Tag: Roberto Menescal

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Murillo “Muca” Sguillaro is a Brazilian-born, London-based songwriter, guitarist and producer, who has built up a modest following through a number of various recording projects — including Muca and La Marquise. Since the release of a handful of attention-grabbing singles and videos with that project, Sguillaro has been rather busy: the Brazilian-born, London-based songwriter, guitarist and producer recently became a father — and to celebrate such a wondrous occasion, Sguillaro collaborated with British singer/songwriter Alice SK and legendary Bossa nova pioneer Roberto Menescal on “Until We Meet Again,” an old-timey and breezy take on the Bossa nova sound I adore so very much with subtle elements of indie folk and pop.

Sguillaro can trace the origins of this new collaboration back a little bit. He recently finished working on Alice SK’s debut EP and believed that her voice would be perfectly suited for Bossa nova, and for a composition he had written. Sguillaro asked the British singer/songwriter to write lyrics and sing on the track. Muca originally met Menescal when the Bossa nova pioneer was in London on tour, and the two Brazilian artists managed to exchange ideas and shared love for Brazilian music and other music. Sguillaro and Menescal recorded the bulk of the song’s arrangement in Rio de Janiero — with Sguillaro and Alice SK working on the final arrangements and vocals in London.

Featuring gently galloping rhythms, Alice SK’s gorgeous and expressive vocals, Menescal’s shimmering and looping acoustic guitar, bursts of cinematic strings, fluttering flute, “Until We Meet Again” is centered around an nostalgic longing for much simple and more innocent times, summer nights dancing all night and reunions with loved ones — whether in this world or in the next.

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Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Rising British Duo Muca & La Marquise Release a Shimmering and Sultry Blues

Earlier this month, I wrote about the rapidly rising London-based duo Muca & La Marquise. With the release of their debut single “London,” the duo which features Brazilian-born, London-based guitarist, songwriter and producer Muca and 22 year-old vocalist La Marquise captured the attention of Roberto Menescal and Will Gompertz.

Building upon the growing buzz, the London-based duo released their second single “Blue Moon Bossa” found the act crafting a João Gilberto and Tom Jobim-inspired bossa nova — for modern times. Centered around La Marquise’s achingly melancholic vocals, the song evokes a longing for home and a longing for a simpler time. As Muca explained, the track came from a desire to visit his homeland to musically reconnect with his roots. “I have a rock and blues background, but really, I’ve always had the Brazilian music hidden somewhere in me,” Muca says in press notes. “I thought it was time to bring it back to my composition. Having La Marquise singing the song is fantastic, she really grooves, and she added such a magical touch to it.

The songwriting process for “Blue Moon Bossa” was rather straight forward. “Myself and La Marquise have an excellent music connection,” Muca says. “Most of the songs we wrote were quite fast, time flew by, it was so easy. It all starts with guitars and vocals. I bring the first ideas with chord progressions on the guitar and some melodies. She then adds her notebook and begins to add lyrics and add more melodies to it. I was amazed how the track naturally developed into the Bossa Nova/Jazz style, and I’m delighted with the song and album result.”

The duo’s third and latest single is the slow-burning blues ballad “October Blues.” Featuring a shimmering David GIlmour-like solo and La Marquise’s expressive and sultrily delivered vocals. If you close your eyes when La Marquise hits the higher register of her impressive vocal range, for a brief second it seems like you’re listening to old Led Zeppelin tracks. At its core, the song suggests that heartbreak and regret — particularly in October — can seem like supernatural occurrences that you need to protect yourself from.

The recently released video for “October Blues” was filmed by Tom Casey and edited by Luan Pail — and the visual brings painter and illustrator Tiago Judas’ comic The Liquid Mystery and The Solid Fatality to vivid life behind a silhouetted Muca playing his guitar part. The end result is something kind of surreal yet very tactile.

The duo are planning to release their self-titled, full-length debut in early 2021.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Rising Duo Muca & La Marquise Release a Gorgeous Animated Visual for Breezy “Blue Moon Bossa”

Muca & La Marquise is a rapidly rising London-based duo featuring Brazilian-born, London-based songwriter and producer Muca and 22-year-old vocalist La Marquise. Their debut single “London.” grabbed the attention of Roberto Menescal and Will Gompertz. Building upon the growing buzz surrounding the London-based duo, their latest single “Blue Moon Bossa” finds Muca, the act’s primary songwriter crafting a João Gilberto and Tom Jobim-inspired bossa nova — for modern times.

Featuring an armament of looping and shimmering acoustic guitar, a sinuous double bass line from Yaron Stavi, stuttering percussion and a breezy melody the track is centered around La Marquise’s achingly melancholic vocals. And at its core, is a longing for home — and a longing for a simpler time, of moonlit nights with the one you let get away . . .

As Muca explains, the track came from a desire to visit his homeland to musically reconnect with his roots. “I have a rock and blues background, but really, I’ve always had the Brazilian music hidden somewhere in me,” Muca says in press notes. “I thought it was time to bring it back to my composition. Having La Marquise singing the song is fantastic, she really grooves, and she added such a magical touch to it.

The songwriting process for “Blue Moon Bossa” was rather straight forward. “Myself and La Marquise have an excellent music connection,” Muca says. “Most of the songs we wrote were quite fast, time flew by, it was so easy. It all starts with guitars and vocals. I bring the first ideas with chord progressions on the guitar and some melodies. She then adds her notebook and begins to add lyrics and add more melodies to it. I was amazed how the track naturally developed into the Bossa Nova/Jazz style, and I’m delighted with the song and album result.”

In terms of production, Muca wanted a much more modern approach. He enlisted the assistance of São Paulo-produced drummer, percussionist and producer Bruno Buarque. “I told him and wanted a different approach for this song, using more electronic elements to this track,” Muca says. “He added some exciting Brazilian style elements, using his MPC to reproduce instruments such as cuica, bumbo, tamborin, ganza, and shakers. He recorded them in Brazil and sent me the files, I worked with the arrangements here in London.”

Animated by Ed Murray, the recently released video for “Blue Moon Bossa” is gorgeous and dream-like visual that features La Marquise as a singing moon before eventually seeing animated version of the duo playing and singing. The result is an old-fashioned view of the cosmos, complete with astrological charts. “The minute I wrote it, I knew it needed an animated music video to follow it,” Muca says of the song and its video treatment. “I had some ideas in mind and decided to contact the incredible illustrator, Ed Murray, who I am a fan of, to develop the concept. I couldn’t be happier with what he created.”

The duo are planning to release their self-titled, full-length debut in early 2021.