Search - DJ Dolores :: 1 Real (Dig)

The sun sets on the Brasilia Teimosa beach

John Tripp | Astoria, NY | 04/07/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine you find yourself in the seaside Brazilian neighborhood of Brasilia Teimosa where DJ Dolores is hosting a gigantic, raucous block party. The crowd is a mix of Brazilian youth, rastas, hippie tourists and some funky fishermen. Amongst this crazy mix of humans and street noise, DJ Dolores drops a sound explosion of tracks from his latest release, "1 Real" and the crowd is grooving to its frenetic blend of horns, violin, samples and call and response vocals. You are swept into the fray and chaos of life -- these people might be poor but they really know how to enjoy life! Dolores is in full control at the decks, dropping bomb after bomb of rhythm and sound from "1 Real" a meltdown of Brazilian popular music with a booming beat, funky horns, organ and call and response vocals. The party is on full steam a music based on traditional rhythms, beefed up by violin, guitar, drum machine and lo-fi effects. From forró to the music of the Jovem Guarda (the Young Guard of romantic Brasilian rock from the '60s), everything is incorporated in the mix. DJ Dolores takes the pieces of the country's neglected musical traditions, especially those popular styles traditionally shunned by the establishment, and puts them togehter again, bridging the gaps between poor & rich, young & old, and showing that there's an amazingly rich musical world beyond samba and bossa nova. With the help of regular collaborators such as Isaar, Maestro Forró, Gabriel Melo, Fernando Catatau, vocalists Isaar and Maciel Salu, and guest appearances by acclaimed Nordeste fusionist Silvério Pessoa and by Marion, a young, Rio-based French vocalist DJ Dolores knows how to rock the favela. With"1 Real" the party never stops. The sun sets on the Brasilia Teimosa beach and you wind down the day's festivites with a cold cachaça and a warm tropical breeze. This is a life one could get used to."