Genre-splicing: the virtuoso prog-metal-folk of Brazil's Papangu and the week's best new tracks
The five-piece combine traditional musical styles with mountains of synths and hurried drums – rejecting computerised production in a pointed anti-AI statement.
From João Pessoa, Brazil, Papangu are a five-piece band that blends a long list of genres: bossa nova, the circle-dance song ciranda, forró with its dry-tuned accordion and pulsing rhythm section, plus progressive rock and extreme metal. Their virtuoso chops and intensity keep their songs from buckling under the weight of those ideas, from hurried drums to mountains of synthesisers and pianos.
For their upcoming third album, Celestial, released 7 August, the band recorded everything live in just nine days and refused to use any kind of computer to make a statement against AI music. They argue that no program designed to scrape existing ideas could produce something as genre-splicing and organic as this.
Papangu broke through in Brazil when they played to over 50,000 people at Slipknot's festival, Knotfest, in 2024. Now focused on Europe, they tour the UK for the second time in two years and play Bristol's experimental festival Arctangent this August. If Angine de Poitrine set a precedent for technical, outsider music finding a mass audience, these maestros could repeat that trick – a nice break from AI slop filling most feeds.
This week's best new tracks
Stormzy and Odeal – 24 Hours
“Nobu or Lebanese Grill?” For his first single in two years, Stormzy plays generous first-date organiser, with British R&B star Odeal singing a chorus full of romance and summer sunshine.
Lido Pimienta – Tóxica
“You always want more!” the Colombian singer chants in Spanish over stark cumbia, an incantation to cast out draining spirits – first taste of album Caribenya, celebrating Indigenous Caribbeans and Enya.
Helena Gao – Lao Shi 老师
After cowriting Zara Larsson’s Midnight Sun, the Chinese-Danish pop star takes the spotlight with a cheeky plea to learn how to please a lover: vocals Caroline Polachek-worthy, 2-step glimmering like fireflies.
Arab Strap – You You You
Over muscular synthpop, Aidan Moffat recites middle-aged health woes in a droll laundry list, working into a rage at demagogues, the UK government and Spotify’s founder.
Mary in the Junkyard – New Muscles
Clari Freeman-Taylor sings about newfound strength – ready to fight or satirising self-improvement culture? The London band’s incantation shivers with traces of Wild Beasts’ menace.
Moriah Mensah – Hero
A 19-year-old rapper and producer of Nigerian-Ghanaian heritage from Peckham debuts with a two-and-a-half-minute epic, hyping herself over towering synths and earth-scorching bass.
Play Time – Open the Door, Joey
Krautrock steadiness meets exploratory Alice Coltrane styling in a captivatingly wibbly six-minute tonal workout with percussionist Booker Stardrum.
