By Levi Michaels, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Fans of Raul Seixas rejoice: the wait for the remix album, Geração de Luz (Generation of Light), is finally over. Composed by daughter and prominent dance DJ Vivi Seixas along with husband and DJ/Producer from San Fransisco, Mike Frugaletti, the album features remixes of eleven songs by the “Father of Brazilian Rock”, who rose to prominence in Bahia in the 1970s and died of pancreatitis in 1989.
Generação de Luz is supported by Warner Music and will be accompanied by an album release party at the Galeria Café in Ipanema on April 10th, featuring DJ sets from co-producers Mike Frugaletti and Plinio Profeta, as well as Vivi Seixas herself, who will play various tracks from the album.
Known for his cryptic and controversial lyrics, Raul Seixas rose to fame during the military dictatorship in Brazil, when artists were subject to censorship and often imprisoned or exiled for expressing views contrary to the government. As a result, many of the artists emerging at the time used poetry to express malcontent with society and politics.
Seixas is remembered for his masterful ability to write lyrics that contain hidden political messages, many of which have been coined as popular phrases, like “Prefiro ser essa metamorfose ambulante do que ter aquela velha opinão formada sobre tudo” (I prefer to be that walking metamorphosis rather than have that old opinion of everything). Today, shouts of “Toca Raul!” can be heard at shows all over Brazil.
“It was great for me to do this album because I got to learn a lot about Raul and his creativity and uniqueness,” Frugaletti told The Rio Times. “His music is so diverse and his lyrics so actual. Lots of what he wrote about in the past about Brazil and life in general have a real impact on people and the times we live in.”
Diversity is certainly a prominent theme of Geração de Luz, which features influences from a number of club music genres, including hip-hop, rock, drum and bass, and deep house, to name a few. In most cases, Vivi Seixas adds an interesting and inspired dimension to her father’s classic sound, such as her downtempo re-imagining of “Metamorphose Ambulante” and the electro house remix of “Como Vovó Já Dizia.”
The album also enlists the help of many artists who contribute to the wide range of sounds. “We were able to work with lots of great artists that we invited to participate,” said co-producer Mike Frugaletti. “Arnaldo Brandão from Hanoi Hanoi, Dontatinho, son of João Donatoa, Alamo Leal, an amazing Brazilian blues artist, and many more.
“We were also very fortunate to be able to work with Latin Grammy Award winner Plinio Profeta, who helped us fine tune and properly mix the album down to the quality it is at now, it was a great honor working with him,” Frugaletti describes.
Geração de Luz is available now across Brazil in stores and internationally via iTunes.
TRACKLIST:
Introducão
Metamorfose Ambulante
Aluga-se
O Carimbador Maluco
Rock das “Aranha”
Super-Heróis
Mosca na Sopa
A Geração da Luz
Só Pra Varia
Conversa Pra Boi Dormir
Como Vovó Já Dizia (Óculos Escuros)