Massively heavy sounds from A Bolha – a Brazilian group who were previously known as The Bubbles, and backed up Gal Costa during the Tropicalia years – but who work here in a fuzzy, bassy groove that's totally great – definitely an heir to the headier sounds of the UK scene at the start of the 70s! The guitars are definitely in full force here, but the basslines drive things along strongly too – echoing some of the Peruvian sounds of the time, but with a bit more Brazilian sophistication – and definitely a musical echo of lessons learned during Tropicalia, even though the set's a fully instrumental one. Organ also figures in the mix too – and titles include "Bye My Friend", "Razao De Existir", "Um Passo A Frente", "A Esfera", and "Neste Rock Forever". CD is beautifully done – with full notes in the great Lion tradition – and bonus tracks that include "Sem Nada" and "18.30 Parte 1". (Rock, Brazil) CD

The debut of a legend – Chico Buarque's first album for RGE, and a groundbreaking batch of tunes that helped shape the sound of popular music in Brazil for years to come! Buarque predates the Tropicalia era, but is working here in a style that clearly allowed for their later impact – a mode that draws on styles from bossa, folklore, and samba – but which somehow manages to rise into a groove that's all its own. Buarque's genius can immediately be summed up in classics on the set – like "Pedro Pedreiro", "A Rita", "Tem Mais Samba", "A Banda", and "Ole Ola" – all wonderful numbers that make the album an essential one in any collection! Amazing package, too – comes in a hardcover book-style jacket, with a bonus 42 page book that also includes full color images, with lots of vintage photos, plus notes on the record in Portuguese! The whole thing's sort of an update of the old Abril Cultural style of the 70s – brought into the CD generation. CD

A warmly jazzy album from Gal Costa – much more so than you'd expect from her slightly creepy white face on the cover! There's a fair bit of keyboards in the instrumentation – usually stepping around with a relatively mellow feel, which lets Gal concentrate on ballads and gently soulful numbers – all put together by a variety of arrangers who include Lincoln Olivetti, Paulo Ramiro, Luizinho Avelar, and Cleberson Horst. The sound is light years from the Tropicalia generation, but Gal more than proves herself to be a good interpreter in any situation. Titles include "Nada Mais", "Ave Nossa", "Vaca Profana", "Tililingo", "Cabeca Feita", and "Chuva De Prata". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold leap forward from Gilberto Gil – his first album recorded during the Tropicalia years, and an amazing collaboration with arranger Rogerio Duprat! The album's got a sound that really bridges scenes in Brazil – elements of older folkloric musics, folded with samba rhythms, folded again with psychedelic touches from Os Mutantes – who also help out on the set – all wrapped together with a sound so revolutionary, it still crackles with energy all these many years later! The sound and style are impossible to describe accurately, which is part of the charm of the record – and it's key placement as one of the prime musical texts of the Tropicalia years. Titles include "Marginalia II", "Luzia Luluza", "Pega A Voga, Cabeludo", "Frevo Rasgado", "Domingou", and "Domingo No Parque". CD also features 4 bonus tracks – "Barca Grande", "A Coisa Mais Linda Que Existe", "Questao De Ordem", and "A Luta Contra A Lata Ou A Falencia Do Cafe". CD

A tremendous little album from Joyce – a rare session originally only issued in Italy, recorded in a folksy style that's a bit different than her other work! Tracks are all pretty short – many under 2 minutes long – and feature spare guitar, percussion, and lovely vocals from Joyce – really stretching out here in the laidback and open-ended format. The record is a magical treasure, and one of the best she ever recorded – a unique mix of jazzy and folksy stylings, all held together with some of the loveliest vocals ever recorded by a Brazilian singer! Titles include "Pelo Telefone", "Pesadelo", "De Frente Pro Crime", "Joia", "Chora Doutor", "Fado Tropical", and "A Historia Do Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo album by Rita Lee – cut back when she was a member of the groundbreaking Tropicalia trio, Os Mutantes! The album's got a very different feel than her work with that group – and has Rita stepping out as a sophisticated pop singer, almost in the way that Nico did on the Chelsea Girl album, after leaving the Velvet Underground. Arrangements have a weird twisted edge – as Rita makes her way through a set of originals and a few covers, in an almost deadpan, ice-blond mode that reminds us of some of Jane Birkin's early work. Arrangements are by the great Rogerio Duprat, and titles include "Sucesso, Aqui Vou Eu", "Prisioneira Do Amor", "Hulla Hulla", "Tempo Nublado", "Precisamos De Irmaos", and "Calma" – plus a nice cover of "And I Love Her". CD

