Ubaruh is a Brazilian duo formed by Phillipi, known from Fatnotronic and DEEWEE, and Emmo, of Monterno and Bamba Music — two producers who have been friends for over 25 years, their relationship rooted in the peak years of São Paulo’s rave and club scene. Despite a ten-year age gap, the pair describe their dynamic as naturally balanced, with Emmo’s musicianship complementing Phillipi’s DJ and research-driven approach.
The project itself began as an unplanned studio experiment during the pandemic. With Phillipi’s gig schedule cleared, Emmo invited him into the studio to collaborate. Early sessions produced remixes for artists including Kraak & Smaak, Rita Lee, Little Animal, and Gohu. It was Rita Lee’s warm response to their remix of „Banho de Espuma“ that gave the duo the confidence and creative direction to pursue original material — a moment they cite as the psychedelic and percussive spark that defined the Ubaruh sound.
That sound is now documented on their debut album Hey, Ubaruh!, released on Partyfine. The record draws on Brazilian percussion, Caribbean and Arabian influences, Balearic warmth, acid synthesis, and cosmic disco, with real instruments at its core. Drummer and percussionist Arlen Ribeiro contributed extensively throughout the sessions, and the duo’s use of live bass, guitar, and drums is a deliberate departure from production styles that rely solely on samples or software. Emmo’s background as a musician before becoming a producer is central to this approach, and the organic quality of the recordings carries directly into their live performances.
The album’s name mirrors the duo’s own — Ubaruh is a phonetic distortion of the Portuguese word barulho, meaning noise, though the duo say they chose it first as a mantric, percussive vocal call before recognising the linguistic connection. That spirit of playful instinct runs through the record. Tracks were typically built by starting with a new piece of studio gear — a drum machine, synth, pedal, or guitar — and following wherever the initial idea led. The earliest tracks, including „Pinche Funky Disco,“ „Ubaruh Theme,“ and „Baila-Dance,“ took the longest to complete as the duo worked through an open-ended process before settling into a more structured approach.
Vocals are described as a pillar of the Ubaruh sound, adding what the duo call a pop-R&B element that binds loops and beats into complete compositions. The album was sequenced with their live show in mind, designed to move from club-focused intensity toward open-air euphoria. Lyrically, the duo embrace what they describe as a playful nonsense, consistent with the spirit of the project name itself.
Ubaruh join a Partyfine roster that includes Frank Agrario, Dombrance, Fatnotronic, and Jean Tonique. The duo say it is a pleasure to have the label’s support and that they hope to perform alongside those artists in the future.
Source: When We Dip
