São Paulo Confessions

Nice little background album. Nothing outstanding, but a decent one. Nice to have a non-western piece too.

The music was actually great for a restaurant background, but the Portuguese vocals totally lost me. At times, it literally sounded like the singing was playing in reverse.

wtf was this?

Lush, beautifully dark trip-hop adjacent with bright vocals. Because of the language gap, the vocals become another instrument in the mix. Some of the tracks would work really well as thinking work background music. This is one of those I wouldn't have searched out, but I'm very glad this one was on the list. My Rating: 4/5

Mas

Started off a bit like Bjork, fell into average electronic beats with a foreign flair.

I wanted to like it more— it’s the kind of album I signed up for— but underneath the allure of the exotic was a fairly typical album.

Första ettan tror jag. Ingenting för mig, känns oinspirerat och tråkigt. Hissmusik.

This is very cool music, I just have trouble getting into music when I don’t understand the lyrics. My failing, not theirs.

Loved the vibes!

Background music for your dinner party.

Very much a mood piece. Add this to the cocktail party playlist.

Enjoyed this, but I dont think I'll ever listen to it again. It’s kind of interesting at the start but then faded to the background on both listens. Sounds like something you would have heard in a trendy coffee shop in the warly 2000s.

I wish I hadn't read all the comments about this sounding like the background music at an early 2000s wine bar. Not because it ruined the album for me, but because that is so dead on that I'm wondering if I would have come to that same conclusion on my own. But who doesn't like a good wine bar? I'm not sure I would want to listen to the music playing in one all the time but it serves its purpose I suppose. Nothing more to say about this one, really. 2.5/5

Very repetitive and a little irritating. It was OK if I turned it right down and focused on my work.

I found this quite dull - just did nothing for me at all.

뭐라 쓰지

Amazing

Muzak anyone?

Reichlich eintönig und repetitiv. Auf die Dauer schwer auszuhalten.

At first I thought people were just hating on non-anglo music again, but this is just trope-y electronic music trying to emulate Brazilian music. Pretty mid and background-y, 2*

I like samba. This was nothing special.

It's never really bad, but it really drones on, sticking with the same patterns for far too long, especially when there's nothing particularly groovy about them that makes you want to stay in that groove, and there's no tension coming from moving out of the groove temporarily to give you the relief of going back into the comfortable groove. It feels almost like the work of a DJ who's trying to figure something out and lets the track play while he's trying to think of something but never ends up doing it.

Felt like racking a line in Brazil, only to find out it was an alien psychedelic. Enjoyed it a lot but unlikely to listen again

Fine turn of the century dancey stuff. In 2026 it doesn't evoke much of a mood for me, but I'd dig it if it came on at the club. Antropófagos and A Noite Sem Fim are probably my faves here.

#459 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ / ✅ Rhythm rich world music and techno do not necessarily meet amicably, while here they don't clash so much, the bass heavy beats are quite overbearing and often smother the unique delicate Brazilian rhythms. I quite enjoy listening to this album, but in a more "no distraction / aural wallpaper" style, than actually _liking_ the music. I did like some bits of it, mostly the Brazil rhythms which ofter kept tsunamied over with the uninteresting techno beats. A different mix would probably give one extra star, so 3/5.

A nice jazzy album. A bit boring and unoriginal sometimes, especially on the vocalist-less and less upbeat songs. Pretty decent, didn't need to be an hour. Only time I'd listen again is to put it on in the background to chill or work on something. Favorite Track: Samba Do Gringo Paulista

Some interesting things happening here, but ultimately kind of fades into the background. The lyrics being in Portuguese definitely contribute to that.

I'm not sure I listened to this. If I did, it made less than zero impression

A really cool downtempo/jazz album with Brazilian influences that was pretty unique! It's not stellar, but it was really nice and I had a very solid time with it. Enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Did go on for a bit long, but still pretty solid.

Not entirely my thing, but rather pretty and relaxing despite being beat driven. I looked up album description and then had to look up acid jazz. Most likely looked it up already.

Tough one to pin down. I appreciate the creativity, musicality and production, all things I value highly, but the taste is a miss on first listen. Maybe I'd warm up to it over time, but right it feels like a 3. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and give it the score it might have if it grew on me.

Nice album, interesting, trip hoppy record with latin influences, bit eerie

I didn't love this, but I also didn't hate it. Chill and vibey, but ultimately forgettable? Fine background music.

srbenda snimio sasvim solidan album

Love the percussion on this album. The music is pleasant, but forgettable. Do with that what you will.

A little too all over the place for me.

It was ok as background music for a while.

Wow. Shitty 90’s techno (it’s really more trip hop-ish, but I like trip hop and I didn’t like this, so fuck you, its techno), culture vulturing and an album that came out days before the artist died. Robert Dimery’s three favorite genres combined into one! This sucked.

Good Lord

I liked the energy on this. Wasn't sure about the first few tracks, but I liked the modern world music as the album progressed.

Really enjoying this album didn't know anything about it before but does remind me of massive attack mezzanine and a little trip hoppy and chill electronic music with a bit of ambient I really like the beats they are acoustic Brazilian instruments that gives it that worldly feel and the atmosphere the album creates would be great at night which I think he was aiming for

I was excited for more music from Brazil then disappointed it was a jazz/ electronic album. Sort of sexy and ethereal, but I struggled to really actively listen to it. It’s background music to me, albeit kind of interesting background music.

Hmmmm no bad in places

pretentious wine bar music

Kind of weird background music, which i usually like - not really the case here. Has some interesting parts but is mostly just whatever 5/10

Some cool sounds here. Not my favorite but not bad.

