Só Ouço

What was originally supposed to be a semester of student exchange in Rio de Janeiro, turned into a year and a half residency, as German-Spanish musician Pérez immersed himself in the city's sounds and culture and made connections. One new acquaintance was Angelo Wolf, renowned engineer to the new wave of carioca MPB and owner of Wolf Estúdio, where this delightful album was recorded. What Pérez offers is an outsider's view of Brazilian songwriting with top-notch brass and wind arrangements. There are contributions from sound artist Bella Comsom who works with glitchy soundscapes and abrasive textures that give the recordings a modernist 21st-century feel, but there are also vocals by new lyricist and singer Carol Maia which adds a tenderness to the songwriting, specifically on ‘Rádio’. The chaos of Rio is referenced, but I feel this is a cliché, it's the wild contradictions – between chaos and beauty – that those living in the city need to tackle on a daily basis which create its vibrant musical culture, and it's that which Pérez attempts to translate.