There’s a reason why EDM is so popular in Brazil—the country is currently pumping out electronic music producers like a broken printer. Those artists have ignited the country’s music scene in recent years by cultivating Brazilian bass, a musical sub-genre that started out as a mere classification but has since mutated into a full-fledged culture.
The ascension of this type of music is no fluke. Led by its unquestioned pacemaker, Alok, the Brazilian bass sound has exploded in its namesake nation and continues to gain steam in the states. And, like a smokestack, it’s only a matter of time until the genre truly explodes and billows out through the contemporary music scene at large.
It’s already happening. A closely related electronic sub-genre called “slap house” is currently stampeding its way through the mainstream, thanks to artists such as Topic and Imanbek. After the latter’s global hit remix of SAINt JHN‘s “Roses” erupted like a long-dormant volcano in summer 2020, a debate about the difference between the two genres has brewed ever since. The most accepted argument is that while both are rooted in the 120 BPM range, the production behind Brazilian bass is more club-driven than that of slap house, which contains less bombastic sound design and more melodic, radio-friendly elements. Essentially, slap house is the jalapeño to Brazilian bass’ ghost pepper.
Here are 10 artists from Brazil who are dominating the music streaming landscape at the moment.