A record with a very plain cover, but one that contains some of the most searing guitar work of the early 70s – the one and only album by a short-lived group from Brazil – one who mix Sabbath-style hard rock with some more experimental modes – all at a level that's completely unlike anything we can think of from the time! There's some really offbeat production twists that almost seem to be learned from the Tropicalia generation – although the music here is much more straightforward, and delivered with familiar guitar, organ, bass, and drums – familiar instruments that, as in the hands of some of the giants of the time, take on raw power and sounds of their own when pushed to their limits! Lyrics are all in Portuguese, but that hardly matters, given the instrumental intensity of the set – which includes the titles "Turpe Est Sine Crine Caput", "Nao Fale Com Paredes", "Metro Mental", "Animaia", and "Espelho". The CD version is loaded with bonus tracks, too – including rare singles released under the name Modulo 1000 and the pseudonymous Love Machine – with titles include including "Ferrugem E Fuligem", "The Cancer Stick", "Waiting For Tomorrow", "Gloriosa", "Cafusa" and more. 17 tracks in all! (Rock, Brazil) CD

A mix of post-Tropicalia Brazilian rock and some of the more soulful elements filtering through the country's music in the early 70s – and one of the most enigmatic albums by this unique singer! Sergio's got a sound that's incredibly hard to describe – at once sweet and melodic, but also kind of twisted, in an intimate singer/songwriter mode. The production of the album is compressed with a number of post-Beatles touches that make it sparkle like work by Caetano Veloso in the mid 70s, or some of the Peruvian rock by groups like We All Together – and hearing the record gives us the same sort of excitement of new discovery as when we heard their best work. Titles include "Rulzito Seixas", "Viajei De Trem", "Pobre Meu Pai", "Labirintos Negros", "Filme De Terror", and "Lero E Leros E Boleros". LP, Vinyl record album

Although it's hard to understand from the perspective of over a decade (especially one that's seen Tom Ze rise to fame again), when this compilation was first put together, the music of Tom Ze had all but fallen off the musical map of Brazil. Ze was one of the founding fathers of Tropicalia – and unlike other members of that group, who rose to great fame during the 70s, and straighted up their act a bit, Ze always remained a committed modernist, as you'll hear on this sampling of 13 tracks from his rare releases on a number of labels. The style's incredibly hard to pin down – and in fact, we might describe the recordings as being "anti-style" – but if you've heard any of Ze's work, you know you're in for a treat. Titles include "Ma", "Doi", "Hein?", "Cademar", "Um Oh E Um Ah", and "A Felicidade". CD

