This has got to be just about the most obscure compilation album we have ever and will ever receive. Charting the psychedelic music produced in the Brazilian city of Recife, in the state of Pernambuco, all while the country was under the grip of dicatorship during the 1960s and 1980s, is just about as specific as a compilation can get.
But despite this specialism this album has the potential for a surprisingly wide appeal. This is probably why the excellent named Mr Bongo Recordings has decided to collect and release these 19 songs together for the first time. While some tracks are typically psychedelic and 60s, with some reminiscent of Family and other notable kaftan wearers, there’s a wonderful Latin funk feel throughout. Let’s face it who doesn’t like, even openly or secretly, a bit of Latin funk now and again?
There’s some great stuff on this, from the rock of ‘Sorriso Selvagem’ by The Gentlemen to the more experimental psychedelia of ‘Anthropoligica’ by Marconi Norato.
Head and shoulders above all the tracks is ‘Bahjan – Oração Para Shiva’, by Lula Côrtes. The press release describes it as an “exciting 70s Latin-funk track” and we can’t argue with that. If you are down this is the ultimate pick me up.
Côrtes is something of a cult figure for this album, contributing seven tracks both as a solo artist and with another musical hero of the era Zé Ramalho.
Like the other musicians of the psychedeclic scene of Recife this pair were frequently hounded by the oppressive military regime, who would regularly seize and destroy album pressings. In one legendary moment Côrtes and Zé Ramalho fled Recife to live in nearby woods, where they reportedly recorded their cult album Paebiru.
This was an era where extremely talented exciting musicians battled on despite the oppression they suffered. It is a little know part of 20th century culture that deserves wider acclaim.
8.5/10
by Joe Lepper
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