{"title":"Rubel","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"rubel-casas-indie-exclusive","title":"Rubel - \"Casas\" Indie Exclusive","description":"\u003cp\u003eBrazilian artist Rubel isn't one to be pigeonholed and typecast into staying in one sound. Casas, the follow-up to his debut album Pearl from 2015, brought a bigger, more epic, and richer production quality to the table. Fusing the worlds of MPB and hip hop, Rubel's sophomore LP built on the momentum of it's predecessor, gaining a Latin-Grammy nomination along the way. Mr Bongo is proud to be giving Casas it's first worldwide release on vinyl and CD outside of Brazil and Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cliché they say is that the second album is always the trickiest; however, Rubel doesn't seem to have had any problems on Casas. It's a fountain of creativity and originality, marking an artist in full flow. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConceived after Rubel spent six months living in Los Angeles, Casas is MPB-leaning at it's core but is also driven by a hip hop inspired pulse. There is a clear influence from hip hop's aesthetic across the 2010s woven subtly but fundamentally throughout. Nods to Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, The Creator can be heard across an album full of playful edge and personality. Luscious string-led arrangements and tracks that explore the rich folkloric rhythms of Brazil, sit next to songs with low-fi drum machines and features from acclaimed Brazilian rappers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne of the highlights of the album, 'Mantra', starts with a traditional Brazilian rhythm that morphs into a hazy hip hop beat. A sublime song with a hooky call and response chorus, it features a guest appearance and verse by the Brazilian MC Emicida. Another highlight is the epic 'Colégio' (College) which further showcases the melding of stripped back drum machine beats with cinematic, sweeping arrangements. Elsewhere, 'Partilhar' is a swaying, heartwarming hug. A tale of longing and love that has become a singalong fan favourite at Rubel's concerts. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCasas also shines a light on a string of key players in Brazil's new vanguard, such as Pedro Fonte, Gus Levy, and Brazilian rapper \/ poet Rincon Sapiência to name a handful. The record has pop sensibilities yet also feels underground. It beats with the heart of a singer-songwriter, a feeling that was felt so strongly on Pearl, yet this time is bolstered by a level of arrangement and richness of sound that take it to another dimension - soaring horn and string sections elevating the songs from home recording to stadium-ready anthems. Keeping that intrinsic beauty and simplicity of a well-constructed song yet reframing it within a pop context is the true gift of this album. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCasas cemented Rubel's status as one of Brazil's leading contemporary talents and a key figure enriching the country's already effervescent scene.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ComebackVinyl.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49936488956161,"sku":"5024017007642","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0655\/7466\/6497\/files\/Rubel-7642.png?v=1785426989"},{"product_id":"rubel-pearl-indie-exclusive","title":"Rubel - \"Pearl\" Indie Exclusive","description":"\u003cdiv id=\"aec-product-description\" class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-12\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"aec-desc-review collapse\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMr Bongo proudly presents a first-time worldwide vinyl and CD issue of Rubel's debut album Pearl. Self-released on YouTube in 2013, the album quietly became a huge hit in Brazil with the lead single and accompanying video for 'Quando Bate Aquela Saudade' amassing over 85 million views to date. Pearl laid the foundations for Rubel's path to greatness - a first glimpse into the brilliance of a modern-day troubadour and ever-evolving Brazilian artist who deftly mixes classic and contemporary influences. Fusing MPB, folk, pop, and indie, it charts Rubel at his purest and most personal.\u003c\/p\u003e\nThe journey of Pearl begins with Rubel in his early 20's studying film in Austin, Texas. Immersing himself in the city's vibrant DIY music scene and surrounded by countless musicians who he shared a large house with, he set up a home studio with an assortment of rented gear and recorded the album without any expectations. It was inspired by an environment of youth, music and experimentation Rubel found himself within. The seven songs are an attempt to record and take with him a little of what he lived and learned whilst there. He uploaded the album to YouTube, didn't think much of it and continued to pursue a career in film in LA. Over the next few years however it became a viral hit in Brazil, with a subsequent Brazil only vinyl and CD issue, drawing him both back to Rio and a trajectory to musical stardom.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe spirit of Pearl has a timeless nostalgia; it feels familiar from the outset, and whether a Portuguese speaker or not, the songs touch your soul. It's an unpretentious album, with Rubel putting himself, his musicianship and his songwriting upfront and centre. The epic 'O Velho e o Mar' delicately layers acoustic guitar, banjo and vocal harmonies, as the track builds with a simmering intensity and an accordion drifts in across it's final stages. Elsewhere, title track 'Pearl' has a global singer-songwriter aesthetic and could be Thom Yorke at his most acoustic.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAt nearly seven minutes, 'Quando Bate Aquela Saudade' is an unlikely breakthrough single, but it's message really resonated with the Brazilian \/ Portuguese-speaking audience. Anyone who has witnessed Rubel live has felt the energy and interplay between musician and audience, with the crowd making this song as much their own as it is Rubel's. A true modern-day classic.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e'Ben' echoes and channels the Brazilian greats; Caetano Veloso comes to mind whilst listening to this stripped-down tender ballad. The folk-leaning tones of the banjo make a return on the closing 'Quadro Verde'. A cinematic and anthemic track that could easily be imagined soundtracking a Wes Anderson film.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eNow a global, Latin-Grammy nominated star, Rubel is one of those rare artists who can straddle both mainstream pop success with the humbleness of an independent, underground recording artist. Those roots are on show here on Pearl, embodying an authenticity and rawness that spoke to a generation. We are proud to be able to give a worldwide release to this authentic and unpretentious first chapter in Rubel's story.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"ComebackVinyl.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49936494395649,"sku":"5024017007635","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0655\/7466\/6497\/files\/Rubel-7635.png?v=1785427186"}],"url":"https:\/\/comebackvinyl.com\/collections\/rubel.oembed","provider":"ComebackVinyl.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}