The ecstatic raspiness of 79-year-old Brazilian samba legend Elza Soares makes for a consuming, hip-swaying listen in its own right. But it turns out that her gravelly vocals paired with gorgeous guitar riffs are dream fodder for a remix. Brazilian electronic producer Omulu delivers the goods with a bass-heavy take of Soares’ song “Mulher Do Fim Do Mundo.” Omulu’s track will be featured on an upcoming remix album of Soares’ 2015 album The Woman at the End of the World, alongside producers such as Gilles Peterson, Laraaji, and more. Soares is also going on an international tour this summer, including appearances in New York and Barcelona—not bad for a musician in her seventh decade of performance.
Omulu’s remix of “Mulher Do Fim Do Mundo” is full of surprising sounds. Soares’ throaty pleading demand a match in intensity as the momentum of the drums builds. Omulu explained that he aimed to stay true to the track’s Brazilian roots on his remix.
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“This album is one of the best I’ve heard in recent times,” said Omulu in an email to THUMP. “With my remix I tried to preserve the original mood of the song but mixing it with funk beats from São Paulo—jongo and pagoda —and heavy basses from the 808.”
You can listen to the “Mulher Do Fim Do Mundo” remix below, and look out for The Woman at the End of the World remix album on June 30 2017, which you can order on bandcamp here. And if you’re in New York, you can catch Elza Soares in person, performing tonight (May 19) at the venue Town Hall for the Red Bull Music Academy Festival.
