EdiCerelac [MNJ] - "Oliva 2014"

Do not believe punk historians. Billy Idol was not the first person to popularize dancing all alone. That honor goes to a nutty professor - even nuttier than latter-day Eddie Murphy - by the name Jerry Lewis. Granted, the face of telethons past was but an actor playing a mad scientist. Regardless, Buddy Kelp could dance; and when he did so, it was a sight unto itself. Consider this scene. While high society types of the mature variety flaunt every ounce of proper behavior at this formal gathering, the Professor chooses a different path. Standing at the far end of the room he prefers to enjoy the dance music. As the big band plays swing, the rhythm builds up in Buddy. Genuine pleasure is on display. He nods his head, he taps his feet, and even begins to shadow dance. Any remaining shame is discarded as he embraces the full potential of his own personal jitterbug. Those around him are appalled, but this does not cease the scene from unfolding (as it well should).

Portugal, too, has a nutty professor. In the district of Lisbon, in the city of Queluz - along side L.S Produções and DJ Bubas - lives the head of Mãn Juh Produções (MNJ). Rather than dance along to jazz, however, EdiCerelac makes mid-tempo kuduros and batucadas. But Edicerelac productions are...different. Puto Baba likes to work with faster tempos, but the difference is surely not this simple. Piquenofox has a penchant for afro-house, but this too seems terribly obvious. And like his MNJ co-conspirators Willicox and Mabokinho, Edicerelac likes drums and bass, and goes heavy on the synth. What, then, could it possibly be that makes Edicerelac's songs unique? His beats do not showcase a plethora of elements, yet the songs are never sparse. And herein lies the key. EdiCerelac's instrumentation is utterly unpredictable. While the sound of the drums across Lisbon sound familiar regardless of the composer, EdiCerelac's sound fresh. And melody-wise, his songs may give the impression that something just does not quite fit but they cannot help but sound pleasant.

The synth is high pitched, and following a false start takes hold of the song's melody. The rhythm to "Oliva 2014" is not dense; a simple mid-tempo kuduro beat made up of a kick drum and a snare. Once the head is within the consciousness of the audience, the synth phrasing becomes shorter during a brief interlude. The rhythm remains the same. Suddenly, the song is elevated. At just past the half minute mark, the synth is pushed into harmonic duties and "Oliva 2014" becomes more than a rudimentary kuduro. The guitar not only sound out of time, but it feels out of tune. Moreover, the strings do not end their phrase on a high note; it is almost as if the guitar is playing on a chromatic scale. These sounds are equal parts distressing and excitable as the emotions of chaos well up in the listener. Nothing short of beauty in imperfection is heard just before the song loops. "Oliva 2014" is a success two-fold economic success. The :90 length is ideal for its use in a mix and each of the four elements put into place are used to the fullest extent. In short, a very good song.

- John Noggle