It feels like a new wave of Brazilian pop is about to break. This year we have seen Sessa’s lush neo-tropicalia impress widely with the release of his beguiling ‘Estrella’. Now comes news from renowned global dance pace-setters Wonderwheel Recordings of the spring album release by Felipe Puperi (a.k.a Tagua Tagua).
Acclaimed in his home country for some time, Nu-soul singer-songwriter Puperi’s wider trajectory has been steadily on the up-surge since the 2020 release of Tagua Tagua’s debut LP ‘Inteiro Metade’, a bright, brassy collection of tightly realised alt-pop. There have been sessions for NPR and US shows including SXSW while the pick up by Wonderwheel looks set to speed up his momentum.
Just released new single ‘Tanto’ suggests that all the giddy attention coming Tagua Tagua‘s way is more than justified. Easing into a sensuous sway, it’s a love song that takes simplicity seriously. The rhythm section bubbles in a warm flow, some chiming keys add sparkle and softened guitar clicks bring that touch of nervous excitement. Such an uncluttered arrangement allows space for Puperi’s succulent vocal to relax into its story, easy going, tender and lifted by falsetto harmonies in all the right places.
So far so Leon Bridges but then comes the subtle twists, a super-soul organ upturn in the bridge and those illusive bosa melody lines that raise ‘Tanto‘ and Tagua Tagua’s sultry dance-pop above the crowd. So keep your ear to the ground, the signs are with the up-coming album things could get very interesting…
Look out for updates on the Tagua Tagua album here on Backseat Mafia or at : https://taguatagua.bandcamp.com/album/tanto
