Da Cruz – Sistema Subversiva
Reviewed by Sadie O., 7/14/11
Funky electro-Afrobeat from Sao Paulo Brazil; female vocals, and lots of great aggressive energy. All in Brazilian Portuguese – there maybe FCCs, but whaddayagonnado?
1. 3:49 ***marimba intro, big drums, grows into funky midtempo electronic stomp. Hip hop vocals.
2. 4:44 ****swingy syncopation with electronic squawps, pretty singing, hip-wiggler. Gets totally psychedelic for last minute or so.
3. 6:26 ***uptempo electronic squeeps, sound collage almost burying hints of traditional Brazilian pop samba, but with Highlife and jazzy horns on top.
4. 3:22 **pretty acoustic guitar, Rio samba vibe, but with a Reggae beat.
5. 5:32 *****funky drums and something that sounds like a berembau, chanting. Gets bigger and funkier. I mean REALLY funky! Cray-ZEE!
6. 3:23 ****big-ass funky percussion. Carneval feel, but electronic hip hop at the same time. And it’s an 80’s Eurotrash cover!
7. 5:14 ***smooth jazz, but with a funky beat and slinky vocals.
8. 2:51 ****funky ukulele. Funk comes in all sizes!
9. 5:36 ***subdued intro, then funky bouncy jungly thing. Kinda relaxed but dangerous. OK, never mind – it’s definitely scary.
10. 3:36 ***folky funky acoustic guitar, uptempo with Bahia feel. Electronics dart from side to side.
11. 4:09 ****uptempo and MASSIVELY funky – yet somehow also relaxed.
12. 3:40 ***swingy, funky, relaxed and pretty.
13. 4:33 **slow plinky electronic waltz with a hint of funk, pretty vocals. Orchestral bits, rather odd combination of sounds.
14. 5:16 **stuttering guitar, midtempo funk march of the wee bugs. One guitar is big and menacing, the other is bouncy and cute…
15. 4:25 ****claps and drums, upbeat. A bit of chanting, then big electric things and drums. I’m a bit afraid of this track, but I like it.
16. 3:24 **very slow, pretty processed vocals, acoustic guitar, beachy feel. Even more relaxed than the original version.