Mombojó

Formed in Recife in 2001, Mombojó stood out among the leading names in Pernambuco’s music scene that emerged after the manguebeat movement. Its original lineup included Felipe S. (vocals and guitar), Francisco “Chiquinho” Moreira (keyboards and samplers), Marcelo Campello (acoustic guitar and cavaquinho), Marcelo Machado (guitar), Rafael Torres (flute, trombone, and acoustic guitar), Samuel Vieira (bass), and Vicente Machado (drums). Combining rock, electronic music, samba, bossa nova, jazz, and psychedelia, the group gained national recognition with Nadadenovo, released in 2004. The album gained widespread circulation across the country after being distributed as a supplement to the magazine OutraCoisa, a project by musician Lobão.

In 2006, the band released its second album, Homem-Espuma, on the Trama label. Produced by Daniel Ganjaman and Lúcio Maia, the album featured guest appearances by Tom Zé, Céu, Fernando Catatau, and Daniel Belleza, expanding on the sonic possibilities presented on their debut album. In the early years of their career, the band was also recognized with two awards from the São Paulo Association of Art Critics (APCA).

The group’s trajectory suffered a severe setback in July 2007 with the untimely death of Rafael Torres at the age of 24. The following year, Marcelo Campello left the band. Reorganized as a quintet, Mombojó released Amigo do Tempo in 2010. In 2013, he released 11th Anniversary, a commemorative album featuring reinterpretations of his repertoire and guest appearances by artists such as Nação Zumbi, China and Cannibal, as well as the previously unreleased track “Procure Saber.”

The album Alexandre, released in 2014, featured new international and national collaborations. Laetitia Sadier, from the British band Stereolab, appeared on “Summer Long.” The singer Céu collaborated on “Diz o Leão” and “Dengue” by Nação Zumbi, on “Cuidado, Perigo!”. The collaboration with Sadier gave rise to the side project Modern Cosmology, which released the EP Summer Long (2017) and the album What Will You Grow Now? (2023), further exploring the blend of psychedelia, experimental pop, and Brazilian music.

Meanwhile, in 2020, Mombojó released Deságua, the soundtrack to the film of the same name produced in collaboration with Ana Souto and Luan Cardoso. In 2024, the band revisited the work of Alceu Valença on the album Carne de Caju, an album dedicated to reinterpretations of classics by the Pernambuco-born composer.

In 2026, the year the band celebrated its 25th anniversary, they released Solar. Produced by Léo D—the group’s partner since Nadadenovo —, the album features eight previously unreleased tracks and explores a more electronic and danceable sound. The album features guest appearances by Laetitia Sadier, Letrux, Sofia Freire, Domenico Lancellotti, and General Elektriks.