It sounded nice at first. Jazzy, warm, that Brazilian evening thing. Then somewhere in the middle it stopped being songs and turned into a mix of beats — a DJ's portfolio rather than an album. Textures, guests, ideas, nothing to hold onto. That instinct turns out to be exactly right, and the story behind it is worse than I expected. Suba was Mitar Subotić, a Serbian producer who came to São Paulo in 1990 to study Brazilian music and stayed. This is his own record, and it is precisely what I heard: a gifted producer showing what he can do, with no single voice running through it to hold it together. He found that voice immediately afterwards. Days after this album came out he was in his studio finishing Bebel Gilberto's Tanto Tempo. A fire started. He went back in for the tapes and died of smoke inhalation, 38 years old. Tanto Tempo came out after his death and became the biggest-selling Brazilian album outside Brazil. I gave Tanto Tempo a 5 in May. New favourite genre, I wrote. Same man, same production, same warm evening — except that one has a singer at the centre of it. The thing I found missing here is the thing he went back into a burning room for. 3/5 — the sketch for an album I already love.

Producer Suba creates an interesting blend of Samba polyrhythms, smooth Bossa Nova and electronic elements. The end pruduct is... well, it's okay, but I wouldn't write home about it. The album is too long and I'm not a fan of the vocal delivery here. Other than that, nice background music. 3/5 - good

unbelievable chill

3/10

It's been a while, I don't remember if I liked it. 3-stars

Not the worst elevator music I've heard.

This album rips in moments with its thunderous rhythms. But it’s the in between that kind of kills it for me. Still cool.

Pretty cool album. I just wasn't a fan of the second half of Na Neblina and the guitar on Pecados Da Madrugada. Cool drums on A Noite Sem Fim.

Mediocre background music to a wine bar. Feels very much like it's only in here to make up numbers and bolster the ranks with just about anything. It's got moments of light in the malaise, but they're too far and few between to really count as anything noteworthy. Didn't totally hate it, however it's honestly nothing to write home about. Eh.

Brilliant. Maiden obsessed when j was a teenager, great to go back again.

It actually sounds pretty rad, it's just really hard to remember it exists. Even while it's actively playing

This felt all over the place. Likes: Tantos Desejos; Segredo

Why is there so much Portuguese music on this album?? What chokehold did Brazil have on these miscellaneous critics?? None of them are even rated that highly they're just doing it for shits and giggles like I don't want to listen to this. Wait but this is kinda nice ngl. It's ambient. It's nice to play in the background. This is kinda weird as hell actually. Yeah I'm rocking with this I can't lie. Favourite: Sereia Least favourite: Antropofagos

I have nothing of note about this album

Only enjoyed the non edm parts

alright

Groovey, rhythmic, pulsating, it’s a mesh of sound and mood and feeling. Great album! Sounds like nothing I have heard before.

Ok, would prob enjoy if I heard more Spanish music to see what they were doing with it

First Listen; 2.5; If I need some sort of unobtrusive background music, this would be a go-to. But in that same vein, there's not really anything in here that stuck with me after listening to it. It's all pleasant enough, but hard to find anything all that interesting. Seems like there is an effort to do something artistic with instruments and sounds that aren't used much (or at all). For example, A Noite Sem Fim has some weird squishy/crunchy synth thing, but it just sounds corny and takes you out of whatever vibe this is establishing. Favorite Track: Tanto Desejos

Appreciate the experimental production but what would be exactly the perfect condition or event to listen to this? Overdosing?

I liked a few songs from this album. It would be a great album to sample. Lots of interesting ideas. But towards the end I kept checking to see how many tracks i had left as i kind of wanted to be done with it. 3 stars

Heard stuff that I did like but wasn’t interested enough to pay full attention to this album

good listen I like the bossa feel it has

I have never heard of Suba, but glancing at the track titles I am happy because I have work I need to do today and this shouldn't distract me too much since I don't expect to understand any of the lyrics. Reading the Wikipedia page, this guy's story is tragic. This album was fine until the third track ("Na Neblina"), which sounded like an alarm was going off in the background for most of it. This sounds like something I might hear at the Big Ears Festival. I liked some of it but some of it annoyed me. I did not need to hear it before I die.

I like, laid back Spanish vibes

Not bad for coffee shop listening.

This album is probably meaningful to someone out there, but from where I’m standing it feels like the kind of thing you would hear at a swanky Mexican restaurant…

Duller than my 10 year old kitchen knife.

It’s good. I enjoyed it. But I got nothing from it that a 1001 album should give me.

Finally some music I can torture my music aficionado mates with. Did anyone order a sunny caffeinated faintly Brasilian accompaniment for this table? I get it, you immediately thought cafe soundscapes. But if you need to crush some emails, slam a double piccolo, and choose to "spiral up' momentarily this can be considered well made; disciplined BPM and tonal consistency means its ideal as "focus music" to work to, and you dont need to skip any tracks that are too fast/slow/doofy/vocal. Its unusally good at this task. Albums in this range get very annoying very fast). Im giving it a 5 for this job.. as its makes my admin brian want to Samba in just the right way. But dont judge me - this is not "essential listening". Im assigning a 5 for doing so well in an very overserved and underwhelming musical niche without the usual dullness p.s. this is a very obscure artist. File under: "obscure cafe soundscape" music that mind remind you of the frenetic Sao Paulo advanture you never had. I expect a very bi modal ratings distribution on this one and some interesting reviews to read.

Encapsulates everything I hate about pop music,except maybe that screaming in death metal and all that.

Oh look, it's another serving of mid-90s world music gumbo forced through the Dinner-Music-O-Matic Synthulator. Mmm, that's tasteful! (I don't mean that in a good way)

Musical valium. A wisp of an album I was cleaning my house while listening to this and I can't remember a note. Some mentioned that this is wine bar music but I don't think it reaches that level, it's more 60's Bon Marche elevator music.

Another mostly instrumental album... Eh. It's fine. Not really for me but whatever.

another weird album, wouldn't listen to it again though

Este álbum não significa nada para mim.

Snooze fest

Intriguing. Doesn't sound to me like any traditional samba, so is distinctive. Pretty interesting. Not understanding any words keeps it more as background, but still pretty interesting. While I totally like having this on, don't really see it belonging here.

