The idea was initially conceived by Tempura, Bernardo Addario, in 2018, when the musician was searching for organic electronic sounds, with Portuguese roots, without much success. It was during this search that the will and need to create something based on the Berlin downtempo sound, but with roots in the Portuguese folklore of Beira Baixa, emerged. In 2019 after finding the foundations of Cinco Sentidos, Bernardo invites Edgar Valente, to provide his vocals, keyboards and adufe. To their surprise, they discover that they both have roots in the region, and it became obvious the need to deepen this collaboration and produce a love letter to their land.
Influenced by pagan and Moorish traditions, Beira Baixa is a central region of Portugal, steeped in ancient culture and with a history of hyper-regionalised folk music. “Bandua is a reinterpretation of traditional Portuguese songs from the region, bringing them into the modern world,” explains Addario, “we wanted to create something new, without forgetting our roots.”
The debut album is released on the Dutch/Brazilian label Frente Bolivarista, thanks to a connection established through Portuguese DJ and producer Pedro Martins, who also mixed most of the album. Led by Brazilian producer Pigmalião (Daniel Lucas), the label comes with the aim of transcending borders and promoting a wide variety of musical styles, from electronic to shamanic, with an ethos that goes hand in hand with this revisionist project of traditional styles and folk narratives.
