Listening to Os Tincoãs feels like stepping into a sacred space where the air is thick with history and devotion. Their sound is defined by stunning three-part vocal harmonies that glide effortlessly over sparse, earthy percussion. It is music that refuses to rush, grounded in the red soil of Bahia and the spiritual traditions of Candomblé, yet it possesses a weightless, celestial quality that feels universal.
What truly sets them apart is the intersection of the choral and the rhythmic. While many Brazilian artists of the 70s were leaning into psychedelic rock or slick MPB production, Os Tincoãs stripped everything back to the essentials: the human voice and the atabaque drum. This focus creates an intimacy that is almost startling, as if they are singing directly into the listener's soul about orixás, nature, and the deep longing of the African diaspora.
For those new to their world, the self-titled 1973 album or the 2023 archival release 'Canto Coral Afrobrasileiro' are perfect entry points. These recordings capture the group at their most transcendent, offering a peaceful yet powerful alternative to the high-energy samba typically associated with Brazil. It is essential listening for anyone seeking music that heals and centers the mind.
Os Tincoãs were a Brazilian popular music band from Bahia, primarily active in the 1960s and 1970s. They are named after the Tincoã bird, a subspecies of the Squirrel Cuckoo native to Brazil. The music of Os Tincoãs was heavily influenced by Bahia's Candomblé tradition. Surviving member Mateus Aleluia is still very active in singing and songwriting. In 2017 he released "Fogueira Doce", a new album produced independently. Badú is also a surviving member, who joined Os Tincoãs in 1975 remaining till 1983. He has been living on Gran Canaria for the last 30 years. Dadinho died in Luanda in 2000, where he had opened a bakery. In 2023, an album of material recorded 40 years ago, “Canto Coral Afrobrasileiro,” was released. It received an honorable mention by the Associação Paulista de Críticos de Arte in their list of the 50 best Brazilian albums of 2023.
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