I dunno, something about this mix of samples and beats and melodies, it falls flat for me. Rather than emanate excitement or style, it feels cold and distant and pretty repetitive. I didn't really care for it.

This came and went without causing much of a stir. There were a few cool polyrhythmic things going on here, but it was produced and arranged with such a muzaky sheen that they failed to thrill.

A most perfect vibe for me cranking out some work yesterday. I really liked

WHY DO I KEEP FALLING BEHIND OMG OMG FIRST TIME I GET A NON-ENGLISH ALBUM! The first song had me so solid 3

Always happy to give non-english music a higher rating but this one is insufferable

Lets trying this again. Alr Brazilian electro jazz lets see you Tantos Desejos Sereia It was aight, not bad, will never listen to again. Only reason its a 2 is i will probably not remember this album in a week

A unique and pleasant album that I would never have expected to hear otherwise. Not sure I’d run it back again but I feel better for the experience.

Chill vibes. Some moments that kinda reminded me of city pop.

Started well. Got weird. Not for me.

"São Paulo Confessions is an album by the Serbian-born musician Suba" = nah

Very cool very nice, interesting blend of Latin bossa nova esque beats and the 90s chill wave. And a bit of trip hop 3.5/5.0 Best Song: A Noite Sem Fin

Fun stuff, we were dancing in the office. Very easy to listen to but not something i am going to reach for again that often

This album was more mellow than I anticipated. I found it easy to listen to and relaxing while at work. The music itself is a blend of traditional Brazilian music with 90s electronica imbedded. I wouldn't say this is an album that was so amazing I'll continue listening to it, but I will say it was worth the adventure today.

All over the place and often in the distance.

Just a few days after São Paulo Confessions was released in November 1999, a massive fire broke out at Suba's recording studio. In a heroic effort, he rushed into the burning building to save his newly recorded masters—specifically the upcoming album for artist Bebel Gilberto. Tragically, Suba died of smoke inhalation during the fire, making São Paulo Confessions his final work. Sadly, that's more interesting than the album.

Could get to like this

Made for a very chilled Sunday morning listen and met with approval at home.

Very chilled

Enjoyed this. The mix of Latin rhythm, jazz, club and ambient draws you in. Fits very well with yet another hot and sultry London weekend. 3*

wasn't crazy about it but it was fine

Bland, boring, dull, inoffensive? Take your pick.

Quite weird in places, this album is not for me.

This kind of dance music isn’t for me but a few tracks had some interesting melodies.

the first and only album by serbian-brazilian composer suba, released at the end of the 20th century. the album's concept is based upon são paulo itself, essentially translating the large metropolis into audio form. it's kind of an accidental swan-song, he passed away days after the album released after a big fire broke out in his studio. i am OBSESSED with downtempo, and that genre fused with heavy brazilian influence makes something that sounds reallllll pretty. i don't know, i think i'm just a real sucker for breezy bossa levels of electronic music. especially when you've listened to a lot of jungle, drum and bass, techno, all sorts of faster and more intense stuff... downtempo music excels by how relaxing and how stylish it is, and this album does an insanely good job at that kind of sound. especially the wide sweeps and pad usage... the album sounds like a bright blurry timelapse of the city. even if your listening goal is to just enjoy the music and you don't care too much about imagining yourself being in brazil, this album is worth your time. muito bom! this album sounds like some bumpers for adult swim.

Not what I was expecting at all, but pleasantly surprised.

Reading the backstory for this album before listening really piqued my curiosity: a Serbian musician living in Brazil, attempting to combine the local samba and bossa nova sounds with contemporary downtempo and electronic instrumentation. I would say this album mostly lives up to my initial intrigue. The combination of these sounds creates a simultaneously warm and nocturnal atmosphere, like wandering through a busy city on a muggy summer night. If this album was all atmosphere, though, it wouldn't stick with me like it did, and Suba displays a genuine talent for songcraft throughout the tracklist. There's some truly ingenious instrumental work at play here, particularly the enveloping bass and the combination of digital and analog percussion. Each song, while mining a similar energy and tone, had a distinct progression and instrumental palette, ensuring that the album didn't remain too monotonous. It's sad that, shortly after this album's released, Suba passed away, because Sao Paulo Confessions feels like it could have been the start of a very special music career.

This was fun. I really like the bossanova fusions, but it did start to lose my interest towards the end.

Very cool stuff!

Right around '95 I was getting into a lot of "world music". God, how America-centric. I never came across this one, and shame on me. It's fantastic. I would have loved it then, and I definitely love it now.

I liked this a lot and can imagine liking it more with repeated listens.

não sei se é muito a minha cena mas achei fixe, daria um 3.5 se tivesse

late 90s Brazilian acid jazz Favorite track: antropofagos picks: tantos desejos, felicidade

How sad to read that he died at 38, rescuing his work from a smoke-engulfed studio. I guess this list is keeping his name alive; I'm not sure I would have heard of him, otherwise. Brazilian chill-out. It does feel quite dated (90s), but that doesn't diminish its qualities and more interesting elements; there's tons of interesting percussion here and it's beautifully put together.

Take the blue pill, it hits just right.

Fun to clean to!

Okay

Experimrntal, meh. 3/10

That was quite a fun listen, I'd give it another go

i think i would have loved this if i was on molly

It’s not all my kinda thing, but this album is really diverse and, at times, chill as hell. Pretty good

I actually love the electronic ambient-jazz fusion sound this record brings, but I found myself disappointed by its lack of consistent forward momentum. As much as I was trying not to be, I was just kinda bored. There are certainly idiosyncratic and noteworthy sounds produced (especially on some of the earlier tracks—“Tantos Desejos” & Na Neblina” come to mind), but the second half lost me and never reeled me back in. Solid three for the vibes, but not much else. STAND-OUT SONG: “Na Neblina” HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Tantos Desejos”, “Felicidade”

Another headscratcher from this list. The music is fine. Why I needed to hear it before I die is beyond me.

