When drum'n'bass began to stagnate in the UK during the late 1990s, Brazilian DJ Patife and his peers revitalised the genre by infusing it with samba, bossa nova and other local rhythms. Patife first travelled to London in 1998 with a VHS tape showing 2,000 people dancing at his São Paulo club, convincing UK promoter Bryan Gee to bring his Movement night to Brazil.
British DJ Sherelle notes a natural affinity between the two countries' music scenes, particularly for working-class artists seeking expression. The exchange has deepened over the years, with UK electronic genres like speed garage and grime gaining traction in Latin America while Brazilian swing reinvigorated UK drum'n'bass production.
Patife and fellow pioneer DJ Marky cut their teeth on hip-hop and Black Brazilian music, later discovering UK jungle through records and magazines. Their first trip to London included a chance encounter with Goldie in Soho. From live TV performances in São Paulo to BBC Radio airplay, their fusion sound has become a defining chapter of Brazilian electronic music.
Now resident in Portugal, Patife returns to London this weekend for the Boa Nova festival, part of the British Council's UK/Brazil Season of Culture. 'I noticed an uptick in my bookings in the past two years,' he says, reflecting on the enduring legacy of this cross-cultural triumph.
