CD Reviews

Edu K

Frenetiko | Man

By CHRIS NELSON | April 17, 2006

Edu K may be among the first of a wave of Brazilian artists to bring the recently popularized style of bass music to the States via domestic release, but don’t call it “baile funk.” No, seriously, don’t call it “baile funk” — it’s a misnomer, translating literally to “funk ball.” (Imagine if Brazilians called hip-hop “dance jam party music.”) Indeed, Frenetiko has much less in common with traditional funk carioca than it does with, say, new wave. “Quero Ser Ator Porno” bears the heavy stamp of Baltimore club music, while “Sex-O-Matic” is a synth- and guitar-heavy call-and-response with fellow Brazilian MC, Deize Tigrona. (Whether or not you speak fluent Portuguese, it’s not hard to sense where the majority of K’s lyrical inspiration is drawn from.) The album, on the whole, isn’t anything remarkable. But, in terms of introducing more Americans to Brazil’s funk carioca, it’s a big step in the right direction (both sonically and from a marketing standpoint). Besides, I’ll take Edu K over another hyped rap from Fresno’s famous K-Fed any day of the week.

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