The Recommender

Some blogs simply list music, others add a little information or some twisting adjectives, where as others go for the full-fat editorial. We here at The Recommender consider ourselves commentators to anyone who cares to visit our coverage, giving them some chunky editorial with any possible insight we can garner from the new music we select. As we scan the world’s music scenes we love nothing more than spotting themes or trends and recently we’ve had one particular ingredient that’s been virtually impossible to miss in so much of what we’ve tasted in the last few months. That flavour is ‘tropical’.

It’s been interwoven into so much indie and pop music lately that you’d be forgiven for checking out if the Man from Delmonte‘s taken up band management. Not only has this equatorial influence been prevalent, but it’s been a welcome arrival, as wonderful bands such as Real Fur, Look, Stranger!, or Trophy Wife, among others, have us all shaking in our khaki suits. This safari adventure has very much put the smile on an otherwise straight-faced intelligent indie scene, as we hear a set of wooden block beats, or the sound of an African guitar bringing energy and light to the more common serious edges of the genre.

Today we feel like the tropical influences have found their rightful home, as we bring you a five piece from the sultry corners of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who go by the name Holger. They’ve been dancing around their instruments for nearly four years, but are yet to find a label to aid a release in either Europe or North America. To date their début album, Sunga, is only available in Japan and their native country, but believe us when we inform you that it’s nothing short of advanced perfection. If their music doesn’t penetrate your hips wiggle button and cause the corners of your mouth to lift upwards then you need to check your pulse. The tropical indie music they make is so utterly infectious that your movements will be involuntary whether you like it or not.

Arthur, Pata, Rolla, Tché and Pepe informed us that they take turns on the instruments, which include bass, keyboards, drums, guitar and plenty of percussion. We like to imagine that they rotate mid-song though, although some of you reading this may have had the opportunity to actually witness them for yourselves as they played a tour of Canada and the US earlier this year, culminating in a fantastic SXSW showcase, which was where The Recommender’s attention was initially snatched.

They sing in English and have as much African in their music as they do Latin American, seeming to shrink the world with every one of their sweltering Samba turns. If your summer needs a soundtrack, no matter where you are from, then you should look no further than one of the best examples of tropical indie anywhere in the world, as their unique brand of atmospheric humidity is sure to get you hot under the collar. Bugger Delmonte, the man from The Recommender says “yes”! (MB)

HOLGER – BEAVER

HOLGER – SHE DANCES