ARTIST: various artists
TITLE: Daora: Underground Sounds Of Urban Brasil – Hip-Hop, Beats, Afro & Dub
LABEL: Mais Um Discos
Here’s another valuable release from Mais Um, who specialize in bringing the latest uncategorizable Brazilian recordings to the north’s attention. Daora is Paulistano slang that means just what an urban American means by “dope”: cool and generally awesome. I don’t find Disc 1, focusing on hip-hop and beats, especially dope. But Disc 2, with its focus on Afrobeat and reggae-derived rhythms, is definitely all that. I’d heard that Afrobeat is hot in Brazil (Why not? It’s popular everywhere right now) and there are some fine Afrobeat tracks on here: 3 is fast and sour like the Budos Band or the late, lamented Superpowers; 9 is slow and soulful; 11 borrows as much from disco, rap and Shaft as from Afrobeat; and 16 evolves from a long, very Brazilian percussion intro into a lovely, spacy jazz arrangement. And there are two really nice reggae tracks, both fronted by female singers switching between Portuguese and English: 7 reminds me of Amparanoia, and 12 quotes Althea & Donna to fine effect. Brazilian Afrobeat and reggae? Como no!
TOP TRACKS: Disc 2 – 3 7 9 11 12 16
ALSO RECOMMENDED: Disc 2 – 1 2 4 5 10 13 14 15
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