Dj BeBeDeRa & Dj ZuLox - "Viva Sangria"

It used to be that only juice came in pouches. Capri-Sun was a school yard favorite when I was growing up; even if removing the plastic straw that came with it was a challenge. Lest I mention the terrible precision required in placing said straw in a small aluminum hole. Just the right angle was necessary to not poke through the pouch. Alas, this sugary drink - and the rush of energy waiting to be induced - was well worth the trouble. So naturally, this bit of juvenile technology,was too good to entrust the youth with.  Botas are overrated. So perhaps an alcoholic energy beverage quenches your thirst. Maybe classier readers prefer a wine pouch when the boxed variety is just too much work.

The point is that an option exists for anyone, and everyone, interested. Such is the way of a consumer economy. But despite his name, Dj BeBeDeRa is much more respectable than, say, sangria in a pouch. Based out the city of Lisbon, BeBeDeRa is an independent beat-maker who, nonetheless, has worked with the likes of MaboOku. The man known to the government as Mr. Furtado specializes in slower songs.Think more an hour past last call than a slow-dance ballad; hence the name. Look no further than the man's SoundCloud; it is riddled with tarraxos and sembas. BeBeDeRa is essentially a connoisseur of after-hours music; and his music, like any after-party, requires patience. His tunes are not flashy, instead they develop; evolve. Dancers are pulled into BeBeDeRa's atmosphere and lose all inhibition. The smallest cues give way to ecstasy.

Such was the case the last time BeBeDeRa collaborated with Zulox; a DJ from Margem Sul more in the style of a party entertainer than a producer. Regardless, Zulox occasionally jumps on tracks. The result of which is usually a net positive. "Tarraxo Sem Avental"  - a relentless, layered song with a delightful complexity - is a case of this; "Viva Sangria" is another. Much to the contrast "Tarraxo Sem Avental," though, "Viva Sangria" finds BeBeDeRa and Zulox working with a batucada rhythm. In addition to the strict use of Western African drums amid the pounding bass, the song uses a number of melodic staples seldom heard from these artists. A flute, marimba, synthesizer, and guitar all eventually make a presence. Most intriguing, though, is prevalent use of vocals from normally instrumental artists. The master of ceremony aspect cannot be underplayed; a sense of forward direction is given to an already intriguing sound. A further showing that new beats, new concepts, and new sounds, are still to be found - all it takes is sufficient imagination and the technical skills to carry it out.

- John Noggle