Various

Since 2006, the Funk Mundial series has been pairing producers from across the globe with Brazilian MCs in a bid for exposure on behalf of Baile Funk. Daniel Haaksman, the man behind the series and its label, Man Recordings, has done a knockout job with the producers and DJs he's chosen to collaborate with Rio MCs. Feadz, Crookers, the Count & Sinden, and Stereotyp (to name a few) cover the electronic gamut, from the gritty and grimy to the lighter side of house. Haaksman has essentially taken the sounds of the clubs in London, Paris and Berlin and fused them with Rio's MCs. It's a sweaty, pounding auditory gem that offers a killer glimpse at Brazil's funk scene. Italy's Crookers bring their typical grungy, bass-laden style, which works nicely with MC Dandão's coarse manner on "Soca Ali Baba." The show stealer though goes to the Count & Sinden, featuring MC Thiaguinho, on "Tamborzuda," the track's opening rapid-fire percussion and bouncy bass a natural for pairing with the Brazilian genre. The dirty, heavy bass that slides through each track gives the album its continuity and the Baile Funk overlay ushers in the vibrancy of summer — the perfect time for this mix to spin.