Portuguese house wizard João Manata aka Manata announces his first solo release under his Nugs On Board vinyl-only label, after five years since its inception and five sold-out records to date. With his fierce passion and dedication to music, Manata became a relevant name in the underground music scene of Portugal and beyond, having countless gigs around Europe.
Now the time has come for him to step into the production field as well, and he did it big time. For his debut LP, he manufactured no less than 9 tracks divided into two discs, each of them telling a different story.
So, let’s move on to our chosen premiere on the D1 side – “The Golden Age”. As the name suggests, the LP’s title track takes us on a journey into the golden age of electronic music with its old-school synths and vibrant melodic line, accompanied by puzzling vocals that can take one’s mind into a nostalgic and blissful journey. A track so catchy that it won’t keep you off the dance floor for long once you hear it, guaranteed.
“Dr. Spock’s Intro”, the album’s first track on A1, couldn’t get more groovy with its vibrant bassline and spatial notes that blend seamlessly with the trippy vocals from the beginning. The groovy vibes continue on the second track “Lucky Nugget” on side A2 with an even more energetic allure.
Flipping over to side B1, the pace is slowed down in “Flamingo Nights” with some subtle breaks and sporadic funky synths. “Unforgettable Bonanza” on B2 has a bouncy and linear housey sound that sets things down and gives a sense of mindfulness.
“Rustler’s Revenge” on side C1, or the first track of the second disc is changing the game map with a darker and more mysterious vibe highlighted by the spooky vocals that come and go throughout it. On side C2, “Time & Space” further sets the darker note that characterizes the second disc, with wavy synths and eerie vocals.
Last but not least, “Fastest Plane On Earth” marks the end of the LP with a dubby industrial sound accompanied by perplexed vocals that sound more or less like an airplane pilot making an announcement (perhaps about the next release?) that delivers just the right amount of contrast to make a proper “closing” of the album.
All in all, Manata’s debut is a great example of musical diversity and sound exploration at its finest, as no track is like the last, and yet all blend smoothly into a charming symbiosis.
The Golden Age LP will be officially released on September 16th and until then it can be pre-ordered from several record stores, such as Discogs, decks.de, Yoyaku, deejay.de, or Juno Records.
More info on Nugs On Board
Instagram | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | Facebook
More info on Manata
Instagram | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | Facebook
