Rubel - Casas

Rubel - Casas receives its first worldwide vinyl issue outside Brazil and Japan through Mr Bongo, presenting the Brazilian artist's Latin Grammy-nominated second album on black vinyl.

Following his 2015 debut Pearl, Rubel expanded both the scale and the palette of his songwriting on Casas. Conceived after six months living in Los Angeles, the album remains rooted in MPB but introduces a strong hip-hop pulse, drawing on the production language of the 2010s while retaining the intimacy of a singer-songwriter record. The result is richer and more cinematic than its predecessor, with string and horn arrangements sitting alongside lo-fi drum machines and Brazilian folkloric rhythms.

“Mantra” is one of the album's clearest examples of that hybrid approach, beginning with a traditional Brazilian rhythmic feel before shifting into a hazy hip-hop beat and a guest verse from Emicida. “Colegio” combines stripped-back programmed drums with sweeping arrangements, while “Partilhar” offers a warmer, swaying moment that has become a fan favourite in Rubel's live sets. Elsewhere, the album features figures from Brazil's contemporary musical vanguard including Pedro Fonte, Gus Levy and rapper-poet Rincon Sapiencia.

Casas balances pop immediacy with an adventurous, underground sensibility. It is melodic and direct, but the arrangements continually widen the frame, moving from home-recorded intimacy to songs that feel designed for much larger spaces. The album cemented Rubel's position as one of the leading voices in contemporary Brazilian music and remains a vivid meeting point between MPB, hip-hop and modern Brazilian songwriting.