A groundbreaking collection of work from the legendary Tom Ze – and a record that really helped introduce his genius to the world outside of Brazil! Although it's hard to understand from the perspective of over a decade – especially one that's seen Tom Ze rise to fame again – when this compilation was first put together, the music of Tom Ze had all but fallen off the musical map of Brazil. Ze was one of the founding fathers of Tropicalia – and unlike other members of that group, who rose to great fame during the 70s, and straightened up their act a bit – Ze always remained a committed modernist, continually inventive well into the 70s and 80s – really coming up with amazing sounds that are always compelling, challenging, and often have a nicely quirky feel as well. The style's incredibly hard to pin down – and in fact, we might describe the recordings as being "anti-style" – but if you've heard any of Ze's work, you know you're in for a treat. The collection brings together material from a number of different labels – and titles include "Ma", "Doi", "Hein?", "Cademar", "Um Oh E Um Ah", "Augusta Angelica E Consolacao", "O Riso E A Faca", "Ui", and "A Felicidade". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with "samba" in the title, but a set that hardly sounds like samba at all – given that the record is one of the groundbreaking 70s albums from the legendary Tom Ze! Ze first rose to fame as an experimentalist in the Tropicalia scene – but here, he's years past that movement, yet still one of its most creative proponents – working in a mode that takes older Brazilian rhythms and infuses them with all the new sounds, styles, and sense of poetry that Tom was bringing to his music – often quite playful, but at a level that's quite moving as well. The whole thing's got the subtle "beyond language" power of some of the best by Caetano Veloso – even though Tom Ze is completely his own man throughout. The set features arrangements from Jose Briamonte, production from Heraldo Do Monte, and titles that include a rootsy take on "A Felicidade", plus the nutty instrumental "Tom", and the original tracks "So", "Ma", "Vai", "Ui", "Indice", "Hein", and "Mae". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums from groundbreaking Brazilian music pioneer Tom Ze – and a record that introduces itself with an equally legendary cover image! (Hint: that's not an eyeball on the front.) Ze had already been recording a bit by the time of this record – but this set is easily his most experimental album ever – a record that even makes the work of the late 60s Tropicalia generation sound a bit more catchy and tuneful – as Tom's drawing here from all sorts of strands of avant poetry and instrumentation. The vibe is almost like some of the most experimental Saravah Records albums of the period – unusual songwriting served up in an approach that mixes hard percussion, spare production, quirky guitar, and some of the strangest vocals ever recorded in Brazil. Titles include Complexo De Epico", "A Noite Do Meu Bem", "Dodo E Zeze", "Brigitte Bardot", and "O Riso E A Faca". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums from groundbreaking Brazilian music pioneer Tom Ze – and a record that introduces itself with an equally legendary cover image! (Hint: that's not an eyeball on the front.) Ze had already been recording a bit by the time of this record – but this set is easily his most experimental album ever – a record that even makes the work of the late 60s Tropicalia generation sound a bit more catchy and tuneful – as Tom's drawing here from all sorts of strands of avant poetry and instrumentation. The vibe is almost like some of the most experimental Saravah Records albums of the period – unusual songwriting served up in an approach that mixes hard percussion, spare production, quirky guitar, and some of the strangest vocals ever recorded in Brazil. Titles include Complexo De Epico", "A Noite Do Meu Bem", "Dodo E Zeze", "Brigitte Bardot", and "O Riso E A Faca". LP, Vinyl record album

A fuzzed out treasure trove of rare Brazilian psychedelia – wild stuff that's in many ways akin to the freewheeling sounds of the Tropicalia movement, but not necessarily taking on the cultural and political weight of that movement – and more about the boundless spirit of psychedelia and funk rock around the globe! The sounds are buzzing and indeed fuzzy throughout, ranging from raw and ramshackle guitar jams to more organ and drum driven funky, and it's really incredible stuff all around. We've been purveyors of hard to find Brazilian music for many many years, and this set – compiled by Joel Stones who also provides the richly detailed – brings to light some numbers we've never heard! 16 tracks in all: "Tema De Banana", "Era Uma Nota De" Loyce E Os Gnomes, "I Wanna Be Your Man" by Youngsters, "Ourico" by Serguei, "Lindo Sonho Delirante" by Fabio, "Cinturao De Fog" by Marisa Rossi, 'Som Imaginario De Jimmi Hendrix" by The Pops, "The Lantern" by Mac Rybell and more. CD version comes with a thick booklet of notes, in both English and Portuguese, and it's an enhanced CD – with the short documentary What Are Fuzz Bananas?. (Funky Compilations, Brazil) CD

