Selton is a happy Brazilian indie rock band based in Italy. With songs sung in Portuguese, Italian and English, “Loreto Paradiso” is an album that reflects on community life while demonstrating the happiness of its members. A high-spirited work.
♪♫ Listen: “Junto separado” + album stream
Selton on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www + beehype.
M O O N S is a project of the musician André Travassos. “Songs of Wood & Fire”, produced by Leonardo Marques with the participation of many artists from Belo Horizonte, is composed of melancholic songs and introspective atmosphere that goes between folk and space rock.
♪♫ Listen: “Golden sun” + album stream
Filled with an electronic atmosphere, Luísa Maita’s second album is very different from her debut, “Lero-Lero” (2010).
On her new effort, the singer presents Brazilian rhythms from a universal perspective, bringing together electronic beats and her velvety voice.
♪♫ Listen: “Fio da memória” + album stream
This second album by Matheus Brant is very different from his first work, “A semana” (2011). Now the musician is in a party mood.
“Assume que gosta” argues that no one should be ashamed to enjoy popular musical styles, such as axé and pagode (both very popular in Brazil). And that’s true, because when a song bring us pleasure, we have to celebrate.
♪♫ Listen: “Assume que gosta” + album stream
Matheus Brant on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.
“Outra esfera” goes straight to the point and presents songs about violence against women, racial prejudice, lack of perspective of people living in peripheries – and the pride of having curly hair.
On this album, Tássia Reis’s voice may seem delicate, but her message is clear: she wants respect.
♪♫ Listen: “Ouça-me” + album stream
Tássia Reis on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.
On this album, the restless artist Romulo Fróes presents his versions for songs of Nelson Cavaquinho (1911-1986), who was an important singer and composer of samba.
The versions we hear here are extremely bold and fascinating. Probably something only the creative and provocative mind of Romulo Fróes could do.
♪♫ Listen: “Erva daninha” + album stream
Romulo Fróes on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter + beehype.
Debut album by Pedro Flores has been recorded only with his voice and viola caipira (country guitar). The eight songs that make up this work are simple and complex, sad and beautiful.
This material present the private universe of Pedro Flores, as well as the current moment of Brazil.
♪♫ Listen: “Belo Horizonte” + album stream
Tom Zé is a legendary artist in the history of Brazilian music. At 80 years, he released an album for children that covers themes related to the universe of sex.
This may sound like a strange idea, but to this artist nothing is impossible. Tom Zé is unique. And this work too.
♪♫ Listen: “Sexo” + album stream
The first release from the collective called Nã brings together diverse influences, such as African music, rock, MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) and many social critiques in their lyrics.
All with a broken instrumental parts that run away from any conventional ways.
♪♫ Listen: “Modernidade” + album stream
Approaching love and human relationships in songs that mix soul and MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), “Remonta” is a part of Liniker’s attempt to question and provoke our (archaic) concepts of masculine/feminine gender.
The main message of this work is simple: the important thing is to love and respect all people as they are.
♪♫ Listen: “Remonta” + album stream
The first album of rapper Yzalú is a manifest against racism and prejudice against people with disabilities.
The artist’s lyrics are extremely direct, while her voice gives her songs an exceptional power.
♪♫ Listen: “Minha bossa é treta” + album stream
The third offering from Saulo Duarte e a Unidade reflects the uncertainties of life and also of Brazil in 2016.
“Uma música” is a song that summarizes this effort, as it shows – at the same time – the sadness and the hope we have in life even in less turbulent time.
♪♫ Listen: “Uma música” + album stream
MC Carol is a well-known funk singer – a very popular musical style in Brazil. But in her first official album, “Bandida”, she presents a sound that’s closer to rap and gangsta, with lyrics addressing social issues of current culture.
Apart from that, she is the artist who best managed to make a musical portrait of the bankruptcy of Brazil’s political and police system in 2016 with the aggressive (and necessary) song “Delação premiada”.
♪♫ Listen: “Delação premiada” + album stream
Album “Atlas” by the Rio de Janeiro-based group Baleia is a work that forces the listener to leave the comfort zone.
It’s because the songs are essentially experimental within a pop universe, alternative and also urban. Sometimes “Atlas” becomes even aggressive, as if it reflected the world around us.
♪♫ Listen: “Volta” + album stream
Baleia on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, www + beehype.
“Cinética” is a delicate and hypnotic album with various beats and electronic sounds. It might have been influenced by the musician and producer Lucas Santtana.
With reflective and introspective lyrics, Anne Jezini sings in Portuguese, English and Spanish. And the atmosphere of the album makes it sound as if the singer was, deep down, both calm and desperate at the same time.
