Brass-forward ten-piece band Nomade Orquestra are aptly named; to listen to their music is to take a journey, never staying too long in one place. A largely instrumental fifth album, Terceiro Mundo, exemplifies this unsettled spirit. They explore their own past work, their home of São Paulo, and critical political messages and events with an MPB mix that goes far beyond the sum of its parts–funk, folk, reggae, jazz, and rock–to make for an elaborate collection of sonic ideas. That’s not to say that it’s overly cerebral. The genius of Terceiro Mundo is in its accessibility. These are eight deeply thoughtful and complex tracks, yet each is also simply enjoyable; the group’s musicianship and creativity are tremendous as they tell stories in primarily wordless sound.
The few words Nomade Orquestra that include here are, in and of themselves, a testament to their methods and intentions. On the second track, “O Nascimento Do Sol Invencível”, they sample anti-fascist activist Paulo Galo as he declares “uma revolução sem falar”, a revolution without speaking. It’s a fitting line for a piece dedicated to the unstoppable light of the future.
Following the brief introductory track “EntreMundos”, for which they digitally twist bits from their 2017 album of the same name beneath the sounds of rain, bells, and verbal fuzz, “O Nascimento Do Sol Invencível” punches through the temporal static. Its palette is bold, its movements resolute, whether the players march in unison or interweave unpredictable patterns. It is our introduction to the band in the present moment, to nimble horns, tingling keys, sinuous winds, and grounding guitar and bass. If Terceiro Mundo is scoring a revolution, this is its rallying cry.
Soon enough, the scene shifts. A cool keyboard motif holds down “Peixeira Amolada & Quebra Queixo”, a piece whose title invokes imaginaries of African history and identity specific to Brazil. Sax and guitar solos weave intricate images amid the main melodies, the momentum building. It leads Nomade Orquestra into a closing section driven by a quick 9/8 bassline for a prog-adjacent finish. Gliding straight out of this is “Cidade Estrangeira”, a mix of hazy wahs and sparkling keys working together in vibrant contrast aside from other instruments. A tribute to the diversity of São Paulo, it sees the ensemble shift seamlessly between different tempos and styles, putting together a track that genuinely and percussively evokes urban bustle.
“O Extraordinário Presente” and “Mariposa Tigre” are both warm and lively. “A Invasão de Pindorama” simmers with a little more unrest. At Terceiro Mundo‘s end, “Revolução dos Cocos” pays exquisite tribute to the ecologically driven Bougainville Civil War in dramatic passages studded with haunting keyboard arpeggi: warnings against complacency.
On Terceiro Mundo, Nomade Orquestra give their collective all. Too cohesive to be written off as eclectic but too varied ever to be boring, it’s an album rife with good sound and strong, singular viewpoints. This is a shining example of a group capable of being original, inventive, and nonetheless broadly appealing. Excellent pieces make a powerful whole here, and Nomade Orquestra give us nothing but the best on their latest record.