Kassin+2, Futurismo
Eclectic Brazilian popsters deliver a gorgeous, shimmering classic.
Some of the most intriguing Brazilian pop in recent memory has come from the Plus Two project of guitarist Kassin, multi-instrumentalist Moreno Veloso and drummer Domenico Lancelloti. They have already produced the precision punk bossa of Moreno Veloso's (aka Moreno +2) "Electric Typewriter" and the restless bleeding-edge funk of Domenico +2's "Sincerely Hot." For Futurismo, the last announced in the Plus Two trilogy, Kassin takes the lead.
The Plus Two records have succeeded so well because they apply the same aesthetic of absorption and reinvention that has defined the greatest music of Brazil's last half-century. Songs like "Tranquilo" and "Mensagem" bear traces of LA Latin-rock, "Agua" a weakness for Congolese soukous. (Take that, Vampire Weekend!) "Samba Machine" connects Rio carnival, Nigerian afrobeat and French disco. "Lakeline," a collaboration with Tortoise's John McEntire (whose band, along with Stereolab, has defined indie Brasilophilia), evokes 80s-era R.E.M. or XTC at their most languid.
On the title track, "Ya Ya Ya," and "Quando Nara Ri," Kassin nods to the giants of bossa nova and MPB with sweet melodies, lush arrangements and quirky textures. He never seems to break a sweat. Even the propulsive rocker, "Ponto Final," is delivered with a certain Sunday-morning easiness. A gorgeous, shimmering classic, Futurismo may be the best of an essential trilogy.
