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Top Surprise – Klouds EP [FREE DOWNLOAD]

Top Surprise is one of the most promising names to emerge from the new wave of Brazilian bands dedicated to home recordings and short, concise pop songs. Formed in the lazy college town of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, the four-piece first appeared in 2010 with the cassette Everything Must Go, attracting some international attention and building a reputation at home with chaotic live performances. Klouds is the first set of new material since the debut — a tiny appetizer for their first full-length, to be out this year.

Clocking in at seven minutes, the EP is composed of three pieces. “K-Complex” is a perfect example of the Brazilian style, with a solid backbeat and sweet verses about sleep and restless legs syndrome. Second song is “Ready for the Haze”, a push into the limits of so-called noise pop and/or a folk-punk miracle, with yelled off-key vocals and everything else bursting with unseemly amounts of lo-fi blizz. On the delicate closing “Klein Blues” (which rhymes “heart” with “fart”), guitarist Andre’s voice is naked, revealing a soft Minas Gerais accent. The wordplay fumbles gracefully over the bass riff and primal 2-piece drumbeat, all sprinkled with Bruna’s feedbacks. READ MORE / BUY

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Ciro Madd – Sleeping in the Rough Sea

Ciro Madd’s head is inhabited by sixties’ rock icons, noises from his shoegazing youth and traces of bad trips. Living in a basement surrounded by guitars, fourtrack recorders and a piano from the XIX century, he has been recording the melodies that go through his mind, sculpting them as a grayish psychedelia of rare pop sensibility. Recommended for fans of Teenage Fanclub and other British guitar bands, as well as contemporary acts such as Minks, Beach House and Young Prisms. READ MORE / FREE DOWNLOAD / BUY

duplodeck – duplodeck (EP)

The only unanimity among the members of duplodeck was their admiration for their compatriot singer-songwriter Jorge Ben. The press once called them the “Brazilian Stereolab” – rather narrow title for a band that also resonated Pixies, Comet Gain, Deerhoof and Wedding Present. The cassette version brings 15 tracks with live performances, drunken rehearsals and jam sessions. Towards shoegaze noisemaking or bossa nova harmonies and beats, these tracks escape from the EP’s pop format. READ MORE / FREE DOWNLOAD / BUY

Top Surprise - Everything Must Go (EP)

For Top Surprise, it’s as if the world began in the 80’s, when their members were born, and when guitars reached unbearable volumes. Therefore, J. Mascis and Thurston Moore somehow represent the big bang that would result in the sound of the band. Recorded during 2 drunken, the EP goes from the obvious admiration of American college rock to hints of post-punk, and ends with a folk incursion into Jeff Mangum/Elliott Smith territory. READ MORE / FREE DOWNLOAD

Coloração Desbotada – … Beijos Cafeinados (EP)

Despite the shoegazing references, Coloração Desborada relates more to american bands such as Pixie and Gumball, as well as canadian Eric’s Trip. Other strong influence is Guided By Voices, noticeable in the short songs and lo-fi production. This EP marks the birth of Transfusão Noise Records, from Rio de Janeiro’s suburbs. Celebrating the record’s 5th anniversary, Pug developed an expanded version in cassette with unreleased songs. READ MORE / FREE DOWNLOAD