Altercat Vinyl & CDs

Review: Brazilian singer Maria de Fatima's only solo album Baha con H was recorded in Uruguay in 1981 when the singer had settled with her then husband and synthesizer wizard Hugo Fattoruso. He was on production duties and the record mixes up classic covers of Brazilian sounds with plenty of original work and blended elements of Candombe, which were a result of the a-list of Uruguayan musicians who played on the recording. This is a first ever reissue of the album and it has been sourced from the original tapes. Liner notes are included as is a 12-page booklet with photos from Maria's own private archive.

Review: One of two Nana Vasconcelos works to be rereleased on Altercat lately, Africadeus is a landmark album of Brazilian music that reveals the genius of the titular artist - regarded by many as one of the most innovative percussionists of all time. Above all, the album flaunts Nana's mastery of the berimbau, a Pan-African instrument that he essentially claimed as his own over the course of his career, and which he thus transformed into a bursting vessel for expression. A solo classic berimbau performance, 'Africadeus', appears on the A, while the B-siders 'Aboios' and 'Selecao De Folclore' are much more energetic pieces that celebrate the rich folkloric and pastoral culture of Nana's homeland.