3 Sessions in a Greenhouse

On recent albums, Lucas Santtana has become a modern troubadour, channelling pop, protest song and natural charm, so it’s easy to forget that on his early albums he was something of a rebel rouser, splicing up funk, bass-heavy tropicália and riotous reggae in equal measure. It’s the last of these that is the most prominent on this reissued 2007 gem. Santtana recorded this suite live over three sessions with lauded Brazilian producer Buguinha Dub mixing on the fly; there were no overdubs or re-recordings after the fact. ‘Lycra-Limão’, with its rock solid bassline and catchy brass section, is pure joy; ‘Ogodô Ano 2000’, written by and featuring Santtana’s uncle, Tom Zé, is far more experimental than the original, the heavy rhythm section remaining intact while vocals and joyous guitar riff fade in and out of the foreground.

The crazy thing is how fresh these tracks remain, the sampladelic 808 funk of ‘Pela Orla Dos Velhos Tempos’ still packing a punch, the new remaster no doubt giving extra heft. The ecological concerns of ‘A Natureza Espera’, which includes a spoken Virginia Woolf story, is the only blot, a well-meaning idea but out of place amid a riot of heady invention.