Song You Need to Know: Saidêra, ‘Sincronicidade’

Saidêra’s “Sincronicidade” opens as if a couple of friends are winding down their evening by playing soft, pretty music in a living room, weaving samba-like acoustic riffs together with a gentle throb of hand percussion. But as the other listeners lean in, eager to catch the velvety details, Saidêra jolt “Sincronicidade” with husky, urgent vocals from lead singer Vadinho Freire, a domineering bass, and a persistent three-against-two beat, throwing in joyful handclaps for extra emphasis. In a matter of seconds, the trio has succeeded in transforming that quiet living room into a raucous house party.

One the most remarkable characteristics of “Sincronicidade” is that it seems to contain rhythmic DNA that could lead in any number of directions. After playing this, a DJ could chart a course toward a Brazilian classic from the 1980s or upshift to a shimmering afro-house remix, pivot towards pop with a massive global hit (Nicky Jam and J Balvin’s “X“), or burrow underground with kinetic hip-hop from Colombia (Crudo Means Raw’s “Maria“).

“Sincronicidade” is the B side to the first single from Saidêra, a group that includes Freire, who’s from São Paulo, along with a pair of Americans, Alex Pasternak and Mike “Le Chev” Cheever. The origins of the trio reach back to 2014, when Pasternak met Freire at a party he was DJing in Rio. Freire wowed his new acquaintance with an impromptu vocal demonstration, and the two started working together not long after.

“Deixa Tudo Fluir,” the A side to Saidêra’s recent seven-inch, is more straightforward — thanks to the steady, thumping beat — but no less graceful, with opulent flute parts, the smoothest of guitar solos, and a fearsomely hummable hook. The trio’s next release, “Deixa Tudo Fluir” (Ray Mang Mixes), is due out June 25 on Let’s Play House Records.

Find a playlist of all of our recent Songs You Need to Know selections on Spotify.