Aurgasm

brazilian fusion // urban

Brazilian songstresses are a significant part of the abundance of Brazilian produce you have been hearing over the last few years. Critically acclaimed CéU and Cibelle as well as lesser known to a wider audience Aurgasm-loved honey-voiced Aline de Lima or Ana Martins already found their audience in both the US and Europe. Now it’s the turn of São Paolo based Luísa Maita. Fusing tropical rhythms and more urban grooves, her debut Lero-Lero (2010) is a mixture of relaxing bossa, capoeira rhythms, funky beats and soulful vocals. Let the mellow vibes caress your ears for the rest of the day.

Soothing and danceable, unmistakably Brazilian vibe.
Luísa Maita – Lero-Lero
Luísa Maita – Fulaninha
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afrobeat // tropical funk

Summer is the time for everything to slow down. While many of you are enjoying the warmth and summer festivals, cold beverages and roof parties, Saravah Soul will provide you with that kind of perfect Afro-meets-Brazilian vibe for the ultimate summer soundtrack. In their recently released album Cultura Impura (2010), Saravah Soul blends together West African melodies, 60′s funk and Brazilian rhythms. Their richly intense compositions are build around horn arrangements, vibrant bass, Pifano (bamboo flutes) and Berimbau, interweaving with hypnotic choruses.

From Afrobeat to carnival in Rio.
Saravah Soul – Alforria
Saravah Soul – Funk De Umbigada
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soul // blues // french acoustic

The story of Okou begins in a Parisian bar. Tatiana Heintz, originally from the Ivory Coast, and Gilbert Trefzger, a Swiss guitarist with Egyptian roots, are truly world artists. Their debut album Serpentine (2010) blends sounds from around the globe. Serpentine captures the spirit of soul, blues and roots music, evoking the best American folk traditions and New Orleans’ sound with a delicate European touch. The acoustic guitars and banjo arrangements with the somewhat old-fashioned groove make “To The Bone” a perfect road trip soundtrack. Seductively mellow, French sung “A L’aurore” is a real West Africa meets New Orleans musical gem. The outstanding song carries rich instrumentation that includes strings, banjo and tuba.

Soulful southern yet cosmopolitan vibe.
Okou – To The Bone
Okou – A L’aurore
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brazilian fusion // urban // bossa

At Aurgasm we love warm Brazilian saudade quality in our music (and our drink). Seeing Brazilian CéU live in Seattle a couple of weeks ago only came as reaffirmation. CéU, along Bossa princess Bebel Gilberto and the funkier Cibelle, is a fine contemporary Brazilian artist. We featured CéU back in 2007 with her stunning take on Fela Kuti — Africa meets South America. Since then, the Brazilian songstress released a few EP’s, was featured in Starbucks’ Hear Music Debut series and was nominated to both Grammy and Latin Grammy awards. Her 2009 album Vagarosa is a beauty fusing everything from funky, cool rhythms to the slow and easy-going percussive grooves. So felt we need to tell you again about her, in case you missed last time.

Breezy vocals, soulful summery rhythms.
CéU – Bubuia
CéU – Cangote (Live Session iTunes Exclusive EP)
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surf // indie eclectic

During my year spent in Tel Aviv I’ve learnt about many indie artists and been to a countless number of local gigs. Many of these discoveries I have already shared with you, avid readers, yet there is one act both Paul and I have been wanting to introduce to a wider audience of music lovers. Tel Aviv-based Boom Pam sounds unmistakably Mediterranean. There are Greek influences (think energetic Greek wedding music), Oriental motifs (traditional Middle Eastern melodies) and Balkan rhythms (passionate and vibrant) in their music. You can easily say as well it’s a Tel Avivian vibe, multicultural, stylish and laid back at the same time. “Wedding song” an up-tempo track from their almost entirely instrumental self-titled record features tuba and surf guitars and gives you a good idea of what Boom Pam sounds like. Boom Pam’s interpretation of Dick Dale’s “The Wedge”, Puerto Rican Nights (2008), is a mixture of Mediterranean heat and an American western movie.

Mediterranean eclecticism played with tremendous energy.
Boom Pam – Wedding Song
Boom Pam – The Wedge
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