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My Brazilian Trip: Philogresz

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Por Luiza Souza em MBT 15.09.2015

Brazil is a country with continental dimensions and every tour here provides very special stories for the artists. With this in mind, we created the column My Brazilian Trip, that will show the experiences lived by the artists here in their own point of view. Culture, culinary, the nights in the clubs and everything you always wanted to know but couldn’t ask.

The first guest to sign this series is the turkish Philogresz, that was in Brazil from august 26 until september 1. Below, you’ll find out how was this great adventure, where he tell us about his surprise to find Listerine and floss in a restaurant’s restroom and his (mis)interpretation of the word “Coxinha”. Check it out!

Day 1 – August 26

Arrived after 12 hours of the smoothest direct flight from Amsterdam. Embraced by the yet enthusiastic Adnan Sharif and directly headed to the Brazilian meat restaurant in the Angelica avenue area. Right away meat coma, I’m amazed with the presence of the Listerine and the dental floss in the restrooms. Ola Brazil, it’s my first day in South America and I kinda get used to this 🙂

Day 2 – August 27

Started it off with the fine home cooked Brazilian breakfast “Tapioca”. Headed to the local organic market in the Parque das Águas Brancas to get the freshest greens (veggies for our daily scheduled healthy eating routine). That’s a very necessary action after yesterday heavy meat medley, not to mention night’ s intense nightmares depending on eating late and heavy.

Straight after, headed to D-EDGE Club to get the insides about the development history of this interesting architecture. Talked about the do’s and don’ts of the Brazilian culture with Marcelo Madueño on the roof top. Apparently most of the Brazilian people like to have direct eye contacts, even when you chitchat quickly passing by. Otherwise they could mistake you with a bad person or a thief.

Swiftly planned the upcoming days of my stay in São Paulo and headed to Bossa, the restaurant of D-EDGE. And immediate wow effect! Lunched on a fisher side of things this time, with fruity Argentinean wine. Upstairs of the restaurant there is an impressive studio which will operate very soon for various jam sessions on the purpose of nurturing the local electronic music scene. Inspiring!

So then, suddenly, there is Patricia, a very colorful person who is managing almost everything within the club, restaurant and the clothing store. She asked if I could taste some of the new dishes that the restaurant’s Chef has suggested and give an opinion. Meticulously tasted and gave some Turkish culinary tips.

In the evening, headed to my good brother Henrique of Fractal Mood for the long-awaited listening session. We’ve met with Henrique in Amsterdam in the fall of 2013 on a very special occasion in Trouw club. He was the 1st one to tell me about the Brazilian scene and D-EDGE. Had a thorough chat about the Brazil electronic music scene: Curitiba, Florianópolis… and what he is up to with his multi-disciplinary Carlo Capslock events and art project. Finished the night with some listening session. Signed tracks and of course to be released ones. Complemented by the Cachaça – distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice. You know the drift 😉

Day 3 – August 28

Day 3 started on the most energized state of mind, rested, no jetlag and ready to rock. Met the good friend and a great DJ I’ve met years back in Holland. No one less than Renato Cohen. He impressed me back then with his album on Sino: Sixteen Billion Drum Kicks. Prior meeting in his house, a message from Renato: “hey man, what time do we meet, I need to adjust my schedule for my girl, I’m a father now you know…” That sounded so familiar – with a smile on my face, I answered back “I also became a father recently”…

We met in his house and had a small listening session in his homestudio. The man is keeping lots of gems in his harddrive. I kinda tried to motivate him to release his 2nd álbum, and who knows, maybe he will take my suggestion. Then we talked about the Brazilian scene, the European one, career changes, ups and downs… about life and struggles. So the time had come to pick his daughter out of kindergarden. On the way, a small pitstop at the local brasserie to score the best local burgers and the legendary Coxinha – consisting of shredded chicken meat, covered in dough, molded into a shape resembling a chicken leg, battered and fried.

How can one would not pay a visit to @renatoc when in São Paulo , we go way back with this good soul!

Uma foto publicada por ilker (@philogresz) em

Our last stop on the day with Renato was at the local park with his beautiful girl. One thing took my attention though: there was a security at the public park, just like there is at every communal and private place. “This is Brazil”, says Renato, “we are used to it”. What I like about the connection with him was that we didn’t have music political agendas, it was neutral and we were just another two folks connecting on many grounds. The chances are likely that we will musically write or exchange ideas in the near future.

