With an experimental blend of funk and the popular music of Brazil, Rafael de Toledo Pedroso‘s new record is a catchy affair, but at its heart is a sombre atmosphere born of dark electronics and reserved, dirge-like rhythms. It’s an album fuelled by grief, love, and a search for catharsis – a concept album about the death of Rafael’s mother, Paula, who died in 2020 following a battle with a neurological condition. In blending the catchy with the melancholy, it’s a record that simultaneously mourns Paula’s passing whilst also celebrating her life.
The album is available to order now on Bandcamp and can be heard in full below. Tape proceeds will be going to Rede Feminina do Combate ao Câncer de PontaGrossa (Women’s Network to Fight Cancer of Ponta Grossa).
Coração de Pássaro is out now on Grimalkin Records. Order here.
Words: George Parr
