Born in Ipanema, schooled in bossa nova and steeped in Capoeira’s heady blend of martial arts, dance and traditional song, João Selva draws from some rich cultural credentials in his music. Add in a willingness to mess with those genre boundaries plus a Bahia to the Caribbean rhythmic sensibility and you get a singer/songwriter on the rise within the bustle of contemporary Brazilian pop.
His previous release for Underdog, the samba infused, funk primed ‘Navegar’, saw Selva pushing himself forwards as a provider of warm grooves pepped with a lyrical sharpness that jabbed at life’s injustices. Now comes the announcement of the follow up album Passarinho on Underdog Records, scheduled for the streets February 3rd and primed to ease us out of hibernation. Teaming up once more with producer/DJ Bruno Hovart (aka Patchworks) Passarinho looks set to deepen the heady blend of beats and songcraft at the core of their musical partnership.
You can sense this progression in the nimble title track available now as a year-end taster ahead of the full works in ’23. The soul-powered orchestration. the bubbling bass funkiness and Selva’s effortless pop-toned vocals, all smooth control with a hint of emotional friction, keep ‘Passarinho’ soaring. A celebration of the tiny Brazilian bird that symbolises the country’s fragile environmental state, it’s a song of earthy tenderness and rootsy intent.
Off to a flyer then… best keep up with João Selva when the ‘Passarinho’ album hits the shelves.
Pre-order your copy of ‘Passarinho’ by João Selva from your local record store or direct from : https://joaoselva.bandcamp.com/album/passarinho
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