Tag: Portuguesepop

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At Deer Hipster Studios, we had the pleasure of working with Contentor, a talented Portuguese group known for their extraordinary modern pop music. This project involved recording, mixing, and mastering their album ‘Ciclo Curvo,’ inspired by João Eduardo’s book “O Ciclo Curvo das Noites.”

The Band and Their Vision

Contentor, now known as Content, consists of five wonderful musicians who draw inspiration from the world around them. Their music, written in both Portuguese and English, reflects a deep connection to the themes they explore. ‘Ciclo Curvo’ was an intimate project for everyone involved, aiming to capture the essence of the book’s themes.

The Approach

Given the album’s intimate nature, we aimed for sober and raw mixes, only adding effects to emphasize the melancholy or introduce psychedelic moments. This approach allowed us to provide listeners with an otherworldly experience, aligning perfectly with the album’s themes.

Our Role

We recorded all the vocals here at Deer Hipster Studios and took on the task of mixing and mastering the entire album. Using our Midas F32 mixer, Eventide Reverb, and H-Delay from Waves, we crafted a sound that was both authentic and immersive.

Technical Highlights

One standout moment was working on the pre-chorus of “Tudo Tem Seu Tempo.” To reflect the song’s theme of Time, we used a stutter effect, chopped and reversed vocals, and sent them to a delay. This creative process resulted in textures that perfectly encapsulated the idea of a realm where Time defies its usual rules.

The Outcome

The result was an album that resonated with both the band and their audience.

Reflections

Working on ‘Ciclo Curvo’ was a rewarding experience, reinforcing the importance of aligning technical precision with creative expression. It was a journey that deepened our appreciation for the power of music to convey profound themes.

Ciclo Curvo by CONTENT

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Contentor’s fourth album, Canto das Sereias, offers a captivating exploration of our dreaming condition as human beings. Released exclusively on Bandcamp, this album invites listeners into a world of ethereal soundscapes and introspective themes, masterfully produced by Adriano Lanhoso.

Project Goals:

The album revolves around a common theme of a call for action, a dreaming and dystopic future. To capture this, it needed psychedelic and otherworldly textures. On the track “Subsídio de Perdão,” saturated vocals create a speech-like feel, while emotional layers, synths, and delay emphasize the dreaming condition, with in-your-face drums calling for action.

Your Role:

I recorded and played keys on tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 at Deer Hipster Studios. Additionally, I recorded all the vocals except on track 10. I also mixed and mastered the entire album at Deer Hipster Studios.

Technical Details:

I mixed the album on a Midas F32 and used the Eventide Space Reverb to create dreamy soundscapes, particularly on tracks like “Dream On.” For the song “Dream On,” Adriano recorded the Kalimba, which had a dreamy feel. I added a nostalgic chord progression, slightly saturated to enhance the nostalgic feeling, and laid it underneath the Kalimba to emphasize the theme of the song.

Outcome:

The band was very satisfied with the outcome, as it was our first project together. The collaboration resulted in a cohesive album that truly captured the intended themes.

Personal Insights:

During the production, I faced challenges like a computer breakdown, which led to the loss of processing on my parts. I recreated textures close to the originals, although not identical. The lack of access to separate drum tracks required a change in the mixing approach to maintain sonic consistency. This project was also challenging due to some of material had already a certain tone. However, the talented musicians’ skills attracted me to work with them, aiming to help them create a cohesive sound, and with adaptation, flexibility and trust, I believe we nailed it.