Piri “Vocês Querem Mate?” (Far Out Recordings)

Roberto Quartin is one of the unsung heroes of Brazilian musical history.

In 1969 he sold the rights to Polygram Records and started his own self-titled label Quartin Records in which he released “Vocês Querem Mate?”, an unbeknownst psych-folk debut of obscure singer songwriter Piry Reis. Robert Quartin has also released more than 20 albums for Forma Records with the likes of Eumir Deodato and Quateto Em Cy. As preservers of the cultural lost ark, Far Out Recordings have taken it upon themselves to reissue the gems of the Quartin catalog such as Victor Assis Brasil’s “Toca”, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Jose Mauro’s seminal “Obnoxius”. Now, they have set their sights on Piry Reis‘ dreamy debut “Vocês Querem Mate?”.

The record captures the essence of the era of sound when the global psychedelic creative drive met Brazil’s cultural heritage and high musicianship standard. With a lineup including Wilson Das Neves and Danilo Caymmi, Reis set himself up for a vivid iteration of his ephemeral pieces. Nowhere is this more evident than on “As Incríveis Peripécias De Danilo” which immediately transports the listener to a sun-tinged poppy field with its Tropicalia meets MPB grooves. “A Sombra Morta” highlights Piry’s arrangement strength with a clever blend of driving piano melody and acoustic guitar riffs melded seamlessly to carry a song focused on Caymmi’s stellar flute work. Ultimately, “Voce Quere Mate?” sounds like the iconic and therapeutic beverage it references. The opening song “Reza Breva” wakes you up and a rush of transcendental melodic pulsations hits your brain then you are plunged into the author’s universe like warm tea spreading through your being after the initial sips. With tracks like the upbeat “Cupido Esculipdo” and its euphoria inducing rhythm or the more pensive “Lagrimas”. When you reach the sombre closer song “Porta do Sol”, you feel as though you’ve been through an exotic experience that although new to you seems oddly familiar and comforting. I commend Far Out Recordings for taking the time to make this extremely rare recording accessible to the general public and for allowing Reis’ work to be heard once more as its ephemeral nature is what the world needs in these trying times. I’ll gladly take another cup soon as the Quartin catalog continues to be rolled out, album per album. Brigado!

Official release date is April 7, 2017 via Far Out Recordings.

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DJ Asma

A Montreal native with West-African roots, Antoine started developing a love for records when his father passed his collection of French, African, Caribbean and Brazilian classics onto him. Ever since, the collector turned selector has spent countless hours in musky basements both here and abroad (Dakar, Lima, Paris, Quito, Rio) in the never-ending search for the perfect beat!