Rio De Janeiro, 1959: João Gilberto releases ‘Chega De Saudade,’ an album that features only voice and guitars and changes the face of music forever by introducing the world to bossa nova – “new trend”. It’s since inspired a tradition amongst generations of Brazilian singers who, eager to prove their artistic worth, create albums of voice and guitar, yet with every artist so in awe of what Gilberto achieved most of these homages have just been pale imitations – until now.

Released on 29^th August, ‘Sem Nostalgia’ is the first artist release on UK based Brazilian record label Mais Um Disco who’s much acclaimed debut release ‘Oi! A Nova Musica Brasileira’ charted a sonic snapshot of the most exciting new Brazilian music. Santtana epitomizes this new generation of Brazilian musicians who according to him “don’t fit into any existing genres of Brazilian music”.

Equal parts Tom Ze and Thom Yorke, Lucas Santtana is one of Brazil's most interesting, dynamic and experimental singer-songwriter-producers.  Using samplers, pedals, filters and other conventional and non-conventional recording techniques, Santtana has created a haunting, disorientating and captivating work with the same flair and innovation that Gilberto originally drew on yet which is also independent from the concept that built it.

“There are two types of pleasure from music” adds Santtana “The first is from what sounds good to the ears and the heart and the second is from trying to understand it, even when you don’t enjoy it. What interests and inspires me are musicians that do not think of harmony, melody or rhythm but of layers of sound, which is what I aim for in my work.”

Santtana called upon some of Brazil’s finest musicians and producers in writing and recording ‘Sem Nostalgia’.  Starting with long-term song-writing partner is former Ambitious Lover Arto Lindsay with whom he co–wrote “Hold Me In”, “I Can’t Live Far From My Music” and “Night-time in the backyard”.  Quannum Projects’ Curumin turned guitars into percussion on “Cira, Regina e Nana” and “Amor em Jacumã”, ‘the Brazilian Vampire Weekend’ Do Amor made four instruments become one on “Who Can Say Which Way”, Man Recordings’ artist Joao Brasil produced the frenetic “Violão de Mario Bros” and Buguinha Dub - sound engineer for the legendary Nação Zumbi - created the space within “Amor em Jacumã” and “Cira, Regina e Nana”.

‘Sem Nostalgia’ is an album produced, as the title suggests, ‘Without Nostalgia’. Santtana explains: “I’d wanted to produce a voice and guitars album for a while yet in Brazil every musician follows Joao and so I wanted to make mine different, more plural. When nostalgia is a view of an idealized past that is more attractive than the present it imprisons us and blinds us to other possibilities”.