Sick, great atmosphere

𝘚ã𝘰 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘰 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 is one of those albums I end up admiring more than enjoying. The blend of electronic music, Brazilian influences, and atmospheric production gives it a distinctive identity, and it’s easy to hear the care that went into its construction. The problem is that, despite all of that, the album rarely leaves a lasting impression on me. It sounds good, it creates a convincing mood, and there’s nothing I actively dislike about it, yet I never feel completely drawn in. I kept waiting for a track that would really stick with me, but that moment never quite arrived. In the end, I find the album more interesting than memorable.

This is an unexpected amazing gift that I didn't realize I needed in my life. It's like finding a $50 bill in a old pairs of jeans that still somehow fit. Fun, unexpected gift. This is why I'm doing this to find something that I may not like and somehow love it with the opposite is true, as well. 4

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this after reading the reviews that described it as background music. I was expecting another excruciatingly dull example of electronic music like the William Orbit one on the list, but this has way more interesting things going on despite sharing some of the same aesthetics.

Interesting ambient-electronic-samba-esque record. No real eyecatching song, but interesting. A bit too rhythmic for me.

I'm not entirely convinced that this is deserving of its place on the list. Technically accomplished but it feels a little bit "so what".

I wish I had been more into this kind of worldbeat/acid jazz electronica when it first came out, because every album I have heard in this genre (which I acknowledge I just kind of just made up) I have really loved. Really too bad Suba died so tragically at such a young age.

Rating: 4.9/5 Short Review: Dreamlike, melancholic, and strangely beautiful. This album feels like a city remembered rather than a city lived in. Electronic music, bossa nova, ambient textures, and ghostly vocals all drifting together. Favorite Track: “Antropofagos.” The whole album is great, but that’s one of the moments where Suba’s vision feels completely realized.

Sounds like the simcity soundtrack

A gem of a record, this is truly an unmistakable album, that definitely stands on its own as a unique experience. It creates a new perspective to Brazilian music, in the hands of a Serbian man who is a testament that great albums can come from the combination of different sounds and cultures. 8/10 [KEEP]

Amazing!!! But sometimes registering some of the sounds were annoying

2/5 Favorite Song: Abraco

good coding music. pleasant

Some groovy electronica. Some a bit dull. Really liked the vocals moving with the tunes.

This sort of stuff is my jam. Proper lock in type shit. Didn’t understand a word and it was still clasa

I enjoyed this, quite a bit. Not sure how much I’ll come back to it. It felt quite long for what it is but I’m glad I heard it.

I found this really boring. 2 star as I could imagine it being cool in a Brazilian beach bar. Otherwise dull.

Was a fan of mid 90s trip-hop. And this Latin themed version of it is quite atmospheric (if a bit drawn out and repetitive in places). Had on background - probably best way to listen.

Background cafe music. Meh

A few nice tracks, I prefer the more upbeat stuff.

Cocktail lounge background music. Not bad.

Fine. Not quite my thing. Kind of similar to yesterday’s entry (turns out this artist helped make that album).

Very mellow and nice but a bit too long and bland ultimately

Also fine and unremarkable.

Latin American with a twist, some intriguing bits but, for me, not intriguing enough. Its ok, but not for me. 2

Interesting and annoying in equal measures

Bloody hell. I didnt expect to hear the Serbian answer to William Orbit when I stuck this on. Yes, it must be that good if I'm comparing Suba to the king of chill out ambient electronic music. There was so much going on in every song, that I was hooked from the start. I shall need to have another few listens to see if this retains the five stars I am going to give it.

5/10 Es música de fashion film o de muestra de arte, no es mala pero hay un punto en el que aburre

This album is nothing groundbreaking, but it’s genuinely good music. While listening I felt relaxed and transported — like I was dropped into the middle of a Brazilian TV series or a late-night drama set in São Paulo. It has that smooth, atmospheric blend of electronic, bossa nova, and trip-hop influences with soft vocals and warm production. The grooves are nice and the overall mood is chill, slightly melancholic, and cinematic. It paints a very specific picture of city life, longing, and Brazilian nightlife without ever trying too hard. It’s not an album that will blow your mind or change your life, but it’s pleasant, well-made, and has a strong sense of place. Perfect for background listening or when you want something laid-back with a bit of Brazilian flavor. Solid work, even if it doesn’t leave a massive impression.

Euro-produced, South-American inspired trip-pop!!

I have listened to a lot of trance/techno, but never before South American House. It was good. The song Antropofagos reminded me (oddly) of Sepltura’s Roots album. I’m pretty sure it was the Amazonian tribal drumming. The vocal performance of Cibelle was smooth against the samba-like backbeats. I don’t have a lot to say about this album as, after all, it is still techno, which I struggle with deep analysis and tend to fall into the trance and forget to focus. I will say I could listen to this again!

Random thoughts: * Is this what Radiohead +Apparat + samba sounds like? * This was a very interesting listen. I was surprised to see this was from the late 90s. * I'd never heard of this before so props again to 1001 for showing me something interesting. * I'm not sure this was chill enough to bring up as often but also not quite interesting enough for a dedicated listen. * Time will tell if I go back to this one.

Trop perché c'est non

C’est très long donc je n’ai pas tout écouté mais j’ai trouvé ça sympa !

Sympa, mais sans plus

Electronica practitioners have never met a sound loop they didn't love to the point of endlessly repeating it until became absolutely mind numbing. Repetition fatigue set in very quickly on this album.

A smooth sound and a bit of a variation from what I generally listen to. Not bad as a background sound when I'm busy doing other things.

