Binario

2008 release. Far Out Recordings boldly move from their popular Brazilian catalog to the guerrilla sound of Binario's self-titled debut album. The band from Ipanema Beach brings the sound of Rio's underground to Binario with rhythmically rich and sonically expansive tracks full of intrigue and originality. A seven strong gang, Binario have captured their unique mix of psychedelia, guitar fuzz, electronica and tripped out space funk. Recreating the passion of their wild live shows, where the gear is wired to car batteries to blast their illicit grooves to Rio's beaches, Binario's layered sound mixes brooding instrumentals with futuristic freak outs and Portuguese scat vocals. Formed in early 2002 by Lucas Vasconcellos (electric guitar and piano) and Bernardo Palmeira (drums and vocal), the addition of five new members Bruno DiLullo (electric bass), Fabio Lima (electric guitar), alongside Rafael Rocha (drums), Eduardo Manso (electric guitar, piano) and Estevo Cas (synthesizer, piano) has allowed the collective to create an album sounding like nothing you have ever heard - the two drummers creating dense grooves for the swirling guitars and synths to twist around. Binario site Gilberto Gil and Caetano as influences. Their experimental approach and interest in subverting frequency, harmony and groove is behind their love of Radiohead, Tortoise, The Velvet Underground, Can, Kraftwerk, Zappa and Miles Davis. The instrumental opener Funeral veers closer to the dark underworld of heavy rock than the sun-drenched bossa beaches of Rio with Zepplin-esque swirling stadium guitars, crashing symbols and metronomic bass lines. Amor Liquido sees lead vocalist Lucas Vasconcellos rhythmical rapping to a futuristic soundscape filled with paranoid synth bleeps and bounding guitars. With a truly addictive warped electro hook, Vamanda is the feel good track of this debut long-player, which comes crashing to a glorious close. DDP is a restless electro improve, complete with trademark-warped guitars. E Ai Gelara Voltei closes up with a wall of crunching bass and soaring guitars, suddenly stopping and demanding a repeat from start. As Binario producer David Brinkworth (Harmonic 33) says, These guys love nothing better than playing, composing and producing music. I can't say I ever heard a cross word spoken between them. Without egos or arguments Binario put down their debut in just five days at Compania Dos Technicos - the old RCA rooms in Copacabana - a studio large enough to set up two drummers, three guitarists, bass and vocals.