CCMusic.com

• Track Listing

2006 release. Far Out Recordings present the self-titled debut album from Democustico. Fusing Brazilian samba and folk with Indian vibes, London beats and the "phattest" global breaks and noises, Democustico is a contemporary world musical odyssey. Imagine Milton Nascimento jamming with The Thievery Corporation and you're on the right track. Whilst individual tracks combine many different styles - the bhangra and bossa of "Grito", folk and trip-hop of "Nunca Never" and '60s sitar-funk and samba of "Vaga-Lume", Democustico is much more than the sum of it's parts. The different styles combine symbiotically to produce a coherent world musical fusion with Gabriela Geluda's mellifluous vocals joining the dots from Brazil to London via India. Democustico are Mauro Berman (bassist for famous Brazilian rap star Marcelo D2) and Gabriela Geluda (Azymuth/Mamond) as well as producer Roc Hunter. Mauro and Gabi are a carioca couple who met at college in Rio in 1987. They moved to London in 1996 where they met Joe at Far Out Recordings through Marcos Valle. Having heard Gabi sing, Joe knew just the person to feature on vocals on some tracks Roc Hunter had been working on. The results were "Brasil" - a hypnotic percussive vocal groove that featured keyboards from Mauro - turning Democustico into a trio. A follow up single "A Sereia" was recorded - keeping the Brazilian vibes strong the track also had a heavy Indian influence coming from the time Gabi had spent meditating in India. In 2001, Gabi and Mauro returned to Brazil and for the next four years a trans-national musical exchange began. Roc Hunter would send beats and loops from London to Mauro and Gabi to work on in Brazil - Mauro working on "noises, synths, MPCs, street vibes and bass" and Gabi working on melodies and harmony both in Rio and India. Gabi explains what each member of the band brought to the mix: "Mauro brought the wild side through wicked bass lines, keyboard sounds and unconventional arrangements of the songs, I brought the Indian/Brazilian flavor from my trips to India and love of classic Brazilian singers such as a Tom Jobim and Milton Nascimento whilst Roc Hunter brought an amazing collection of sounds from where we got a lot of inspiration." Features two reworks of "Grito" by Seiji.