DJ Dolores

Baile Funk is the hottest electronic music coming out of Brazil right now. DJ Dolores, a veteran DJ, has yet to nod in that direction in his own music. Like the Tropicalistas of the ’60s, DJ Dolores uses neglected forms of Brazilian and Caribbean folk and pop to inform his complex and futuristic compositions, whereas Baile Funk brings a Brazilian flavour to "Planet Rock” beats, much as the Samba Soul generation of favela dwellers took on James Brown. On Dolores’ new album, he sometimes gets too tripped up with the fusion of influences to create fully satisfying music. He’s chosen some interesting sources, such as the ten-piece horn section atop a thundering surdo groove in "Salvo!,” but the chopped up samples are a stale drum and bass tactic. Some listeners might dismiss sweet songs like "Trancelim de Marfim” as too much lilt and not enough boom bap, but it’s just a consequence of Dolores staying true to his sources, take it or leave it. The disc gets better as it goes along; the last 4 tracks are all perfectly realised, especially on the top-notch dub groove of "O Medo Do Artiheiro” and the jagged guitar remake of "Azougue.” Dolores has all the tools to produce a great pan-Brazilian dance floor album. This one is getting close; he would do well to focus on sharpening the one and two to get there.