Kolt, Noronha and Perigoso return to Príncipe with a whole EP.
BNM are based to the south of Lisbon, across the river Tejo. The crew started as a family affair with Kolt and his uncle DJ Joker around 2008. Noronha (Kolt’s brother) and Perigoso joined a year later. While Joker since then pursued other avenues in life, all three remaining members committed themselves to the game they had chosen when still dancing to the deejays they admired: be the best deejays and producers they could be.
The record opens with “Batidongoo”, an earlier track by Kolt and Noronha. Tense, spanking percussion and electronic tones, sounds like slower funaná crossed with the rudiments of kuduro; we think this one opens new ground;
Next up, DJ Perigoso drops “Macobayou”, a fast, futuristic batida track with plenty of drums to hang on to (or lose yourself to);
“Assabakuse” keeps the pace and adds emotion in the form of clipped guitar, the actual ruler of melody in here. It becomes irresistible in no time;
Side B on the vinyl version begins by spreading pure love. “We Send This” does sound like a gift to us listeners. Closer to house in tempo, this one reflects classic African music, sure, but also a synthetic, modern type of R&B sound in its layers of ambience. Short, direct, beautiful;
“Perseguição” (translates as “Chase”) soundtracks a run through the jungle, over fallen trees, branches, around big rocks and in sight of wild animals. What a ride, we tell you;
“Comandante Em Chefe” has an ondulating melodic hook occupying the whole duration of the song. Again, like slowed down funaná accordion and it rises clearly above the usual complex percussive layers. It later gains even more artificial tones and echoes. Alien rumba for ballroom dance matinées.
Príncipe Discos