There’s a great interview with Madlib where he visits a record store in Hoboken, New Jersey, known for its rare Brazilian records. He talks about discovering Azymuth’s music (and tells you how to pronounce the name — which is useful). It was the catalyst that lead him into a wormhole of bossa and tropicalia records. Azymuth’s uniquely abstract and super tight drum patterns has given them particular appeal for a lot of modern day producers. Artist like Jazzanova and 4hero have cut several remixes and Madlib even got the chance to collaborate with drummer Ivan Conti for the Jackson Conti album in 2008.
The Brazilian trio’s influence across modern music has built slowly since they started out as session players in the late sixties. Now coming up for 50 years and 30-odd albums deep, they’re still at it and still remarkably unchanged. Tracks like the two versions of ‘Villa Mariana’, which sandwich the record, are classic Azymuth and yet still sound fresh and vital. ‘Papa Samba’ opens with slick latin rhythms that are nothing short of remarkable coming from a 70-year-old.
The band as a whole still sound full of energy and enthusiasm which really keeps their sound alive. A good balance of updated but not overdone production techniques is also key to ‘Fênix’s success. London-based Far Out Recordings, who the band have been releasing on since the mid nineties, are clearly very conscious to maintain the balance. Overall, this record is testament to a sound which Azymuth helped build from the ground up. The musical ideas at the band’s core have stood the test of time remarkably well and remain as enjoyable and relevant as they ever were.
7/10
Words: Jack Dolan
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