No. 405/1001 Tantos Desejos 3/5 Voce Gosta 3/5 Na Neblina 1/5 Segredo 3/5 Antropofagos 2/5 Felicidade 3/5 Um Dia Comum 3/5 Sereia 3/5 Samba do Gringo Paulista 3/5 Abraco 2/5 A Noite Sem Fim 2/5 Pescados Da Madrugada 2/5 Average: 2,5 I liked the songs which leaned more towards jazz the best.

This is very inoffensive stuff. I kind of like it for the part of the day that needs focus. This kind of music is most at risk from generative AI. And I think we should be appreciating these original albums more, no matter how bland or safe or coffee-house they may appear!

A really interesting album full of diverse sonic textures, rhythms, and Latin sounds. It suffers a bit from sameness as it goes on and is a few songs too long. But the song "Antropofagus" blew me away, it's like a Peter Gabriel/Paul Simon "Rhythm of the Saints" era party that I could listen to all day. Great discovery with this one.

This is one of those albums I never would've encountered if not for the list. A Serbian mashing up Brazilian genres and electronic noise leads to pretty cool results sometimes. The best tracks are the ones with the guest singers. Did lose me a bit as it went on, but I enjoyed a lot of it.

40 seconds into the first song I know this experience is going to give me an aneurism

It's fun. Helping me get my school work done.

I'm not a big fan of bossanova or late-90s chillout music. The combination is lethal.

I'm very surprised this album is on this list. It just sounds like incidental music in a property renovation show. Not for me at all

oh my god

Nothing overly interesting about this, very boring at points. I actually struggled to get through this, just really started to drag on at points. I usually like an ambient sounding album, but this didn't do it for me. Fav Track: Felicidade

An interesting change from the recent albums and in terms of background-music quite o.k.

Been getting a lot of world music picks lately. At least, I assume this is world music. I had a look at the albums tagged under this genre the other day and didn't recall seeing this album cover in there. Anyways, I have no fucking clue what this album could be. I would have defaulted to bossa nova given that Sao Paulo is in the title, but that year of release is throwing me. I've also had a look at the albums tagged under bossa nova recently, of which there were only about five of them. Going purely off of the (admittedly quite cool) album cover and year of release, my best and only bet for this album's genre is electronic. With the exception of A Grand Don't Come For Free, the albums with this kind of night time artwork are almost exclusively electronic. "Confessions" in the album name implies something a little more dramatic than some downtempo and Brazilians don't strike me as prodigies in electronic music, so my confidence in this prediction is admittedly quite weak. Here's hoping I'm correct. Hey, I was right on the money. I wasn't expecting this guy to be Serb, however. "Suba" strikes me as either an African or South American band name. Anyways, not bad! I quite liked this. After "Our Aim Is to Satisfy" by Red Snapper left me feeling a little underwhelmed, I was in desperate need of some good nocturnal tunes to reel me back in. This album definitely delivered on that front thanks to the wealth of neat, smooth electronic flourishes which feature on its songs. Where this album really hits it big is in the more traditional instrumentation, however. I quite liked the delicate piano chords, warm acoustic guitars and sweet string sections, all of which fit the spacy atmosphere of the music quite well. The South American flavouring is also generally welcome, most notably in the case of the bossa nova percussion that underscores much of the music. My only real gripes with this album are that the guest vocalists aren't particularly remarkable, the busier tracks with more vibrant instruments pushed me away and the album is a little long. By the time the last four tracks rolled around my attention had begun to falter, though overall I enjoyed this album. It's not 4-star worthy as of currently, though I can see myself coming back to this album if I ever need to relax for an hour. Book time. Suba first came to prominence for his "In the Mooncage" project, which paired electronic music with Yugoslavian lullabies. The project won a UNESCO culture award which, in addition to the money, gave Suba a three-month scholarship to study indigenous music. This scholarship kickstarted Suba's obsession with Brazil when he studied "Afro-Brazilian rhythms". Suba then learned Portugese and became "...the foremost producer of new Brazilian music". The album has "...fiercely expressive musical collages." Suba died from asphyxiation in a fire at his apartment complex shortly after the release of this album. The entry closes out by honouring Suba's memory and saying that he "...help[ed] bring Brazilian music into the twenty-first century." Wikipedia doesn't feature anything of note aside from the handful of critic reviews which are generally favourable. Well, I'm definitely going to be showing my bias here. This brand of late-90s, early-2000s downtempo music doesn't appear to be particularly popular, acclaimed or influential, but I like it. What else can I say? I cosign this inclusion.

Background music

Not to be insensitive, but this feels like an album that was considered important or influential purely because the artist died a couple days after its release in a tragic accident. Musically it’s ok. It’s Brazilian music with an electronic infusion. Mid 3/5

So good!!

Okay for background music, nothing really interesting, but nothing unpleasant either.

Ok.

I would put this on and groove with it. Love

3.1 First listen really enjoyed this, nice and chill. Second listen some of the songs had already started to grate. Suffers slightly from the length also. Interesting but I'm not that interested.

The Good: We finally get to eavesdrop on confessions! The Bad: Aside from one not supposed to eavesdrop, the confessions are in a language we don’t speak… The Ugly: The spanking we got from the clergy… Don’t you hate it when you would like to leave a nice review, and you find yourself really short on time? So what can I say about this album? It was… and yet it wasn’t… I liked it… and yet I did not like it… I understood it… and yet I was left misunderstood… Fuck it… if I don’t have anything to say about it, I might as well just give it 3*, right?

Fine, quite samey after the first few tracks and I've no idea under what circumstance I would think to put this back on and listen to start to finish.

