- The defining Príncipe artist returns with a transcendental shift in sound.
- Rogério Brandão, AKA DJ Nigga Fox, has become synonymous with Lisbon's batida scene. Drawing from his Angolan and Congolese heritage and the sprawling Afro-Lusophone diaspora, Brandão recontextualises kuduro, tarraxinha, zouk, jazz, acid and deep house across his frenetic club records. His maverick approach has been apparent since his 2013 debut EP O Meu Estilo, especially on early cuts like "Hwwambo" and "Weed." 2019's Cartas na Manga and 2022's Música da Terra refined his sound, transforming his once-visceral soundscapes with wistful, cerebral melodies, modulated vocal chops and springy pads. His approach is something of a paradox, wielding rambunctious yet ruminative soundscapes that feel endless—often all in a span of four minutes. On his new album, Chá Preto ("black tea"), Brandão allows himself to meander into longer track lengths. He remains languid yet poised as he mutates time signatures and language in a way that's outlandish even by his standards.
Like his long-form 2017 composition "15 barras", DJ Nigga Fox uses Chá Preto's longer runtimes to steep listeners in every note. Where previous openers have erupted into urgent, fluid idiosyncrasies almost immediately, "Ondas da Terra" is noticeably sparse. A heartbeat bassline pulses through a maze of sinuous organs, vocal pants and maniacal laughs. The absence of kick drums creates a foreboding atmosphere, though the transition to "Má Rotina" is harmonious—a buttery piano melody and hand drum rhythm unfurl towards a more familiar 4/4 cadence. Brandão shakily croons in "Mutadoree," and its horns, which come in and out of earshot like a passing train, only make the track feel more cavernous.
That space and silence becomes gargantuan by the time you're in the far-flung orbit of Afrofuturism on the back-to-back highlights "Wanguila" and "4 Fantasias." Every beep and wobble makes the former, a patchwork of whirring, gurgling synths, seem fit for a space odyssey—especially with a pitch change just shy of three minutes that hoists you out of gravity's clutches. "4 Fantasias" is the longest track, hovering around nine minutes. It establishes a chorus of yips and a sauntering bassline before a spritely clave is swept up in a synth loop. Just after four minutes, that rhythm shoots through a record scratch wormhole, as tendrils of Brandão's voice overtake the scene.
Brandão puts his vocals on full display on "Mutadoree," huskily croaking the title alongside his partner, who sings sweetly, "é muita, é muita dor" ("it's a lot, a lot of pain"). Together, they're able to convey universal feelings of isolation and melancholy with a short phrase. It's a rare, welcome addition to hear his raw voice in a catalogue of otherwise filtered and dubbed vocals. On "Bom te Ver," ("good to see you") sound bites of babbling laughter help to epitomise the feeling of a long-awaited reunion with a loved one. It's the fastest, shortest and most ecstatic song on the album, almost like a sentimental reacquaintance with longtime listeners sandwiched in between Brandão's most eccentric works yet.
You might not realize how swept up you were in DJ Nigga Fox's sonic universe until Chá Preto sputters to its abrupt end. Despite being around the same length as Cartas na Manga, his latest album feels colossal because of how its smouldering ambience never quite combusts. Here, the cross-pollination of contorted, ancestral West African rhythms and zingy timbres manifests as an out-of-body time warp. In this new dimension–-the most introspective and vulnerable we've visited with him yet—Brandão reinvents both himself and the Afro-Lisbon sound he's helped popularise. As the humdrum sound of reality returns after the LP finishes, don't be surprised if the strange polyrhythms of Chá Preto float on in the back of your mind.
Tracklist01. Ondas da Terra
02. Má Rotina
03. Mutadoree
04. Bom te Ver
05. Wanguila
06. 4 Fantasias