Boogarins – Manual

A warm, expansive return...

The second album by Brazilian pysch-rock darlings Boogarins, ‘Manual, ou guia livre de dissolução dos sonhos’ ('Manual, or free guide to the dissolution of dreams') is aptly titled.

There is dissolution by means of indulgence in sensual pleasures – aural; and dissolution in terms of being fragmentary. Having listened over and over again to the album, what emerges is a clear sense of travelling that is innate in the music. It’s evoked in the rolling waves that conclude the dreamy waft of ‘Benzin’ through to the 60s summer of love in ‘San Lorenzo’ and the “who am I anymore?” heavy tripping in ‘Falsa Folha de Rosto’.

In the latter track Fernando 'Dino' Almeida sings, “viver virou sonhar” (living became dreaming), in reference to the epic journey the band has made in the last two years: growing from teenage pals Dino and Benke Ferraz recording lysergic tropical pop in the Brazilian city of Goiânia, the band is now a four-piece with the addition of a solid rhythm section.

Boogarins buck the trend of singing in English and stick to Portuguese, and while this may deprive non-speakers of deeply personal lyrics, it has sent them straight to the hearts of fans at home and seen them heralded in mainstream Brazilian media. The band is doing big business on the live circuit, not only being a major live draw in Brazil, but also headlining gigs in major cities like London, Paris, Barcelona and New York, as well as playing American and European festivals such as Austin Psych Fest and Primavera.

The album is a sun-kissed trip with layered overdubs, shimmering guitar inter-play and a sense of wanderlust, a warm departure from the celebrated lo-fi debut LP, 'As Plantas Que Curam'. If the likes of Moby Grape, The Mighty Boosh and MGMT float your boat, then you’ll happily set sail with Boogarins.

7/10

Words: Nick Rice

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