dead combo

@lisbon, teatro da trindade

By Francisco Morais

September 9^th, 2017

Dead Combo is a Portuguese Folk musical band formed in 2002–3 following their contribution in a tribute album to the late Portuguese guitar player Carlos Paredes. The album was called Movimentos Perpétuos and Dead Combo played a song called "Paredes Ambience". The band was officially created soon after.

Their debut album Vol. I was released in 2004. Their music mixes fado with spaghetti western-inspired music (especially the compositions of Ennio Morricone), jazz, alternative and world music. Both their albums (the second being Vol. II - Quando a alma não é pequena, were released in early 2006 through their own newly founded publishing company Dead & Company in partnership with Universal Records Portugal). These albums are very "visual", having strong musical allusions to the underground and inspiring Lisbon of past times, the aesthetic worlds of design, art, and most of all cinema.

Two of their videos highly illustrate this visual music style: Vol. I's single "Cacto" and Vol. II's "Quando a alma não é pequena #1".

Their latest album was published in partnership with Universal Portugal due to Dead Combo's long-time ambition of making their music known abroad. At the time they'd already been interviewed by the website Indie Eye and Charlie Gillett chose Vol. I as one of the best albums in 2004 and as his Album of the Month in December 2005. He also included a track from Vol. I, "Rumbero", in his compilation Sound of The World - 2005.