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Some bands follow trends. Others, like Pimenta Caseira, build time machines. The Lisbon- based trio — Fred (a.k.a. Bera), Gui Salgueiro, and their occasional sax-sorcerer Zé Maria — are not just making music; they’re sculpting a new type of funk that’s as analog as it is intergalactic.
Their style? Think future funk coded with robotic soul, dipped in Lisbon sunlight, and served with a vocoder twist.
I first caught wind of Pimenta Caseira in one of those 3 a.m. digital wormholes where you stumble across something that doesn’t just slap — it rewires you. Their recent EP “I’m Not a Robot” is a manifesto wrapped in basslines and existential vocoder reflections, a groove diary of love, identity, and the post-digital blues.
Lisbon-Fried Funk with Sci-Fi Sauce
Pimenta Caseira isn’t trying to chase radio formulas. They’re cooking up a soundscape that reflects their home city’s chaos, light, and underground heartbeat. Bera’s talk box lines swirl with retro-futurist charm, Gui’s keys and bass conjure floor-ready grooves from another dimension, and even when Zé Maria is off the grid, his saxophone DNA still pulses through their sound.
Their music lives between digital heartbreak and analog joy — love letters to dance floors and midnight walks alike. With influences ranging from Herbie Hancock and Tim Maia to Daft Punk and Anderson .Paak (yes, they jammed with him!), their sound is familiar yet distinctly their own. It’s synth-heavy soul for people who like their funk weird, warm, and slightly robotic.
Building the Groove: From Jam to Statement
Pimenta Caseira’s creative process is loose but intentional. They start with jams that evolve into layered sonic explorations — part ritual, part sci-fi séance. Gui’s knack for finding emotionally charged chords fuels their vibe, while lyrics emerge organically from tech musings, late-night convos, and Lisbon’s layered reality. The result? Songs that make you dance and glitch your brain at the same time.
They’ve come a long way from crafting basement beats for imaginary parties. With every release, their sonic identity gets sharper, bolder. Their commitment to conceptual artistry is clear: future releases might not just sound like something — they might even smell like it. Literally.
On Stage, It’s All Real
Catch them live and you’ll understand: Pimenta Caseira isn’t just studio magic. Their shows are kinetic transmissions. Whether it’s a rooftop in Lisbon or a late-night venue where someone breaks their sandal dancing too hard, the energy they summon is unmistakable. They thrive in the feedback loop of crowd and synth — and in those sweaty, shared moments, their mission becomes crystal clear.
Conclusion: Funk’s Not Dead, It’s Upgraded
Pimenta Caseira is a reminder that funk isn’t a museum piece — it’s a living, evolving language. And in their hands, it speaks volumes about connection, chaos, and cyborg soul. To their fans: thank you for dancing, streaming, and vibing. To artists on the come-up: they’ve got one message — stay weird, stay honest, and don’t wait for permission.
