Bonde Do Role

With Lasers

[4/5]

“Baile Funk” is the musical equivalent to Brazil’s Carnivàle-frantically upbeat and colorful, tropically cool and decidedly decadent-so it’s no surprise that the form is all the rage in Rio De Janeiro’s nightspots. This is where producer Diplo discovered Bonde Do Role, South America’s answer to Pop Will Eat Itself. Metallic riffs (most prominently on the appropriately titled “Bondallica”) clash with deep thumping bass and intricate percussive loops layered loudly beneath crudely rapped and/or shouted lyrics that we are assured are some of the sickest and silliest you can find (ask a friend fluent in Portuguese to be sure). The obvious samples of the band’s early singles are replaced by actual guitar and more subtle swipes thanks to Diplo’s vision (or more stringent U.S. copyright laws); however, that doesn’t take away one bit from the party-one where just about everyone you know is invited and all leave exhausted. (DOMINO) Brian O’Neill