Lisbon's rich reserves of kuduro and puts a devastatingly fresh new spin on the sound in the wake of pioneers like Nidia, N Fox and P. Adrix. Narciso pushes drill-adjacent rhythms and tresillo syncopations here and creates a unique European counterpart to Havana's wild sense of rhythm that is, at its core, deeply rooted in West African traditions. Tracks like 'Ziu Ziu (Reprise)' and 'Cabelinho' explore quirky textures and unpredictable grooves while 'Vai Estragar a Camera' echoes early Nazar's cantankerous vibe and '5 Do Jo' and 'Jogo' deliver heavy basslines and experimental sounds that cement Narciso's distinctive style in Lisbon's unique landscape.