Selection by Rui Fradinho - Peekaboo Records

Rui Fradinho Eclectic Beats Music Selection June 2020

Fradinho (Rui Fradinho) is Lisbon born Portuguese, living in London since 2008. Surrounded by music since his early years, learning keyboards from the age of 7, he started collecting vinyl at the age of 13 and by the tender age of 16 became a resident DJ at Sociedade Anonima club in Portugal, regularly attended by 2000 people every weekend. After a 6 year residence, he moved into playing keys and drums in a variety of original and cover bands whilst continuing to DJ in the more exclusive and eclectic Lisbon bars, while he started producing his own original and remixed tracks from 2005 Rui's musical base stems from a diverse range of music: rock to pop, house to techno, through jazz, soul, funk, world music, hip hop, drum and bass and from breakbeat to his main passion and current music production focus, broken beat / nu jazz. Highlights of his DJ career so far (other than his 6 year residency at Sociedade Anonima), are the Bicaense Cafe and Lux club in Lisbon. Earlier in 2017, he did a stint on London’s Back2BackFM, playing at Dalston’s Club Makossa, the BBE Store in East London, closing the Chill Out Gardens stage in Portugal’s Boom Festival 2018, DJ’ed at Gilles Peterson’s first edition of We Out Here festival and currently guests at Birmingham’s BrukUp broken beat night. Fradinho has his own Facebook Live monthly 2 hour vinyl Broken Beat / Nu Jazz / House video radio show called Eclectic Beats, broadcasting every last Sunday of each month at 6pm GMT/BST (see Fradinho Facebook page), show reposted on BlueInGreenRadio.com the following Monday at 7pm and he is also producing new originals and remixes for a forthcoming record label of his own Eclectic Beats Music.

Daino – Crescendo | Percebes
This is the best Percebes 12″ for me so far! An eclectic EP that has got a bit of everything and it’s from Portuguese artist Daino and Portuguese friend Kaspar’s record label! Funky!

VA – The First Circle | Neroli
Quality as usual from the Neroli stamp, here with a selection of beautiful ambient tracks but with a couple of “ambient dancefloor” tracks as well! Bellissimo! (My copy was bought at Peekaboo!)

Stevie Wonder – Talking Book | Tamla
Not many words needed for the absolute musical king (for me!) Stevie Wonder. Several classics in this record and an essential artist in everyone’s record collection!

Conjunto Papa Upa – Libre Para Amar | Names You Can Trust
A really fresh album with some great latin vibes fused with electronics! A really nice surprise of a record! (and I bought it at Peekaboo Records!)

Rocky Marsiano – Meu Kamba XL
An album that I’ve been after for years and now going to be re-pressed on a 2xLP with 10 extra tracks that didn’t feature on the first pressing! One of the main Portuguese hip hop beats (and not only!) producers! I also recommend the following “Meu Kamba” albums! (Vols 2 and 3).

T&T – Don´t Stop | Music Factory
I love this version of MJ’s Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough and I remember spinning it almost every single weekend when it was first released! Beats in Space meets DFA. Funky homage progressing into a more analog synth dirty journey! Winner!

Troubleman – Strikehard | Far Out
Troubleman Strikes Hard with this track on this album sampler. Afro / Latin / Trippy / Breakbeaty vibes Striking Hard!

VA – Phuturistic Dancin’ (Mission One) | Bitasweet
Essential Broken Beat compilation! Several classics in this package that are the living proof that Broken Beat was ahead of its time and it’s still very current! “My History” is one of the genre defining tracks of this early 00’s West London genre!

Domu/Volcov – Visions Sampler 1 (Part 2) | Visions
Domu! No more words needed. Add Attias’s Visions Recordings usual quality and Volcov on the B-side and you’re winning!

VA – Family Planning Vol. 1 | Main Squeeze
Another essential Broken Beat compilation! Plenty of heaters on this 2×12″ including Mustang with Vanessa Freeman but the highlight for me goes to the “Fica Mal Com Deus” absolute banger of a track from Fourth World!

Agent K – Ladies | Laws of Motion
Probably one of the most talented jazz musicians out there and very underrated! Mr. Agent K. also known as Kaidi Tatham (one of the musicians that help driving and shaping what Broken Beat is today) with his classic track “Ladies” with an awesome remix on the B-Side by another legendary UK Garage / Broken Beat / Bass Music legend: Maddslinky also known as Zed Bias! Laws Of Motion for Life!

Floating Points – Marilyn | Eglo
An immense digger but also a wicked producer! Floating Points has always been in my record collection since release 1! Marilyn is a lush 4/4 “slow jam” housy track with delicious synths and harmonies and on the b-side there’s an amazing, more bass music driven “Farukx” track!