Day 4 – August 29

Rainy day has always evoked creativity in me. I am not someone who walk around getting continuously depressed, life is too short to loop yourself in misery, as long as you don’t channel it in a creative process later on. So my bad feeling times do not last long.

I’ve read many things about São Paulo’s art culture and saw many photos. So I went to the yet amazing Ibirapuera park to visit the Modern Art Museum, the Oca and the city’s marvelous Auditorium . First stop was the the MAM – the exposition of the ‘the naive artist’ (to some of the vulgar critics) Alberto da Veiga Guignard. His color grading was truly impressive. He transited the soil ground with the sky in the smoothest way i’ve seen. In some ways he had his pure interpretation, expression of the local Brazilian landscapes and pastel usage at it’s best.

The most impressive part of my tour was yet to begin at OCA. The Oca’s art directors have curated a mind boggling exhibition called: Invento – The Revolutions That Invented Us. The curators explain the exhibition: “As they incorporate inventions in their works, artists generally think of dysfunctionalizing them, distancing them from their original function and offering a reincarnation in their social sense. The truth of art is not the same as that of history. The machines serve—art is not at our service. By inventing things we, in fact, invent ourselves.”

There were two highlight ’s particularly: First one is the one about the invention of refrigerator and the way we’ve turned them into: Americanization of our daily life as we subconsciously fill up our refrigerators with commercial poisons such as coke cans. Second one was: the LED show. Never seen something like this before… The oscillation of the light bulbs reveal moving bodies at very low resolution. The fluctuations between 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional… watch the movie. If you want to see more pictures, check out my instagram.

Um vídeo publicado por ilker (@philogresz) em

Day 5 – August 30

So, the Coxinha snack suppose to be the nickname for the Police. Cause they suppose to ask for free food… You see, learning something new on each and everyday, some call me “The Observer”. Well, today was the day for the Redbull studios with the local producers and students… ssl 4000 k g and endless outboard gear possibilities.Some kind of jam session. Arrived at an impressive location and blown away with the architecture. It was an old electrical central turned into a multi purpose area with studios, restaurant, and to top it off an amazing rooftop with an extraordinary view over the Praça da Bandeira.

Today, after a long time, I was again mixing on SSL 4K G

Uma foto publicada por ilker (@philogresz) em

I took a different approach for the jam session and rather than machines, I was into instruments like bass, electric guitar. And, when 10 hours of jam session following up with a live video improvisation weren’t enough, I’ve end up doing another one with Fractal Mood at their studio in the Madalena neighborhood. I was exhausted, but then I realized making music is the most fulfilling thing in my life, and I forget everything and get drift away. Time to sleep cause tomorrow is the big day, playing at D-EDGE for 3 hours of an extended set.

Day 6 – August 31

Sun was just right on the good spot on this very day of the performance. Took some time to refresh my record library and prepared/edited some of the new promos I received from people or purchased. Most of the time I’d like to do my own edits for the shows. Clean the records and locked the case…

After the breakfast, I’ve been invited by a friend to drink something at the Vila Madalena, western side of SP, if you ask me, the most colorful area of the city. The bohemian culture, eclectic pick of people and cultures, drinks, amazing local food and samba dancers. s I was waiting for a friend who was late (which I totally didn’t mind) I’ve kinda spontaneously swept into the amazing music and the vibe with the tipsy feel. I was like “I love this city”. A little note that I’ve noticed, Brazilian woman being very flirty/coquettish – like that brave kinda feel…

Um vídeo publicado por ilker (@philogresz) em

To top it off, had a wonderful dinner at Bossa with my man, the amazing and optimistic Marcelo of D-EDGE. My choice was for the local lamb topped off with some organic sweet potatoes and the Chilean wine. Rumors say that Brazilian wine is not as successful as it’s South American neighbors, correct me if i’m wrong.

After a short power nap, headed to the club and interviewed for the occasion of the 15th anniversary of D-Edge in the scene and played the night away with some perhaps arrogant selection. Hope people enjoyed it and could feel at least a bit what i was trying to say…

Day 7 – September first

The very last sun treat before going back home to ‪Amsterdam. Swiftly visited the Japanese town at the Liberdade avenue area. But I was more into the colorful house in the back rear side of the neighborhood then the Japan town itself. (as seen from the pics) São Paulo has been one the most interesting places I’ve ever visited and the connection with the people; hearing their life stories and perspectives were truly an elusive observation.

Uma foto publicada por ilker (@philogresz) em

See you at the other side!

let love rule, İlker

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