SABADO DOS BRASILEIROS....

This Saturday forth shall be known around these parts as 'Saturday of the Brazilians' or 'Sábado dos Brasileiros.'

Basically what I've been running across lately is crazy number of Brazilian tracks that are just too dope, funky, fresh and every other positive adjective in the book. So fly are they, that I feel compelled to share these tracks with the world. Just the other day I rediscovered some of this year's Samba tracks that were the soundtrack to individual Samba schools at the Rio Carnaval. Although those songs and chants hold personal memories of my visit to Rio, I think many will agree on the overall 'head-nodding' and 'crowd participation' desire brought upon any listener. Hearing those catchy chorus' and infectious drum beats is a great way to wake up on a Saturday morning. Those tracks will get their play at some point but to start things off, I'm actually gonna come at you with something a little more mellowed out. I did a short piece on the Singer/rapper Curumin and his backing band just over a week back. UK readers and football fans will most likely recognise his song, 'Gurreiro' from one of the many Nike 'Joga Bonito' adverts.

Anywho, this song right here is entitled, 'Vem Menina.' My Portuguese is no where near perfect or even good, I can't pick up on most of the lyrics however I can pick up on the fact that it's about a girl. 'Menina' is a girl and 'Vem' is to come. In a nut shell the girl is putting him through a spot of trouble and hassle, meanwhile he's telling her things he wants to do with her.

The thing I'm really diggin' about the track is the little guitar rift. Simple guitar rifts are apparent in a lot of Brazilian music. I hope to be able to produce ill rifts and interludes like that one day, seems like something that's just cool to know how to do. Being able to pick up a guitar and sporadically churn out a little rift like that automatically brings a smile to people's faces and adds a little rhythm to the room.

What's more, the verse Curumin spits after the listener becomes accustomed to his soft-spoken, smooth lryics, is somewhat of a surprise. Though his flow is ill and the verse eventually turns out nothing short of dope. I've got a thing for how a singer or emcee re-enters a track after an instrumental interlude, it can either turn out brilliant or horrible. The artist has to latch back on to the beat and ride it out perfectly. Freddie Gibbs does it well at the start of his 'Flamboyant' freestyle while Biggie was a master of the craft. Curumin pulls it off well here at around the 3 minute mark. Let me stop talking now and proceed with the audio.

Curumin - 'Vem Menina'

Be sure to check out the album this track derives from, 'Archados e Perdidos' for more dopes sounds from this man and his crew.