- A thrilling collection of some of the hardest-hitting dance music coming out of Brazil today.
- Last year's ZONA de ISOLAMENTO V.A. I, the first compilation from Porto Alegre label ZONAᴇxᴘ., featured some of the roughest, harshest electronic music coming out of Brazil at the beginning of the pandemic. The follow-up compilation, ZONA EMERGENCIAL V.A. II, gathers 22 artists from this "broken nation" (as the collective describe Brazil in the LP's liner notes), pulling together even tougher sounds: abstract melodies wrap around sharp beats meted out in angular handclaps and overdriven kick drums, all underpinned by strong political tones and a defiant mood. The collection channels the complexities of living in a country convoluted by a decade of crisis and a pandemic mismanaged by a far-right pundit-turned-president. It's a South American outcry for the power of visceral music on a good dance floor.
The best moments of ZONA EMERGENCIAL V.A. II revamp or fuse together familiar styles like baile funk and jungle, blending the local with the international. Meio Feel's "Mandrungu" is an impressive contribution, with fast-paced drum rolls and sinister vocal yelps. ERAM's "2005" is a ghettotech blast with high-energy ostinatos that could have been borrowed from The King Of Fighters video games. On "Césio," hotly tipped producer Brunoso redlines the bass as he swings between passages of beatless floating and metallic, clanging baile funk.
Though the compilation showcases Brazilian artists, UK club music—in all its shapes and sizes—is the primary influence here. ZONA EMERGENCIAL V.A. II highlights the connection between cities like London and São Paulo while breaking the stereotype of relaxed, sunny vibes that so many people associate with Latin American music. Yescal's "Asuka Strikes!" could've landed on Hyperdub with its concrete jungle sound palette of sinister violin sounds and handclaps, while tracks like Rassan's "Bwoy Test" or Bad Mix's "Jungle Request" are homages to the deepest and warmest liquid drum & bass. There are also tracks that break from this mould. I.C.G.'s "Proto" and White Prata's "Brasil Olho Chorando" (literally "Brazil Eye Crying," a tongue-in-cheek appropriation of a far-right symbol in Brazil) feature unusual, almost martial rhythms (and in the case of White Prata, shrieking synth guitar).
Brazilians are heavy users of social media, with many finding solace in memes and jokes as way to cope with crises. Whether it's a cheap tool for escapism or a key to understanding larger issues, laughter amid desolation has parallels with the role of underground music—particularly club music, whose physicality on the dance floor stimulates both body and mind. ZONA EMERGENCIAL V.A. II provides a platform for Brazilian artists who think of the club as a vital place of connection, for dancing, reflection and catharsis. They transform rough times into rough, noisy beats, pointing out new roads for Latin American electronic music in the process.
Tracklist01. SASKIA - O Brasil É Um Sonho
02. JLZ - FFF
03. White Prata - Brasil Olho Chorando
04. I.C.G. - Proto
05. Bad_Mix - Jungle Request
06. NORA - Sam Pressa
07. Nara Vaez - Club Sustenta
08. Brunoso - Césio
09. Meio Feel - Mandrugu
10. Gau Beats - Corpora
11. Yescal - Asuka Strikes
12. Perrelli - Gatilho
13. Rassan - Bwoy Test
14. CRAZED (BR) - Atividade
15. Pianki - No More Mind Gams
16. ERAM - 2005
17. Amanda Mussi - Brutal Disco
18. Valesuchi - Mercúrio
19. Larissinha - Call Me Lindo
20. FELIX - Pode Vir (Brota)
21. Martinelli - Romantic Casino
22. Marcelulose - Agonia