Curumin – Arrocha

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Curumin – “Selvage”
Arrocha

Curumin released his new record Arrocha last week on Six Degrees Records. Luciano Nakata Albuquerque adopted the persona Curumin as a way to explore Brazil’s rich musical heritage. Born to Spanish and Japanese parents, Curumin grew up in São Paulo absorbing the sounds all around him while listening to Jorge Ben, Tim Maia, Bebeto and others. He was discovered by Blackalicious on a tour of South America in 2005. After Natalie Portman included “Tudo Bern Malandro” on a compilation and “Guerreiro” was used in a Nike ad during the World Cup, Curumin received the international recognition he deserved. His unique blend of samba, reggae, electronica, funk and hip-hop has taken him around the world. His experimental tactics impress listeners as his chameleon-like approach always keeps things interesting.

“I’m always trying to be minimal in my music and life, just putting in what’s essential and not too much information. I’m happy that the alternative scene in Brazil is building. If you just have mainstream music, nothing is creative, and no one is going to try to do anything strange. Now some people are doing strange stuff, and some people are listening to strange stuff too. This is very good.” – Curumin

The new record follows up Japan Pop Show with even more global grooves. “Arrocha means to hold on with a lot of pressure,” Curumin explains. “In Bahia it’s a rhythm, a way of dancing where you hold your girl very close. That pressure is something we feel here in São Paolo. It’s a very big city and you are always surrounded by people. On this album I’m trying to make more sensual music, speaking with a lot of feeling and getting closer to people.” You can feel the pressure when you listen to this exciting album. Check out “Selvage” above and grab yourself a copy of Arrocha at your local record store. Curumin is currently on tour with Céu, so look at the tour dates to catch a great show.