While in Lisbon, I paid Buraka Som Sistema a visit during the second night of the Optimus Alive festival. Lil’ John, Riot, Conductor, and MC Kalaf were curating the Enchufada night (their label's namesake as well as Portuguese for "plugged in") on the clubbing stage, which included a supremely hot and fun performance by the group themselves, in addition to sets by Diplo and CarteBlanche. Before their thumping show (also the day of Riot's birthday), we chatted in their dressing room about the follow-up to their critically acclaimed album, Black Diamond.
PERFORMANCE AT OPTIMUS ALIVE
Formed in 2006, Buraka Som Sistema broke through with a fresh sound called "progressive Angolan Kuduro," that made club kids in their hometown of Lisbon scream and dance like hell. They are just putting the finishing touches on their forthcoming third album (slated for an autumn release) and unsurprisingly, they say the new album takes what you have known them for years up a hundred notches. Bring on the water guns.
PERFORMANCE AT OPTIMUS ALIVE. WATER GUNS INCLUDED.
The next day, I met up with the guys again at LX Factory for an on-set of the first video off their new as of yet titled album. The night before we had joked that the new single/video would be called "Up All Night" since a name still hadn't been decided yet. The concept revolves around Ustream stars and a sweaty club scene in a warehouse.
Here are some photos of our time with BSS:
VIDEO ON-SET AT LX FACTORY
CELEBRATING RIOT'S BIRTHDAY WITH CAKE NUMBER 3
THE CROWD FOR BURAKA SOM SISTEMA AT OPTIMUS
DIPLO HEADLINING THE ENCHUFADA NIGHT
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