Following the release of the Bazeado EP last month, Requebra Nega sees Pedro Martin lead his Brighton based Brazilian band through a broad sweep of styles from Baiao through samba to Batacuda.
Aided by the tireless production skills of percussionist Ben Mitchell (Mr Hermano) and Chris Franck, (Da Lata) the expected but understated conga breaks ripple into the breezy trombone and traditional vocals of 'Maria'. The band's theme, 'Bazeado' meaning spliff, meanders through the similar laid back Latin vocal territory, while 'Urubu no Telhado' beefs up the tempo in a smooth Tania Maria slice of jazz..
Less successfully 'Antes Que a Noite Acabe' borrows from George Ben(jour)'s Latin funk traditions but succumbs to sub-standard smooching R&B. As dreary as 'Antes' is, tracks such as 'Danca e Balanca' demonstrate that Bazeado are capable of working in updated Ben territory, albeit pretty soullessly.
It's the less commercial offerings, such as the sublime laid back funk of 'Segunda Feira' or the carnival carnage of 'Marcia Foi Pro Samba', that really deliver here and while this might not be as underground as the hype would like, amid the current climate of faux Brazilian beats it's refreshingly broad in its approach, if at times a little cosy and over polished in its delivery.
And there are moments of brilliance here. 'Maria', which takes the ambience of Groove Armada's 'The Beach' and dips it in honey, and the outstanding 'Segunda Feira', deserve to float into all manner of chill out sets, while Brazilian beat freaks will find it's worth every penny for 'Marcia Foi Pro Samba' alone.
