Friends from Rio Project 2014 – review
The world is currently going Brazil crazy, what with the football World Cup and the Olympics following two years later. Consequently, there will be a lot of people jumping on the Brazilian bandwagon with advertising, events and disposable music compilations.
The new Friends from Rio Project 2014 album released by Far Out Recordings does not fall into this category. It is a great, long-lasting listen, due to the fact that the label has been pushing the best music from the Brazilian underground for 20 years. Their first Friends from Rio project, released in 1994, set the scene for the label’s output.
What you get here is 12 original tracks from some of Rio’s most accomplished underground heroes including Alex Malheiros, Hyldon, Robertinho Silva and many more. It also features a blistering version of “Mas Que Nada” which everyone will know and love and here gets the Friends from Rio magic treatment.
The album feels like a party from start to finish and I guess this is because it features old friends reuniting to do what they love best. Standout tracks are the opener “So Resta a Porta Se Abrir”, the chilled jazzy number “Vam’ Bora” and the brass-filled “Casino Bangu”.
This is the perfect album to stick on at your World Cup-themed BBQ to get you on the mood for the crazy carnival atmosphere that will surround us for the next month. Alternatively it is a great listen in the car on hot summer days – leaving you daydreaming of hanging out on sandy beaches watching tanned Brazilian bodies in the surf. What else could you want?
CD/vinyl and download available now from Far Out Recordings.
Review by 25ThC