Listen, I understand including albums that you personally enjoy. Personal bias is going to be a huge determining factor when it comes to making or deciding anything. Anyone who tells you they're making a decision with 0 personal bias is lying to you, or even worse is trying to deceive you. Now, all I'm trying to do by saying that, besides padding out my review length (mostly the last point, I can't think of anything to say about this album), is ask genuinely why this album was included in the book to begin with? This is as boring as it is forgettable. Sure, it's fine. I'm still going to give it a 3, but I managed to listen to it all day, and I already struggle to remember any of it. Not only does it bring absolutely nothing to the table, but the Wikipedia article, which I generally always use before diving into an album, has 3 complete sentences attached to it. Do you know what 1 of them is?? If you guessed "The album was included in the publication 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.", then you'd be 100% correct!! Congratulations!! The other sentences mention that Suba is Serbian, made this album about his life in São Paulo, and gives a brief rundown of the musicians on the album. Besides the Track Listing, 4 references at the bottom of the page, and a single external link, that is the ENTIRE Wikipedia article for this album. I know the book isn't called "1001 of the best albums of all time", but why did I have to listen to this elevator music today instead of something more deserving?? I'm not saying underground music (If that's even what you would call this album) doesn't have it's place here and there on the list, I just really think you could probably find a better album than this to include on the list. I don't speak the language, but even on some albums that aren't in English I can at least understand what the album is trying to say. The vibes are admittedly pretty good here, but this is very base level Electronica, and it's just not very memorable most of the time. Good enough for a low 3, but not something I would return to. Still, songs like "Na Neblina" and my favorite song on the album, "Sereia", were ear wormy enough to stick in my mind for a few hours. Not good enough to add to my frequent rotation, but good enough for today. I always enjoy listening to things I haven't heard before. Obviously, I'm more than 300 days into this project and I don't intend to stop until I'm done. However, I'll forget about this album entirely by tomorrow while I'm listening to whatever I end up rolling. After all, I don't know what they were trying to say, and I simply do not care enough to do any research on them. The album never really pulled me in enough to give it a lot of recognition while I was working. It made for fantastic background noise though, and albums that are non intrusive and are able to sink into the background like this one did do actually deserve some recognition. Even if it was boring elevator music, it still wasn't bad enough that I wanted to turn it off. Giving this one a 3.2/5. Not terrible, but not tremendously memorable either. Moving on.

I definitely have learned that I do like Latin / Caribbean / South American music with this project. This one was good, but did not stand out amongst the others. Definitely background music for a dark bar scene. 2.5

“Suba, the Serbian in São Paulo,” is a tantalizing alliteration. The music, slightly less so.

Primarily ambient Latin percussion (and other sounds), with interspersed vocals. Good music to “listen” to when you don’t want to listen to music.

Cool mix of smooth Brazilian vocals with an acoustic and electric hybrid production style. Some of the songs feel not all the way finished. Descent mood setter though. 3.0/5.0

This was nice. Washed over me a lot, so I don't have anything interesting to say about it

Some bits very strong but other bits kinda ambient background noise. Overall fine.

Started off great then I kind of lost interest

Pretty chill album but not much to keep me coming back 5/10 5/10 Favourite: Tantos desejos (So Many Desires) Least Favourite: Um dia comum (em SP) (A Normal Day in São Paulo)

Pezzi carini alternati a pezzi brutti

Perfect album to get lost in.

Kom inte riktigt in i skivan. Men överlag är ändå känslan att det var en behaglig lyssning. Skön bakgrundsmusik (som i för sig är ett sämre betyg om något.)

Det här var överraskande bra. Vid en första anblick så förväntade jag mig något renodlat bossa nova-elände. Att det istället visade sig vara elektroniskt chill outigt, med inslag av bossa nova, psykedeliskt, trip-hop och annat, gjorde det istället till något man verkligen aldrig hört förut. Ibland är det riktigt jäkla bra och ibland kanske inte riktigt lika lyckat. Mycket från den här tiden har ju åldrats rätt dåligt, men det tycker jag inte är fallet här. Kul!

Nice vibes, but also pretty boring sadly. Hoped itd be a little better. I’m sure there’s plenty of amazing records from the region that also couldve been included

bosanova

An alright, quite interesting electronic music album from an artist I've never heard before. Does quite seem like a product of it's time, quite enjoyable but not a masterpiece by any chance. Probably 3 stars or so

It's not bad... but I also remember absolutely nothing from it after an hour.

= the Beatles Seeing a lot of hate for this. Don't know why, I found out very pleasant

I confess. I listened to all of this. God, help me.

Not calling it background music in a rude way…

stærkt album som hylder sao paulo. Så det har brazilianske lyde og blander det med eletronisk. Der var nogle super stærke sange og det er meget atmosfærisk, jeg synes virkelig det var et godt album. Jeg skulle lige igennem de første med vokaler osv, men da man kom senere hen og det mest var "instrumental" så synes jeg det var virkelig hypnotiserende og nærmest drømmende. Jeg synes i hvert fald det skaber et fint bybillede. Det virker meget intimt og personligt. Suba døde desværre ikke så lang tid efter

Favorite Track: Um Dia Comum (Em Sp)

Beats were fine, vocals were not.

A bot boring but some of these beats are incredible.

chill, mellow, great background music

A combo of samba and electronic that I thought was pleasant up to the point I paused the album to do something else and found myself feeling such relief that this music was no longer playing. Almost dropped to 1 star, but at least it didn't give me a headache.

wine bar music

One of these songs reminded me of Bury a Friend by Billie Eilish

I listened to this album as I drove around downtown Glendale, helping reunite a lost old man with his missing car. From the moment I hit play, São Paulo Confessions was immediately right up my alley, with a sound that, oddly enough, harkened back to my days of listening to Monstercat: chill electronic music ethereal female vocals floating over top of it. Suba's blend of breakbeat percussion with watery synths creates a sound that feels like floating on water. There's something really cool about taking Latin dance beats and utilizing them in such an introspective atmosphere, laying the groundwork for some incredibly catchy vocal melodies. The constant use of shaker-sounding percussion also lends a sense of motion and bustling energy to the album, with whistling string instruments creating a high energy atmosphere. Sometimes Suba utilizes even stranger and more out-of-the-box sounds, like children's toys and what sound like duck quacks, and they're simply rad. Some of the beats even start leaning into a funky and soul-like realm, in addition to some occasional dips into unsettling and unnerving soundscapes. As much as this album clicked for me, it never quite reached full potential, though I am optimistic that another Suba-produced project just might. In the process of researching this album, I read the story of Suba producing an album for Bebel Gilberto, only for the studio to catch fire; in the process of saving the recordings, Suba inhaled too much smoke and ultimately passed away. That album was Tanto Tempo, and it apparently is also on this 1001 Albums List, so I eagerly anticipate the day when we reach it. Highlights: Tantos Desejos, Na Neblina, Segredo, Antropofagos, Felicidade, Um Dia Comum (Em SP), Abraco, A Noite Sem Fim

Downtempo Brazilian electronics made by a Serbian… it’s pretty chill but not boring, I found it to be both good background music and delivering solid grooves and some interesting and even surprising melodic loops. The Brazilian flavor and wobbly subbass keep the thread throughout.