♪♫ Listen: “37” + album stream
Anne Jezini on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.
Luiz Gadelha is one of the most interesting contemporary singers and composers in Brazil. He has a compelling ability to produce simple songs that sound grandiose.
With his band Os Suculentos, on “Sufocante” he presents a kind of indie-pop with songs about love in all its forms – as you can see in this beautiful cover by artist Luiza de Souza.
♪♫ Listen: “Suculentos” + album stream
Luiz Gadelha e Os Suculentos on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter.
Dona Onete is a singer and songwriter from Pará who released her first album in 2012 at age 72. In 2016, she brought us her new work, “Banzeiro”, an extremely festive and humorous album.
It is simply impossible not to want to dance when listening to any of the 12 songs on this record, populated mainly by the rhythms of carimbó and bolero.
♪♫ Listen: “Tipiti” + album stream
Dona Onete on Soundcloud, Facebook, Instagram, www.
“Essa noite bateu com um sonho” is the second album of the dream pop band Terno Rei.
In this record, they offer us a mix of obscure music from the 1980s with something of psychedelia, urban music and melancholy, quite minimalist and cold.
♪♫ Listen: “Circulares” + album stream
Terno Rei on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.
“Ascensão” is a beautiful album conceived and coordinated by Serena Assumpção with the participation of dozens of Brazilian musicians. It exalts Afro-Brazilian religions, and each song is titled with the name of a different orisha.
Serena died of cancer in March 2016 and couldn’t witness the release of “Ascensão”. But she will certainly remain alive in each of the 13 songs of this unique album.
♪♫ Listen: “Obaluaiê” + album stream
Serena Assumpção on Facebook.
Wado is a restless artist whose every piece of work seems to follow a different path than the previous one.
In 2016 he released his ninth album, “Ivete”, inspired by the tropical culture of the north and northeast Brazil. The name of the album was borrowed from Ivete Sangalo, one of the most popular singers in Brazil.
♪♫ Listen: “Alabama” + album stream
Wado on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.
“Morte & vida” is the first full-length album by Paula Cavalciuk – after releasing a good debut EP in 2015.
In this record, Paula mixes a range of inspirations such as tango, maracatu, MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) and pop in a way in which everything fits together and sounds in harmony.
♪♫ Listen: “Morte e vida uterina” + album stream
Paula Cavalciuk on Soundcloud, Facebook, Instagram, www.
Lê Almeida is a hero of Brazilian indie music. In addition to his albums, he also commands the music label Transfusão Noise Records, which has released dozens of artists ranging from indie rock to lo-fi and psychedelia.
“Todas as brisas” is a hypnotic album, relaxing and dirty in a pleasant way. In 2016, Lê Almeida also released another album entitled “Mantra happening”, very different from this work, but worth listening too.
♪♫ Listen: “Rolezin” + album stream
Lê Almeida on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook.
With only bass (Carla Boregas), keyboard (Paula Rebellato) and drums (Nathalia Viccari), the trio Rakta managed to make one of last year’s most interesting rock albums in Brazil.
“III” is a work with six songs – deep, obscure and extremely energetic – made by these three insane and simply necessary girls.
♪♫ Listen: “Raiz forte” + album stream
Arthur Verocai is a conductor, arranger and composer. He is a sensitive artist capable of creating great music that can bring you down to the ground with so much emotions.
“No voo do urubu” is his third solo album since the 1970s. Now he has partnerships with artists such as Criolo, Seu Jorge, Danilo Caymmi, Mano Brown, Lu Oliveira and Vinícius Cantuária, but also works with instrumental-only songs.
Try listening this record and not get delighted by the arrangements.
♪♫ Listen: “Na malandragem” + album stream
Arthur Verocai on Facebook.
Território conquistado” is a kind of homage to those who work, day after day, for the freedom of all women.
While the songs’ arrangements mix Afro-Brazilian rhythms with electronic music and rock, all of this is led by the strong voice of Larissa Luz.
♪♫ Listen: “Descolonizada” + album stream
Larissa Luz on Soundcloud, Facebook, Instagram, www.
At 82 years of age, João Donato is a legend of Brazilian music that has many classic albums in his curriculum.
In 2016, the journalist, music researcher and producer Ronaldo Evangelista brought together João Donato and Brazilian musicians from the new generation, who were influenced by the master’s music.
Together, they recorded an instrumental album “Donato elétrico”, and the result is beautiful.
♪♫ Listen: “Urbano” + album stream
Labirinto is an experimental post rock band, and “Gehenna” is their second full album with a dense and slightly chaotic sound.
