In less than two years, Silva (solo project of Lúcio Souza) emerged from relative obscurity to become Brazil's breakout indie star, playing the country's top festivals and amassing a huge online following. Why, then, has his music gone virtually unnoticed by most Spanish-language music publications? Could it be that after Michel Teló, Spanish speakers (perhaps unconsciously) are now just unwilling to give Brazilian indie a chance? Not even Club Fonograma managed to review his standout EP, though, in our defense, "12 de maio" did land a spot on last year's best of list.
The video for promo single "Mais Cedo," which also coincided with the release of Silva's first full-length, Claridão, makes a pretty convincing case as to why not only indie kids should be listening, but everyone. Ignoring those overwhelming Instagram filters, the clip is an honest and beautiful effort to let the music speak for itself. Here, Silva trades his usual orchestral flair for a smooth blend of electronic textures with a voice that recalls those rare occasions when waking up to a sun-lit room isn't a total pain, especially if it's next to the right person. Adding to its brilliance, the song ends midway through and uses the remaining time as an outro, resulting in a sound that's somewhere between Torreblanca and Jessie Ware. And, if you’re lucky, listening will also make you forget you ever had the words “nossa” stuck in your head.