Concert
Opening: Tecno Brega
Compiled by Daniel Haaksman
With João Brasil (BR), Banda Uó (BR), Felipe Cordeiro (BR) and DJ Waldo Squash (BR)
In Brazilian Portuguese, the word “Brega” roughly means “bombastic”, “off-beat” or “kitsch”. As early as the 1970s, the term was used in Belém in the north-east of the country to describe the popular, syrupy pop music played there. Over the last ten years, the genre has evolved into an electronic version known as Tecno Brega: the old Brega melodies live on in the guise of pounding beats and highly extravagant dance events founded on a distribution system that functions perfectly without copyright laws. Daniel Haaksman, who has been an active promoter of Brazilian funk (Baile Funk) for years, has put together a program that collects the “state of the art” of this local phenomenon, including elements from beyond its geographical or conventional borders.
João Brasil Born in Rio de Janeiro, João Brasil is one of those trendsetters who have helped to establish Tecno Brega as a well-known feature of the “Tropical Bass” scene. In addition to hits such as “L.O.V.E. Banana” and “Funk Do Iphone”, he has also released mash-ups under the pseudonym 356, along with singles and remixes on Daniel Haaksman’s Label Man Recordings.
www.joaobrasil.com Soundcloud Youtube
Banda Uó Bombastic? Perhaps. Off-beat? For sure! This band from São Paulo comes from the same background as the successful college funk band Bonde do Role. With a mixture of irony and homage, David Sabbag, Mateus Carrilho and Mel Gonçalves create their own hipster versions of Tecno Brega, a blend that has taken them all the way to the influential US label Mad Decent.
Felipe Cordeiro, also comes from Belém. On his album “Kitsch for Cult” he recently united the entire spectrum of the “Nordeste” Tecno Brega sounds with influences such as Lambada and Cumbia. In contrast to his DJ colleagues, who like to travel light, the singer and guitarist has brought his whole band with him.
Waldo Squash Although he prefers the term “Electro Melody” to describe his music, DJ Waldo Squash from Pará is also a dyed-in-the-wool member of the Tecno Brega scene, where he has been active for years as a radio DJ and producer. He belongs to the “Gang do Eletro” and is one of the undisputed favorites of the local sound system (“Aparelhagens De Som”).