Pretty cool laid back jazzy samba. Enjoyed this.

No me gustó mucho. 50-50

This is one of those albums that I have no idea why it made the list. The little wiki blurb only describes the band, not its significance; Rate Your Music only has like 500 ratings and they mostly seem to be from people doing this challenge; and the music itself isn't very remarkable. This really just feels like padding (which sucks because this list has obvious omissions), or it feels like the author found this in a bargain bin growing up and has a special connection to it (which is fine, but not something I need to listen to). As the top rated review mentioned, this is really just a duller version of Stereolab. It really is just became background music. Actually it became more than background music, I forgot I was listening to anything multiple times. Overall, this is inoffensive, and kinda boring, but not bad. Low 3.

This was okay. I don't have any outside context for this album and I've never heard it before. It is an easy listen but there were no real standout moments that made it a must-listen for me personally.

L’ambiance est cool mais pas mon style et je réécouterai probablement pas

boring, completely inoffensive, but mind numbingly boring.

Samba do Gringo Paulista is a bit of a bop

I confess. Did not enjoy.

Pleasantly forgettable. ★★★

The opening track made me immediately think of being cosy inside while outdoors, the day starts with a crisp cold rain. It’s instantly got the purity of a perfectly cooked bowl of white rice wafting through the air. Instant comfort.

Jazz tinged,somewhat electronic beats

Started off with a nice Björk kinda vibe, but after a while, it was pretty nondescript.

Yea no bad for non English album. A real vibe

Me encantó lpmmm

Listening session: may 2nd, while eating breakfast and while getting ready in the morning Listened to before: no Thoughts: when I saw the album title, I kind of hoped that this would be a samba/bossa nova album. This turned out to be an interesting mix of electronic music with brazilian influences, which is not as much my thing as a true bossa nova album, but nevertheless interesting to discover Favourite tracks: Samba do Gringo Paulista, Você Gosta & Felicidade

Suba – São Paulo Confessions (1999) On Day 132, I had a bit of a mixed experience. While I appreciated the Brazilian layers, the electronica elements often felt like they killed the vibe rather than enhancing it. It felt like the production was fighting against the soul of the music, making it hard to fully immerse myself in the project. "Felicidade" was the clear standout for me because it maintained that slick and sweet Brazilian sound I was hoping for. The rest of the album struggled to find that same balance. I was originally leaning toward a lower score, but after learning about the tragic circumstances of Suba's death while saving these master tapes, I have to give a nod to his dedication. A respectful 3/5.

Super groovy and chill, great bop that takes you OUT OF IT

Not my kind of thing, but songs I appreciated more were ‘Antropofagos’ and ‘Abraço’. Nonetheless, the lore behind this album is crazy so I think that alone makes it a must listen!

Fun new sounds. This was great to me and my wife later on. I'll save it for future listening

Started off really lovely then went a bit weird electronic then back to lovely again! Proof that you don’t need to understand the words to enjoy good music.

2.5

Thoroughly enjoyable.

good calm album

WOW

I don’t like to be judged by music and this felt way too judgy.

I certainly won’t be rushing back to listen to this album but if a track or two popped up on my playlist I’m sure I could identify the producer of the tracks but almost certainly not the titles! I suppose I feel a little more cultured after listening to the album though. Fave song- Felicidade or Segredo (the only two songs I looked for the title and played again) Least fave- Voca Gosta I thought it was going to be a long listen after this second track but luckily the album picked up after this track. Not quite middle of the road so 4/10

Suba Enjoyed this. I mean, not in an 'amazing will change my viewpoint on life' or anything. In fact I doubt I'll go out of my way to listen to it again, but I also wouldn't mind if I stumbled upon it one more time. Not really sure how to describe what I did or didn't like as it was way out my normal listening spectrum. But enjoy it I did, and I'm glad that a guy who met such a sad end in life is still being listened to. Fave Track - the Spanish guitar fizz of Pecados Da Madrugada. But could also have been Antropofagos or A Noite Sem Fim. Least fave - Voca Gosta 7/10

Sorry, not for me. Only listened to 3 songs. Again, this blend of genres are a miss for me.

Not for me but not horrible either

As someone who's not an EDM fan, I was really surprised how much I loved this album. Really good stuff, and tragic how early it ended for Suba.

I don't speak the language so I can only really judge the music, which was quite enjoyable.

Not bad overall. Ideas are fun but a nicer production will push this album to next level. It’s aging now and I can sense it might not age well after a few more years.

Super solid album. Was coming to it on the plane for sure.

A really interesting album that was a pleasant listen. A lot of different sounds and genres being mixed together kept me on my toes, made for some great background music.

I really liked this. The beats are awesome, and the foreign vocals are like a cherry on top. Who knew acid-jazz would be my thing!

After the first few tracks I had hopes of liking this more. But it kinda just kept going on and on after that. I felt like I was stuck in a Serbian Samba Starbucks, and this was the music on repeat.

