Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: Bruno Berle's No Reino Dos Afetos is a stunning example of modern Brazilian pop, blending heartfelt emotion with a wide range of musical influences. Hailing from Maceio, Berle brings the warmth and beauty of his coastal home into every corner of this album. Released in a vibrant blue vinyl repress in 2024, the album is a journey through soft, intimate compositions that explore love, tenderness, and beauty. Berle's smooth, golden voice is the heart of the record, effortlessly gliding over songs like 'Quero Dizer', where the mix of lo-fi production, kalimba, and guitar creates an irresistible, laid-back groove. His raw emotional power shines in tracks like 'O Nome Do Meu Amor', an acoustic tearjerker brimming with sincerity. Berle's versatility is clear, moving from indie rock on 'E Preciso Ter Amor' to the sun-soaked soul of Joao Menezes's 'Ate Meu Violao', which opens the album with a nostalgic touch of 70s MPB. His take on West African highlife in 'Som Nyame' adds even more richness to the mix. Every note feels personal, capturing both simplicity and depth. This album solidifies Berle as one of Brazil's most exciting young talents.

Review: Caixa Cubo's latest release highlights the trio's effortless blend of samba-jazz, funk and MPB. Rooted in Brazilian traditions, the tracks carry grooves reminiscent of 1970s legends, yet feel distinctly modern. With rich keyboard harmonies, vibrant percussion, and basslines that lock into irresistible rhythms, the group bridges nostalgic warmth with contemporary flair. Each composition reflects a deep understanding of their heritage, drawing from carnaval marches and baiao while infusing experimental touches that keep things fresh.

Review: It's not often that jazz guitarists and bandleaders double up as DJs and producers, but neither is Nicola Conte the kind of person one often encounters. Here the Italian multi-talent proffers a new version of his latest spiritual jazz-house opus, Umoja. This record first came to be as a full-length 4x4 dance LP of serene, danceable tropicalias and sports-whistly whorls. They now come reincarnated, karmically re-endowed with the thermal force of an eagle, by way of an album's worth of reworks by the veteran producer's vim of fellow spiritual house height-scaler and abseiler, Joaquin Claussell. Whether invoking the exquisite voices of Stefania Dipierro or channelling the patent inspirations of Lonnie Liston Smith of Gary Bartz, Conte Conte-nues to propose endless Conte-nuations of his sound; all it takes is a little help from one's friends to evoke a sacred dance, a sonic world-spirit.

Review: Lau Ro's debut album Cabana is a poignant and introspective look on memory, self-discovery, and imagination, rooted in their upbringing in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and their later experiences in Europe. Recorded in a small wood cabin at the bottom of their garden, the album traverses dreamy bossa, ambient folk, fuzzy tropicalia, and majestic MPB, enveloped in masterful string arrangements and trippy electronics. Lau Ro's delicate yet confident vocals, sung in both English and Portuguese, navigate themes of urban pollution and utopian dreams rich with nature and wildlife - a journey of rediscovery, as Lau Ro reconnect with their roots while embracing their European experiences. The result is music that feels like it belongs to a parallel universe Brazil, offering a glimpse into Lau Ro's multifaceted identity and artistic vision.