Bike is a psychedelic rock act coming to us from Sao Paulo, Brazil, that’s been on the road touring heavily since 2015. They’ve released four albums in that time and grabbed the attention of psychedelic fans after appearing on the 30th Century Records Compilation, Vol. 1, put together by the renowned North American producer Danger Mouse. The band recently released a new album, Arte Bruta, on May 5, 2023, that we’re here to tell you about today.
About Arte Bruta
One of the reasons we know Bike is the real deal is because of how heavily they’ve toured in recent years and some of the bands they’ve shared the stage with. They are true road warriors, having played over 400 shows in 16 Brazillian states, from underground stages to festivals, traveling throughout Europe, and playing with bands like The Black Angels and Os Mutanes.
This new album, Arte Bruta, represents a process of self-analysis the band has undergone in recent years, leading to its most daring leap in the group’s career. Bike has a psych-rock, post-Tropicalia, noise rock sound full of energy, positivity, and reflection that should appeal to many.
The Songs
There are 13 tracks on the album, with all of them being rather short. It starts with the brief, distorted sounds of “Arcoverde” and immediately jumps into “Alem-Ambiente,” bringing soft vocals and trance-like guitar riffs. The sounds are fluid, graceful, and an intriguing blend of psychedelic and tropicalia. Bike still manages to rock, though, and crank up the volume on this track.
“O Torto Santo” comes next, starting with a killer riff that gives them some stoner rock street cred. The song quickly mellows, with dreamy vocals and sultry melodies as warm as the Brazilian sun. Tracks like this show how Bike can meld the heavy and the mellow seamlessly. Though the song isn’t long, there’s still plenty of space for jamming.
“Cedro” brings a much more Latin-American vibe with the percussion and instrumentation tied to the region. The rhythm on this short and sweet track is sensual and perfect for fans of classic tropicalia and acts like the Buena Vista Social Club. “Traco e Risco” has more of a stoner/psychedelic rocking vibe, a trippy jam incorporating noise rock tendencies.
“Filha do Vento” brings a driving guitar riff that makes it another song that will appeal to stoner rock fans. The vocals are more urgent here, and there are synthesizer sounds that bring rich tones to the track. “Clara Luz” is a short track with one of the best guitar tones on the record. I’m not sure how they made the lead guitar sound like it, and I wish the song were longer.
“Santa Cabeca” is the longest track at a little more than six minutes, and has the most Spotify plays on the album. The driving guitar riff lays the foundation for this trance-inducing song, allowing Bike to flex its jam-band muscles. This was my favorite track because of that jamming aspect and the excellent guitar work displayed.
The record closes with two shorter tracks, “A Queda do Ceu” and “Yaripo.” “Yaripo” is a nice, mellow lo-fi song that acts as a good closer, with vocals more akin to spoken word. The vocals are in Spanish, so I can’t understand a word, but hey, it sounds pretty cool! The song fades right as I begin getting into it, though, and the record stops spinning – for now.
Final Thoughts
Formed in 2015, Bike is a cool psychedelic rock group making music that blends the traditions of their Brazilian roots with a slight stoner edge. The nods to Tropicalia are welcome on Arte Bruta, but my only complaint is that the tracks are too short. That’s just a personal preference, as I felt Bike was the type of band that could craft some excellent, lengthy psychedelic improvisations.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed Arte Bruta and would recommend it to fans of acts like Tame Impala, Pedro Santos, and Osees. Bike’s trajectory has been nothing but upward lately, having played at SXSW and opening for The Brian Jonestown Massacre in their native Brazil. They also recently recorded at the KEXP studios, which was a huge achievement for them. So, you may be hearing more about Bike soon, so get in on the coolness now.
Support Bike by finding them on Bandcamp or social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.)
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