Tim Lyre “Present”

This was a Bandcamp Weekly find a while ago. Had to share here for the samba rhythm in the bass line 💃🏽

Check out Nigerian artist Tim Lyre if you haven’t already. Debut album “Worry <“ (Worry Less) has been out since late March, a variety of tempos and rhythms that range from introspective to celebratory, and a lot of samba references/influences.

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Colors x Studios

“I want to tell Brazilian stories without them being filtered through a Western or Eurocentric lens.” -Ode curator, writer, stylist, film director

Colors is one of my go tos for finding out about up and coming Brazilian artists. They’re doing a great job of consistently featuring a variety of new and well established talent, from the hugely popular MC Dricka and rapper Emicida, to up and comers like Tasha & Tracie. And not just rappers, either. Colors’ recent web editorial highlights a wide range of genres, perspectives, musicians, photographers, DJs, aspiring professional creatives and more from South America’s largest country, allowing them to hold the camera, take center stage and speak their minds in an unadulterated way. Feels especially poignant and necessary given the socio political climate in Brazil at this time. Definitely subscribe to Colors on YouTube if you haven’t already.

This mellow, soothing vibe on “Temporal” by producer, singer, songwriter Bruna Mendez and Lucs Romero is one of many artists & performances I’ve enjoyed on the channel:

Vintage Brazilian Funk Favorite: Copa 7 “De Repente” (1979)

One of my favorite samba rock/funk cuts ever. I love putting people onto this, especially other DJ’s ;). Oh, and I love it for dancing, too, of course. The swing, the horn arrangement, the organ. It’s everything. I often miss hearing this in Brazilian funk and soul sets, but apparently it is a rare record. Fun fact: one of Copa 7’s band members, guitarist and composer Dionisio Santos (RIP), was based in NYC for some time. Enjoy!

Carla Prata “Owner”

Afrobeats track “Owner” is my favorite from Angolan/British singer and lyricist Carla Prata. The 21 year old is making big moves with an easy confidence. Already well-known in Angola, Portugal, and the UK, her recent COLORS performance of provocative new single, “Certified Freak” brings her to a wider audience. She got her start at 15 and just released her first EP, Roots, mid 2020. She talks about getting into music and international ambitions in this brief after COLORS interview.