A fuzzed out treasure trove of rare Brazilian psychedelia – wild stuff that's in many ways akin to the freewheeling sounds of the Tropicalia movement, but not necessarily taking on the cultural and political weight of that movement – and more about the boundless spirit of psychedelia and funk rock around the globe! The sounds are buzzing and indeed fuzzy throughout, ranging from raw and ramshackle guitar jams to more organ and drum driven funky, and it's really incredible stuff all around. We've been purveyors of hard to find Brazilian music for many many years, and this set – compiled by Joel Stones who also provides the richly detailed liner notes – brings to light some numbers we've never heard! 16 tracks in all: "Tema De Banana", "Era Uma Nota De" Loyce E Os Gnomes, "I Wanna Be Your Man" by Youngsters, "Ourico" by Serguei, "Lindo Sonho Delirante" by Fabio, "Cinturao De Fog" by Marisa Rossi, 'Som Imaginario De Jimmi Hendrix" by The Pops, "The Lantern" by Mac Rybell and more. (Funky Compilations, Brazil) LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – not just in Brazilian music, but in all modern music in general! The set's a legendary manifesto for the Tropicalia movement in Brazil – and features key works by all the leading musical luminaries in the movement – including a few later stars who are heard here at their most edgey! The work is as groundbreaking today as it was at the end of the 60s – a brilliant testament to the power of artists to really break down boundaries in art and music, and find a way to mix the political with the popular at the same time. Titles include a fantastic version of Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso singing "Baby", the "Tres Caravelas" duet between Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, Gil's great reading of "Bat Macumba" with Costa and Veloso, Nara Leao singing "Lindoneia", Os Mutantes performing "Panis Et Circenses", Gilberto on "Geleia Geral, Caetano doing "Coracao Materno, and Rita Lee, Gal Costa, and Caetano Veloso singing "Enquanto Seu Lobo Nao Vem". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning tribute to the music of Jorge Ben – a host of classic covers from the 60s and 70s, all of which share Jorge's love for an upbeat, soulful groove! The set's exploding with life and energy – that new sort of groove that Ben first unleashed on Brazilian music in the 60s, which was quickly taken up by most of his contemporaries – as you'll hear on the wonderful tunes in this set! There's a ridiculous amount of music on the collection – over two dozen tunes, a number of which we'd never heard before – and although Jorge doesn't sing on any of them, the vocalists are all clearly inspired by his sense of warmth and soul. Every cut's a groover – and titles include "Quem Mandou" by Osmar Milito, "Zazueira" by Wilson Simonal, "Pulo Pulo" by Elza Soares, "Se Voce Quiser Mas Sem Bronquear" by Doris Monteiro, "Tenha Fe Pois Amanha Um Lindo Dia Vai Nascer" and "La Vem Salgueiro" by Os Originais Do Samba, "Carolina Carol Bela" by Os Brazoes, "Speed" by Sonia Santos, "Rei Do Maracatu" by Cyro Aguiar, "Cosa Nostra" by Os Mutreteiros Grilados, "Fio Maravilha" by Marijo, "Pais Tropical" by Wilson Simonal, and "Mas Que Nada" by Elza Soares. CD

A stunning tribute to the music of Jorge Ben – a host of classic covers from the 60s and 70s, all of which share Jorge's love for an upbeat, soulful groove! The set's exploding with life and energy – that new sort of groove that Ben first unleashed on Brazilian music in the 60s, which was quickly taken up by most of his contemporaries – as you'll hear on the wonderful tunes in this set! There's a ridiculous amount of music on the collection – over two dozen tunes, a number of which we'd never heard before – and although Jorge doesn't sing on any of them, the vocalists are all clearly inspired by his sense of warmth and soul. Every cut's a groover – and titles include "Quem Mandou" by Osmar Milito, "Zazueira" by Wilson Simonal, "Pulo Pulo" by Elza Soares, "Se Voce Quiser Mas Sem Bronquear" by Doris Monteiro, "Tenha Fe Pois Amanha Um Lindo Dia Vai Nascer" and "La Vem Salgueiro" by Os Originais Do Samba, "Carolina Carol Bela" by Os Brazoes, "Speed" by Sonia Santos, "Rei Do Maracatu" by Cyro Aguiar, "Cosa Nostra" by Os Mutreteiros Grilados, "Fio Maravilha" by Marijo, "Pais Tropical" by Wilson Simonal, and "Mas Que Nada" by Elza Soares. LP, Vinyl record album