Papangu, based in Joao Pessoa, Brazil, combine bossa nova, ciranda, forro, progressive rock, and extreme metal into a single sound. Their music draws on the city’s diverse folk traditions and benefits from a strong local music scene tied to the Federal University of Paraiba. The five-piece approach keeps songs cohesive despite rapid genre shifts, supported by Vitor Silva’s hurried drumming and layered synthesisers and pianos. For their upcoming third album, Celestial, they recorded everything live in nine days and avoided computers to make a statement against AI music. They gained major attention in Brazil by playing Knotfest in 2024 and are now touring Europe, including a UK run and appearances at Arctangent.
"Papangu sound like all of them at the same time. The five-piece blend a long list of genres: bossa nova, the circle-dance song ciranda and forro, with its dry-tuned accordion and pulsing rhythm section, plus the more ubiquitous progressive rock and extreme metal. The band's virtuoso chops and intensity keep their songs from buckling under the weight of those ideas, from Vitor Silva's hurried drums to the mountains of synthesisers and pianos."
"For their upcoming third album, Celestial, the band recorded everything live in just nine days and refused to use any kind of computer in order to make a statement against AI music. After all, what program designed to scrape existing ideas from the internet could produce something as genre-splicing and organic as this?"
"Papangu broke through in Brazil when they played to more than 50,000 people at Slipknot's festival, Knotfest, in 2024. Now they're focused on Europe, scheduled to tour the UK for the second time in two years, and they play Bristol's experimental festival Arctangent this August."
"From Joao Pessoa, Brazil Recommended if you like Hermeto Pascoal, Mr Bungle, King Crimson Up next Celestial album released 7 August, touring the UK and Europe from 15 August Thanks in part to its famed music department at the local Federal University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa the easternmost city in South America is a hotbed of artists playing different folk styles from all over the continent."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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