Various Artists - Psychedelic Pernambuco (Mr Bongo presents) (2011)

“It’s certainly psychedelic... It’s also terrific!” Kieron Tyler (The Arts Desk / Mojo)

“A compelling and surprisingly tuneful cauldron of weirdness!” Mark Hudson (The Daily Telegraph)

“An intriguing compilation - well worth checking out!” Robin Denslow (The Guardian)

Far to the north-east of Brazil’s twin musical capitals of Rio and São Paulo, lies the city of Recife, in the state of Pernambuco. During the country’s lengthy and oppressive military dictatorship (1964-1985), a cadre of like-minded and socially conscientious musicians were quietly building their own music scene, away from the glare of the censors.... for a time, at least.

Strongly influenced by the psychedelic music coming out of America and Britain (and further inspired by visits to India and Morocco), local musicians such as Zé Ramalho, Lula Côrtes & Alceu Valença were to be the vanguard of their own, wild, hedonistic Psyche-scene. There would be sitars and lutes merging with traditional Pernambucan percussion; constant collaborations and ethereal art-collectives; experiments with ‘found-sound’ colliding with earthy flutes and driving backlines – all helped along by men wearing lipstick, acid, mushrooms, marijuana, suggestive dancing and plenty of onstage kissing.

The songs and artists featured on this album are a fittingly schizophrenic selection. Psychedelic Pernambuco finds crazed ethno-punk giving way to tweaked Americana; mystical jungle-folk stands alongside cocaine-fuelled fuzz-rock, and acid-raga trance segues into mutated proto-disco.

Tracklist:
01. The Gentlemen - Sorriso Selvagem (6:12)
02. Flaviola e o bando do sol - O Tempo (1:38)
03. Geraldo Azevedo, Alceu Valenca - Mister Misterio (2:49)
04. Marconi Notaro - Antropologica (2:43)
05. Geraldo Azevedo, Alceu Valenca - 78 Rotacoes (1:47)
06. Lula Cortês - Nordeste Oriental (2:57)
07. Geraldo Azevedo, Alceu Valenca - Novena (2:18)
08. Lula Cortês - Noite Preta (3:20)
09. Marconi Notaro - Maracatu (0:51)
10. Lula Cortes E Ze Ramalho - Bailado das Muscarias (4:37)
11. Flaviola e o bando do sol - Desespero (2:40)
12. Lula Cortês - Bahjan - Oracao para Shiva (3:08)
13. Marconi Notaro - Fidelidade (3:22)
14. Geraldo Azevedo, Alceu Valenca - Planetario (2:53)
15. Marconi Notaro - Ah Vida Avida (3:49)
16. Lula Cortes E Ze Ramalho - Maracas de Fogo (2:36)
17. Geraldo Azevedo, Alceu Valenca - Virgem Virginia (3:29)
18. Lula Cortês - Alegro Piradissimo (2:58)
19. Lula Cortes E Ze Ramalho - Beira Mar (1:38)