By Myra Johnson
Tudo de Bom (feat. Samira Winter & Nevilton) – Captain Planet
Sweet beats, a little reggae style and the classic clave; what’s not to love? No, this isn’t the Captain Planet from TV, but a group that somehow is able to combine afrobeat, funk, hip hop and UK bass. The diversity of this album is unreal; just listen to Un Poquito with Chico Mann or Quetzalcoatl Offering. It’s so different, yet so cool. Check out the rest of his album here.
Más Que Nada (feat. The Black Eyed Peas) – Sergio Mendes
There is a reason this album is called “Timeless.” With tracks featuring everyone from John Legend, Black Thought and Jill Scott, this album has everything. Sergio Mendes has one of the most classic Brazilian sounds with the clave. If you’re going to listen through any of his albums, I would recommend Brasileiro, my all time favorite. The rest of Timeless can be found here. The above track is a newer version of the original that was recorded with Brasil ‘66 in 1972.
Alla Vill Till Himmelen – Timbuktu
If you like trying to learn fast raps for fun, this is one challenging piece for you to try and master. Not only is this Swedish rapper very quick, the language itself is near impossible to learn. His album Full Ära is a pretty sweet reggae and hip hop hybrid with some sweet horn lines. If you’re interested in Scandinavian hip hop check out this nice little compilation.
Somos Sur (feat. Shadia Mansour) – Ana Tijoux
Ana Tijoux is a goddess. She is a French Chilean rapper with a driven mindset and a strong connection to the world, easily linked back to the political exile that her parents to continue to live in. She started as a part of Makiza, a Chilean rap group in 1997, and then became a solo artist in 2006. The rest of her latest album, Vengo, can be found here.
If you haven’t immersed yourself in Brazilian music yet, Djavan is not a bad place to start. I’d say to start with his 1992 album Alumbramento/Djavan and then move to his self titled album, Djavan. With his beautiful guitar lines, classic clave and gorgeous portuguese lyrics you cannot go wrong.
Lucecita (feat. Chico Mann) – EMEFE
If you looked through last week’s music, you’ll notice that EMEFE also made an appearance on that list. Though they’re from Brooklyn, Chico Mann brings a latin spin to this track. Once again, the rest of this album can be found here.
Diablo Rojo – Rodrigo & Gabriela
If you have never heard of this duo you must go watch them perform live- here or here. This duo is crazy; how are they moving so fast?? How can they keep their paces synced? Seriously, they must have some sort of magical powers. If there is ever a race that involves getting to the end of a song you want these two on your side. But in all honesty, they are amazing, and you should check out the rest of this album here or any of their other stuff here.
Notes: APUTUMPU Music Festival at the Middle East April 10-11th (18+)
Freshlyground Brighton Music Hall June 25th
King Sunny Adé The Sinclair July 1st
Stromae House of Blues Boston September 18th
Miss them the first time around? All songs can be found here.
