- Artist
- Display Artist
- Chico Mello, Helinho Brandão
- ReleaseProduct
- Chico Mello / Helinho Brandão
- Label
- Black Truffle
- Catalogue Number
- Black Truffle 121 D
- Release Date
- August 9, 2024
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Vinyl 1×LP
$33.99Read MoreBLACKTRUFFLE121
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Press Release
Black Truffle is thrilled to announce a reissue of Chico Mello and Helinho Brandão’s self-etled release from 1984, the first return to vinyl of this classic of Brazilian experimental music with its original cover art and complete track liseng. An underrecognised figure whose work inhabits a singular terrain where radical new music techniques and music theatre meet musica popular brasileira, Mello has lived and worked in Berlin since the late 1980s. A student of Dieter Schnebel, Mello played in the 90s iteraeon of Arnold Dreyblao’s Orchestra of Excited Strings alongside compatriot Silvia Ocougne, with whom he produced a radical and hilarious deconstruceon of MPB classics on Musica Brasileira De(s)composta (an early and rather atypical release on Edieon Wandelweiser). On this release, his only recording predaeng his move to Europe, Mello works with the alto saxophonist Helinho Brandão, who appears to be otherwise unknown outside Brazil. The record’s six tracks range from solo saxophone improvisaeon to densely layered ensemble works bridging minimalism, acousec sound art and a plaineve melodic sensibility that calls up Edu Lobo or Milton Nascimento. Beginning with a dramaec, dissonant wind and string surge from which emerge ominously pounding piano chords, opener ‘Água’ slowly builds in intensity, a halo of clustered vocal harmonies gradually closing in on Brandão’s squealing sax unel the piece opens up to reveal a gorgeous passage of melodic singing. The piano accompaniment reduces to tolling bass notes as the voice begins a repeated incantaeon, suggeseng a ritualisec atmosphere reminiscent of parts of Xenakis’ se~ng of Oresteia. Dissonant, sawing tremolos on the strings climb to a crescendo before disappearing into the sounds of water being poured and splashed into metal vessels, presented not as a field recording but as a percussive element performed by the ensemble. A child’s voice then appears, singing to piano accompaniment the same melody heard earlier in the piece. Aver a brief solo alto improvisaeon from Brandão, working with the guoural pops and fleeeng melodic gestures of Braxton or Roscoe Mitchell, the remainder of the first side is dedicated to the leisurely unfolding of ‘Baiando’ over the course of twelve minutes. A trio for Brandão on soprano saxophone, Mello on a very period-appropriate phased nylon string guitar and Edu Dequech on bongos, the performance eases its way hypnoecally through subtle variaeons on a set of rhythmic and melodic paoerns, almost derailed at points by Brandão’s wild forays into extended technique but held together by Mello’s droning guitar notes. The second side opens with another mule-part epic for a larger ensemble, ‘Matraca’, which makes use of strings, electric guitars and a wide range of South American percussion instruments. Rasping violin harmonics hover as drum hits, repeated guitar notes and triangle accompany a slowly descending bass glissando. A sudden change in direceon introduces a thrumming, incessantly repeated bowed bass tone, beginning a series of episodes of minimalist phasing and paoern variaeon, the combinaeons of electric guitars and orchestral instruments giving the ensemble an ad hoc charm like the early Penguin Café Orchestra but with more percussive drive. Eventually the piece is overrun by a cacophony of the etular matracas (a kind of ratchet/cog raole). Following a lyrical trio improvisaeon by Mello, Brandão and Gerson Kornin on bass, the final ‘Danca’ focuses enerely on Mello’s layered acousec guitars and vocals, using this restricted paleoe to build up a hauneng piece of almost orchestral density, reminiscent of the 70s work of Egberto Gismone in how it thickens a folkish ambience with harmonic sophisecaeon. Arriving in a starkly beaueful gatefold sleeve and sounding beoer than ever in its new remaster, one might call the stunning music contained on Chico Mello/Helinho Brandão ahead of its eme. But what (other than some of Mello’s own work) produced in the years since its inieal release has really touched the organic fusion of minimalism, free improvisaeon, radical instrumental technique and popular song achieved here? Forty years aver its first release, Chico Mello/Helinho Brandão remains music of the future.
Digital Tracklist
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1
Água
9:33
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Água
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2
Improviso I
1:07
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Improviso I
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3
Baiando
12:55
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Baiando
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4
Matraca
15:02
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Matraca
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5
Improviso II
3:08
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Improviso II
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6
Dança
4:35
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Dança
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