- DJ Marfox is the leading figure in the Afro-Portuguese club sound that is starting to make waves outside of its Lisbon base. His charismatic personality makes him the natural ambassador for the scene, but this title makes the most sense for music reasons. Of all the thrilling mess of styles that comprise the Lisbon sound, it's likely that Marfox's tough brand of kuduro is the most easily absorbed by international ears—his tracks are almost always straight four-to-the-floor, and therefore bear the greatest resemblance to house and techno.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect concerning the spread of this music is how it's contextualised outside of Lisbon. The Lucky Punch EP, released on J-Cush's excellent Lit City Trax, is a significant release in this regard: it draws a link between kuduro and the other ghetto club styles—footwork, grime, Jersey club—the label releases. The EP is also Marfox's most complete artistic statement to date, with five 140 BPM kuduro cuts and a smooth kizomba jam.
The gradual refinement of Marfox's style, which is evident across Lucky Punch, should also help it travel. His synths are still bright and energetic, but the execution is slicker these days. "Terra Batida" and "Beat And Break" both have simple, anthemic leads that might sound brash with a different beat behind them, but when the synths lock to a bouncing batida rhythm, they're tough to resist. "Lucky Punch" and "Banda 52" are the other side of the coin, with the emphasis shifted from melody to tough polyrhythmic percussion. "Noise" cuts a middle path between the two approaches, as buzzing bass synths collide with mids-heavy percussion and a brilliantly reversed synth line. It's unlikely you'll "Heartbeat" on a dance floor, but its heavily reduced tempo (around 100 BPM) and chintzy flute melody show the stylistic range that Marfox and co are gradually introducing to the world.
Tracklist01. Terra Batida
02. Noise
03. Lucky Punch
04. Beat and Break
05. Heartbeat
06. Banda 52