I guess some chill beats to have on in the background. 🤷‍♂️

Overall pretty meh IMO, but did enjoy Samba do Gringo Paulista. 2.5/5

Я рассчитывал на босса нову, а получил что? Извини, Suba, мне не понравилось. Я уверен, не погибни ты при спасении этой записи от огня, ты смог бы записать что-то великое.

This works well as a background music, but it's not "easy listening" at all, since my concentration is lost within a couple of minutes. Quite pleasant, but not much more than that.

Sounds like your exe's favorite wine bar

Unique and interesting, which is more I can say for most new finds I've encountered. Points for that.

Pleasant but does not seem in the running for the best of its genre to make it to the 1001 list.

This was totally pleasant but definitely faded into the background. I'm adding it to my library for when I want something chill, though not sure I'll revisit often.

This was an unexpected delight. I particularly liked the "Antropofagos" (great percussion) and "Samba de Gringo Paulista" (which is the mash-up '90s electronica and samba I didn't know I wanted). Suba was onto something here—it's a shame he didn't live long enough to keep exploring.

More crappy Electronica - Now with Brazilian flavor.

I quite liked the first few tracks of this album. I’m always receptive to anything ambient in nature and this gave out that vibe albeit it was mixed with a smattering of samba and jazz which took the edge off. Put me in the mood to make this day an ambient day which I rounded off with Vanishing Twin who do ambience so much better than anything on this album. Still a fair try. 3/5 21/2/26

Interesting. Noisy, trance inducing kinda-jazz. I’d say I liked it but grew bored by the fourth song. Not sure how this qualifies as an album I must hear before i die but I didn’t hate it. Not quite Starbucks music but definitely background or soundtrack music

This one is quite unique. I love the idea of combining electronica with Brazilian rhythms. It’s quite nice background, chill music, but it didn’t click with me the way other music does

Meh. Just too jazzy to hold my attention but I didn’t dislike it. I did learn that there’s a SUBA nonprofit in this guys name- in Brazil.

Realmente me sorprendio. Fue una muy buena experiencia .

Good cambered world music feel with experimentation will listen again

I couldn’t wait for this to be over. Wrong day for me to have this shopping for clothes at structure album.

For an album of vibey electronic music, I liked this more than I would have thought. Good for a party, but I accidentally listened to it twice and didn’t realize it started over. That is to say, nothing was distinct enough to lodge in my memory. Even now, a day after listening, I’m struggling to name anything concrete about it.

Unspektakuläre hinternationale Bongo Combo.

вайбово, сохранил. те что ставит 1 - почувствуйте вайб и загуглите значение слова "вкус"

I'm glad to see Yugoslavian representation in this book, in some way. Sadly, I think a better album could've been chosen, but Sao Paulo Confessions isn't half bad in the end. I'll take it.

Good fun

favs: voce gosta segredo sereia pecados da madrugada a noite sem fim rating 2/5

I haven’t reached this level of chillness but had a nice shower

Here by story alone i think

I was bored honestly

Good vibes, nice sound.

I hadn’t heard of SUBA before. But I like electronica, downtempo, and trip hop. I like a South American influence either. I actually liked this album quite a bit at the first tracks. Toward the end, though, it started to get on my nerves. I probably won’t go out of my way to listen to it again. 3/5

YES! Presumably more Samba music! YES! SCORE! Let me get my dancin' shoes!! Oh baby! We're shuffling good! Woohoo!! AND IT HAS A WASHED OUT GREYSCALE LATE 90's CLUB TWIST!?!?! Teehee WOOHOO!! YIPPEEE!! My propeller on my hat is spinning wildly. My cheeks have never been rosier as I firmly grasp my comically oversized lollipop and solemnly samba shuffle to this amazing (!!!) and not at all repetitive vocal scatting! Once the vocals leave, I'm sure glad that these basic melodies and rhythms repeat forever! I wouldn't want to forget a single one!! Man, this truly is a golden age for albums and thankfully I heard this one before I died thirteen seconds after the needle lifted. My heart simply exploded from the sheer excitement of hearing Brazilian uhh "Tribal Ambient" (don't yell at me, look at RYM). Apparently this guy is also just a Serbian dude who fetishized South American culture. Surely his early death has nothing to do with this album's inclusion! It's just another monolith of musical mastery!!! 0 HIGHLIGHTS: PortuJeez this album is super!

This collection was new to me! While not a go-to, it’s pleasant for a dinner party and easy listening to enjoy a moment that needs background soothing.

chill latin jazz, sounds really nice

Fine

A love letter to São Paulo through the medium of downtempo. Suba delivers a pretty great example of the genre here. Nocturnal, hypnotic structures meet colorful, and attention grabbing sounds all over this thing. Cool percussion, sour guitars, and some elements of Brazilian music abound. Sometimes, I think this kind of loses the songs in the "vibe", but this is a really good listen.

Funky!

God dang groovy

feels like a line can be drawn from *Amon Tobin's Bricolage activating me as the most annoying music listener of all time* straight to me absolutely loving this album. sustained atmosphere, a humid night unfolding in slow motion. i'm vibing.

baffling album. a bit trip-hoppy but i did not appreciate this one at all.

Beautiful album, a really good surprise. I dont even know the genre, but its amazing, remind me to dummy, by portishead.

Fine just not for me

Pleasant

Hey, you know I did this endeavor to discover new music and that's exactly what this is. So I'm going a little higher than I should. Just to remember that there's different types of music out there that I should be exposed to once in awhile

Grew on me more as the album progressed. Nice slice of electronica for a sunny afternoon.

That's pretty good. Certainly picked up in the second half. I'll probably stick it on in the background in the future. 2.5 but will round it up.

Background but quite nice background

I feel like I should try to learn Portuguese whenever I get an album like this. I like the jazzy bossa nova style.

Really enjoyed this. Listened on repeat all day.

It's a chill time. A bit unremarkable and 'background', but it's put together nicely enough.

Better album compared to Bebel!

Interesting very electrical and some intriguing beats