Deep in central Brazil, Goiânia-based teens Fernando Almeida and Benke Ferraz have been crafting their contribution to 2013’s burgeoning psychedelic scene, concocting some excellently warped cuts "recorded on borrowed gear and with self-taught technology in their parents’ basements" which are set to be released as their debut LP, As Plantas Que Curam next Monday, October 14, through New York record store Other Music’s label.
The album’s title translates as "Plants That Heal" – of a piece with the band’s name, taken from a "jasmine flower the ancients say ‘smells like pure love’" – there’s a sticky warmth and closeness in Almeida’s vocal lines, fronting up the fuzzy, psychotropic heart of the music, indebted, as the label say, to Brazil’s psych-pop scene.
Ahead of its release, Ferraz has written us a track-by-track talking us through the album – listen and read below, and head to Other Music Recording Co. to get hold of the record.
Lucifernandis
This is the only song we recorded twice and this is the second version of it. (The first version is here.) It’s the first song where someone besides us, Hans playing the drums, enjoyed the recording process. When we were in the middle of the session, the lighting in my house came down and we had to start it again another week! It’s an old song from high school times. The clinch with Lucifer’s name, turning it into a girl’s name, was an idea of Roger Marques, old music friend.
Erre
Actually the only song where the lyrics were written during the recording. I recorded all the instruments, except for the guitar solo at the end, recorded by Fernando. Probably the most well-produced song, it was the first thing I recorded using Ableton Live. One of the few things recorded with a metronome click also! It’s Hans’ favourite song on the album.
Infinu
Crazy guitar solo, by Dino (Fernando), with a Big Muff plugged direct to a Ciclotron mixer. I recorded footage of this beautifully inspired moment. Love this lyric, maybe my favourite.
Despreocupar
A pretty bucolic song. We used to play the final riff, with whistle solo, while we were missing some classes around 2009. My favourite song of the album. My drumming on this reminds me of Arnaldo Baptista’s song ‘Singin’ Alone’.
Hoje Aprendi de Verdade
These lyrics have a lot of meaning for Dino. Lazy old sun feelings. We had just a pair of drumsticks that broke on the first take. We had to put the pieces together with a stick tape, than the second take is what you hear on the album. Like the rest of the songs, it was recorded in one Sunday afternoon, except for ‘Lucifernandis’ because of the light problems. Dino’s favourite song.
Fim
This features a contribution from Kastelijns, a cool artist from Goiânia, singing with me and Dino on the choir in the final part. A sad simple song about the harms of youth, means a lot for me.
Doce
This song was supposed to be a lot slower. I did a different chorus for it, but the guys noticed that I was just singing the ‘And I Lover Her’ melody. Hans on drums, drunk Dino on bass guitar. Our high school friend, Marcelo, who’s now studying down south at Curitiba, was in my bedroom while I recorded the acoustic guitar, that’s him on the beginning of the song, telling us his uncle was addicted to Call of Duty 4. He’s actually on the album credits for this. Raphael’s favourite.
Eu Vou
Dino’s mantra. He sang and I played with putting delay/octave pedals on his voice, confusing him a lot.
Canção Perdida
Pretty guitar lead in the background. Our manager and friend, Gordon Zacharias, helped us on this, recording the birds sounds in his backyard.
Paul
A garage tribute to the Beatle and his supposed death. Dino tried to play the verse of it to Hans, at a New Year’s Eve party, he was saying that he made a song for him. Not succeed. PURPLE HAZE!!!!! The first song of the album we recorded and the first song we tried to play live, as a trio.
