Coração TransfusionadoTransfusao Noise Records, Brazil
Rating: 69
By Jean-Stephane Beriot
Chatting with our editor last week, we contemplated the idea of generating Club Fonograma’s very first meme: Brazilian Bands Y U NO like Fonogramaticos. According to our stats, the amount of track entries from that country only adds up to 1% of our stock, compared that to the 124 entries from the omnipresent Chile, or the 15 submissions from the also yet-to-be-represented Ecuador.
Despite being the largest country in Latin America and having some of the most exportable rhythms of the continent, it would seem as if Brazil was stuck in samba hiatus (the same way Argentina was stuck with gold rock up until two years ago). We recently stumbled upon Transfusão Noise Records, and we can only say it is the answer to our prayers. The label is a complete Martian on its region, but we could claim it’s as if Nene Records crossed into the lo-fi waters of Captured Tracks, which would be like a first cousin of Fat Possum.
Transfusão Noise Records (based in Rio de Janeiro), founded by the half-innovator, half-renaissance man Lê Almeida in 2004 is Brazil’s leading voice of ‘gravações caseiras.’ The music collective has been resourceful, and after 30 ‘improvised’ releases, it’s has now imprinted its synthesis in the form of a compilation. Coração Transfusionado is a wonderful 7’’ vinyl featuring six of the label’s most emblematic members. Like most of the netlabels from our region, you can feel the warm of a family that breathes at the same altitude. The album highlights include the very Elliott Smith-esque “More Than Cool” by Top Surprise, the folksy “My Charm” by Wallace Costa, and the catchy opener “Computação-Automação” by Fujimo. Although we’re still waiting for these artists to drive beyond the lo-fi channel, and loop into the noise-pop, we’re certain the label will provide us with plenty of surprises in a near future, and hopefully, a couple of tracks for our generational music boxes as well.