Ten instrumental songs that can make you jump and cry in fear seem to portray the despair of our daily life.
♪♫ Listen: “Mal sacré” + album stream
On “O mesmo mar que nega a terra cede à sua calma”, the remarkable voice of Bruna Mendez works perfectly with her sensitive and sublime songs.
Her second album makes you feel the world around you stops when you hear Bruna sing about love in her own, simple way.
♪♫ Listen: “Calor, sol e sal” + album stream
Bruna Mendez on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter.
Os Gianoukas Papoulas released the album “Panorâmica” in 2005, a very interesting work. But after that, the band ended their activities.
In 2016, the group reunited to release their second album, which keeps the quality level they presented years ago and brings a mix of indie and pop in a strange – and pleasant – way.
♪♫ Listen: “Virtudes da idade” + album stream
Gianoukas Papoulas on Soundcloud, Facebook, Instagram, www.
In 2001, Sabotage released “Rap é compromisso”, a classic record for the history of rap and Brazilian music in general. In 2003, the rapper was murdered at age 29.
In 2016, the producers Daniel Ganjaman, Rica Amabis and Tejo Damasceno organized the release of a posthumous album by Sabotage, bringing together songs he recorded during the last two years of his life.
The result is incredible and extremely current. Sabotage was ahead of his time.
♪♫ Listen: “Canão foi tão bom” + album stream
“Tupi, or not Tupi” is a love letter to Brazilian music. It’s a rap album that has forró, repente, moda de viola, samba and dozens (seriously) references to Brazilian culture.
Fabio Brazza was able to unite all those elements and turn everything into an organic and timeless record.
♪♫ Listen: “A gente gosta de inventar” + album stream
Fabio Brazza on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.
This is a singular work.
A double disc divided into two parts: “Arco” was recorded with a band composed by women, while “Flecha” was recorded with a band composed by men.
What both parts gave in common is that they address women’s freedom and empowerment.
♪♫ Listen: “Mama-me” + album stream: “Arco” & “Flecha”
Iara Rennó on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.
Douglas Germano is one of the main names to understand what we can call the “samba torto” of São Paulo.
Artists such as Elza Soares, Metá Metá and Juçara Marçal have recorded his songs. He is the author of the song “Maria de Vila Matilde”, which became a kind of Brazilian feminist anthem sung by Elza Soares – check out our best Brazilian album of 2015.
“Golpe de vista” is a record with sambas made basically with acoustic guitar, cavaquinho and phosphorus box. Douglas Germano is an artist to always to pay attention to.
♪♫ Listen: “Golpe de vista” + album stream
Douglas Germano on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.
In her second album – now with the help of the band Os Kurva – Juliana Perdigão continues her kind of search for contemporary Brazilian music.
She has interpreted songs by artists such as Ava Rocha, Kiko Dinucci, Ná Ozzetti, Kristoff Silva, Nuno Ramos, Luiz Gabriel Lopes, Clima, Makely Ka, Negro Leo and Guilherme Held.
In addition, she’s also composed some of the 17 songs on “Ó” herself. All this with the production by the musician Romulo Fróes, whom you’ll find further down this list.
♪♫ Listen: “Fantasma” + album stream
Juliana Perdigão on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.
Lestics is a band that makes songs about everyday life in an ironic and metaphorical way. But now, with this seventh album “Torto”, the group is singing it all in an extremely raw and direct way.
This album might make you think that our daily life leaves no space for metaphors. It’s too cruel and painful for poetry.
♪♫ Listen: “Torto” + album stream
Lestics on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.
Mano Brown is the lead singer of Racionais MC’s, one of the most important rap groups in Brazilian history. After almost 30 years of his career, Mano Brown released his first solo album.
“Boogie Naipe” is a work that mixes rap, funk, soul and lots of music to dance to – preferably next to someone you like.
♪♫ Listen: “Gangsta Boogie” + album stream
Aíla’s second album is fast, direct, feminist, screams against prejudice and screams to defend all forms of love.
It’s like a manifest, and its name – something like “In each verse a counterattack”” – sums up perfectly the intention of the singer.
♪♫ Listen: “Lesbigay” + album stream
Aíla on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.
The group Tagore changed their sound a lot on this second album. In “Movido a vapor” (2014), they were more crude and regional.
Now “Pineal” is an absolutely psychedelic work, with songs intense and full of distortions, modulations and reverbs. A record to listen and travel inside your mind.
♪♫ Listen: “Mudo” + album stream
Tagore on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter + beehype.
Carne Doce has a stimulating artistic power. And this becomes even more evident in this second work called “Princesa”.
