Monterrey-based producer Mao Skaay’s debut LP for the Imperio Inmortal collective is a booming, sonorous, and break-driven journey into the future of baile funk. It’s a blend of bass, trap, tropical, and funk carioca he refers to as “funk bass.” When the galloping and bleeping opener “Gatla Tlaw” kicks things off, it’s clear that Skaay is on a mission to make bodies grind, bump, and absolutely sweat.
The pubescent squawk of MC Brinquedo, a 14-year old São Paulo-born rapper, makes a considerable mark on the excellent “Roäa Roäa,” since his vocals function like a unique, vuvuzela-style horn. Chopped against the break, it shoots into a booming and sparse production, and ratchetry abounds. The features here lend a particularly frenetic vocal flavor to the collection; standout moments include MC Pikachu’s wailing on the sweeping “Novina Eu Vou Te Rasgar,” MC Roba Cena playing point-counterpoint with a plaintive guitar on “Parado Na Esquina,” and Marginal Men’s vocals being chopped into a searing sonic assault on the juke-ready Omulu collabo “Footworkzz.”
Skaay’s three solo originals here are “Dice,” “Funksation,” and “Funkalicious,” three tracks that appear to satiate the maximal side of the producer’s imagination. “Dice” has the traditional festival trap markings of massive, synth-driven builds and twerk-ready riddims. “Funksation” and “Funkalicious” are more trance-gone-funk-carioca, synths shooting into an atmospheric vibe while seductively funky drum loops occupy the bottom end.
In one impressive release, Skaay has successfully found the space between trap and funk carioca’s breaks, and by infusing them with both organic and electronic tropical grooves, he has created a sensual sound with inherent dancefloor appeal.