Carrilho da Graça

Forró music may be defined for many by the centrality of the accordion, but as Analog Africa’s new compilation, Camarão: The Imaginary Soundtrack to A Brazilian Western Movie 1964–1974, demonstrates, a forró trio is two-thirds percussion. The triangle and zabumda form the backbone that Reginaldo Alves Ferreira’s accordion swoops and bounds on. It is forró at its widest definition, a blanket term for a number of northeastern dance genres that use the accordion. It’s Camarão’s compositions playfully orchestrated and filled out with big booming horns and subtle electric guitar licks that would sound at home next to pieces by Ennio Morricone or Ry Cooder, but always driven by the beat.