LAMPIÃO REI

Papangu are back three years after their absolutely spectacular debut album, Holoceno. Their new album, Lampião Rei, carries on in their unique vein of zeuhl, prog, and metal, but there have been some changes between the records. Holoceno is an unrelenting assault of Magma-tinged sludge metal. It's an eco-apocalyptic tale, and the music serves to build intense senses of dread and unease. Lampião Rei, in contrast, is quite a bit lighter. Significant chunks of this album are metallic, but the band draws more clearly from jazz and classic prog here.

Part of the reason for this shift in sound (aside from adding new members to the band) is that the subject matter here isn't quite as grim as on their debut. It tells the story of Lampião, a Brazilian bandit leader and folk hero whose heyday was in the 1920s and 30s. This album doesn't cover Lampião's betrayal, capture, and beheading (though the band says they'll do that on a future release), so there isn't the same need for Holoceno's oppressive mood.

Lampião Rei opens on the three-part, seven-minute mini-suite "Acende a Luz". Part one "Alquimia" is a short, folky acoustic intro. Part two, "O Encandeio" starts with a lightly jazzy guitar arpeggio and group vocals. It gives things a somewhat hazy atmosphere, and it quickly morphs into a psychedelic, metallic storm. The addition of a keyboard player to the band has brought a new and distinctive character to Papangu's music. A slinky, Wakeman-esque synth solo serves as a fitting climax. Part three, "Sagüatimbó", wraps things up on a rather jaunty note. Acoustic guitar dances about, and a majestic organ gives a lightness and buoyancy I never would have expected from this band.

"Boitatá (Incidente na pia batismal da Capela de Bom Jesus dos Aflitos)", in contrast, starts off with a plodding, distorted bassline and twangy guitars. This cut sounds almost like a metallic version of something off King Crimson's Lizard. The steady guitar riff has anxious electric piano bubbling just beneath it, keeping the rhythm and overall flow in constant flux.Near the end of this cut, things quiet down a bit, and the flute part does an excellent job of evoking the Brazilian wilderness.

Jittery, Üdü Ẁüdü-style guitar lines kick off "Ofrenda no Alguidar". This is intercut with slower jazz-rock flourishes reminiscent of Pink Floyd. Tension is maintained throughout, and there's a constant sense that something is about to break through. The chorus is peppy and jazzy, but there's an undercurrent of anxiety. After a conclusion full of ominous synth pads, the gentle little interlude "Mulher Rendeira" gives the listener some breathing room.

A laid-back, Latin jazz mood persists on "Sol Raiar (Caminhando na Manhã Bonita)". This is the most un-Papangu-like the band has sounded so far, and it took me completely by surprise they went quite this jazzy. I don't speak Portuguese, but maybe the lyrics are fitting for this style. It's not a bad song, or even that incongruous with the rest of the record. It's simply unexpected.

Papangu gets back to something more recognizably Papangu on "Maracutaia". Jazz notes are prominent and unmissable, but it's woven together with moments of heavy progressive rock in an inventive and enjoyable way. The song's final minute sees the band delve into an aggressive psychedelic, folk-inflected black metal excursion.

"Ruínas" is a sprawling instrumental that goes in some very interesting directions. The introduction, replete with chimes, flute, and fluttery synths, sounds like it could have been on a jazz-funk release from the 1980s. Clavinet enters and continues on this funky path, and I really like the uncommon hand percussion they deploy here. From about this song's midpoint, things start to build up. Guitar and wordless vocals push this composition forward, and the eventual introduction of a rock drum kit adds to the momentum.

Lampião Rei ends on "Rito de Coroação". Right off the bat, swirling organ and twining guitars give this cut an otherworldly, psychedelic feel. Things are constantly churning and changing, but it's always small shifts that gradually accrue, rather than sudden shifts. Robert Fripp-influenced soloing will give way to folky group vocals, which in turn go to Magma-style madness and then to the type of grandiosity associated with some of Steven Wilson's bigger songs.

Papangu's sophomore record doesn't quite reach the same heights as Holoceno, but it's really not that far off. I love that they have continued exploring new twists on their sound, rather than just settling into a niche. One thing I like so much about Lampião Rei is just how Brazilian it sounds. I've heard lots of great music from all over the world, but a lot of stuff (especially in the progosphere) can sound quite generically Anglo-American. So when I run across stuff like this, which expertly and artfully weaves in sounds from the act's homeland, it's always exciting.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/09/09/album-review-papangu-lampiao-rei/