Mangue Beat

My Music is More Political Today: An Interview with Otto

By Graham Douglas 12 December, 2018

It was a hot day in the beautiful town of Amarante, the Portuguese base of Brazil’s MIMO festival. I’m chatting... Read Article

Crabs That Survive: An Interview with Nação Zumbi’s Lúcio Maia

By Graham Douglas 18 July, 2017

Nação Zumbi originated in the early 90s, climbing like a ‘crab with brains’ from the fertile mud of the delta... Read Article

REVIEW Siba – Avante

By Russ Slater 04 November, 2013

Ever since I first heard “Qasida”, the 10th track off Siba Veloso’s latest album Avante, I haven’t been able to... Read Article

VIDEO: Introducing Siba’s New Album “Avante”

By Russ Slater 25 September, 2013

Avante represents the third stage in Brazilian singer/songwriter Siba‘s career. After helping define manguebit with his band Mestre Ambrosio in... Read Article

Feiticeiro Julião “BARRA”

By Russ Slater 09 November, 2012

Feiticeiro Julião are one of the more interesting new bands to come out of Recife. With outlandish clothing, energetic stage... Read Article

Volver – Mangue Beatle

By Russ Slater 16 April, 2012

And the award for irony most definitely goes to Pernambuco’s Volver and their song “Mangue Beatle.” If you don’t understand... Read Article

Musica da Massa! New Sounds of Pernambuco

By Russ Slater 19 September, 2011

Pernambuco is one of the musical epicentres of Brazil, full of infectious rhythms and traditions such as caboclinho, forró, candomblé... Read Article

Sounding Out the Swamp: Recife, Pernambuco, and The Cultural Rise of Northeastern Brazil (Part Two)

By Gregory Scruggs 19 September, 2011

In the second part of Sounding Out the Swamp: Recife, Pernambuco, and The Cultural Rise of Northeastern Brazil (read part... Read Article

Sounding Out the Swamp: Recife, Pernambuco, and The Cultural Rise of Northeastern Brazil (Part One)

By Gregory Scruggs 12 September, 2011

Part one of a two-part series by Gregory Scruggs exploring the emergence of Pernambuco as one of the musical epicentres of Brazil. The first part looks at the history of Pernambuco and the beginnings of a musical revolution in the state, brought on by Chico Science and the Manguebit movement.