Maybe this power comes from the vocal performance and feminist lyrics of the vocalist Salma Jô, supported by a band that provides direct songs.
That’s the case of the song “Artemísia”, which describes the choice of a woman to have an abortion, because she is a free woman to do whatever she wants with her body.
♪♫ Listen: “Artemísia” + album stream
Carne Doce on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www + beehype.
Bruno Souto’s second album is a beautiful and painful work at the same time.
His sound might seem like a simple adult pop, but it serves as the basis for confessional lyrics, mostly about the ending of a relationship.
“Forte” is also a dance record, as if Bruno Souto said that even if it can hurt sometimes, love is still worth it.
♪♫ Listen: “Forte” + album stream
Rael’s fourth record continues to show his mix of diverse musical styles that go beyond rap, such as MPB (Popular Brazilian Music), jazz, ragga and reggae. All this in a way to build an identity of its own.
The rapper also seems intent on showing that the world can be a better place, even if everything shows us the opposite. The melodies and lyrics of Rael are like a sigh of lightness to face the day to day.
♪♫ Listen: “Rouxinol” + album stream
“Brutown” is the third – and the best – album of the blues rock duo The Baggios. They make a direct, noisy, heavy rock of the highest quality.
On this record, they sing about a chaotic city where everything seems to be a big disgrace, a city going to its full end.
That city could be as well the world we live in.
♪♫ Listen: “Como um tiro de bacamarte” + album stream
The Baggios on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.
After releasing three mixtapes, this is the first official album from Rashid. The rapper managed to join several musical references such as samba, MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), jazz and rap itself in an extremely coherent way.
“A coragem da luz” is a mirror of our increasingly chaotic time. But still, Rashid keeps trying to show us there is hope.
♪♫ Listen: “Laranja mecânica” + album stream
“Levaguiã Terê”, a double record with 14 tracks, is a great work that combines classical music with elements of Brazilian, European and African music, string arrangements, chorus voices, synths, guitars and even electronic beats.
In other words: it’s hard to categorize this work. With this second album, Vitor Araújo becomes one of the most interesting avant-garde artists around the world.
♪♫ Listen: “Toque Nº 3 (Turvalema)” + album stream
Vitor Araújo on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.
“Duas cidades” is a record totally immersed in our time, addressing social issues of the city of Salvador in the Bahia state, but that actually apply to any big metropolis of our world.
On “Duas cidades” (“Two Cities”), problems of speculations in the real estate market and the disorderly growth of cities come along with extremely pleasurable and powerful sound of BaianaSystem.
♪♫ Listen: “Bala na agulha” + album stream
BaianaSystem on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www + beehype.
Metá Metá is one of the most inventive and inspiring groups of contemporary Brazilian music.
With “MM3”, Juçara Marçal, Kiko Dinucci and Thiago França continue to make us reflect about our existence to the sound of powerful songs mixing Brazilian culture and African roots.
♪♫ Listen: “Mano Legua” + album stream
“Tropix” is Céu’s fourth album. And it represents, literally, a new phase in the singer’s career. Because it’s a totally different thing from everything she’s done so far.
In this record, Céu mixes Música Popular Brasileira (Brazilian Popular Music) with the global 21st century pop, with a very characteristing result.
♪♫ Listen: “Perfume do invisível” + album stream
After a long wait, Rio de Janeiro singer and producer Mahmundi finally released her first full album last year.
Her self-titled work brings a set of melancholic, yet at the same time vibrant pop songs, which mostly refer to the 1980s.
But above all, these are honest songs that will go straight to your heart.
♪♫ Listen: “Leve” + album stream
Mahmundi on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter + beehype.
The musicians César Lacerda and Romulo Fróes, the winner of our Best of 2014, got together and released one of the most beautiful albums in Brazil in 2016.
“O meu nome é qualquer um” is a work that questions the sexual and social roles of contemporary man.
The album seems to portray a type of man who is withdrawing his concepts formed by his cultural heritage to be born a better human being in the future.
♪♫ Listen: “O meu nome é qualquer um” + album stream
César Lacerda on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter. Romulo Fróes on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www + beehype.
O Terno are a trio from São Paulo who released their third effort last year titled “Melhor do que parece”, which means “Better Than It Looks”.
The album presents a mixture between rock and psychedelia of the 1960s and 1970s characteristic of the group, but addressing themes that fit very well in the life of the young Brazilian middle-class of the 21st century.
“Melhor do que parece” is one of those albums that gets better every time you listen.
♪♫ Listen: “Culpa” + album stream
O Terno on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud + beehype.