Deejay Veiga: Tudo É No Guettov LP

Lisbon’s hugely influential club incubator Príncipe introduce Deejay Veiga with a killer debut spanning deep house x kuduro thru minor key drill-type mutations and hypnotic, sultry vocal heaters. Based in the neighbourhoods of Amadora, north of Lisbon, Deejay Veiga began producing during lockdown aged just 17 (he’s now 23) under the wings of RS Produções’ Nunocox, leading to an acclaimed debut set at Príncipe’s renowned sessions at Musicbox in 2022. ‘Tudo É No Guetto’ (trans: Everything is in the Ghetto) firms up as Veiga’s captivating first production showcase, drawing from his Cape Verdean/Portuguese heritage and locale for an upfront, club-dedicated sound defined by its keen percussive accentuation and a deep emotional register running from uplifting to breezily melancholic and wickedly moody in the standout ‘X De Destroi (Hbday DJ Lima)’, which is the closest we’ve heard Lisbon come to the zoned-in, sheisty-on sound of Chi and UK drill. Strutting opener ‘My Mind’ lives up to the uniquely expressive qualities of label mates DJ N-Fox and Nídia with its brittle melody and slippery groove, and ‘Leandro’ speeds up the intricacies of slower tarraxho styles to resemble proper Chi house percolators, while ‘Sem Nome’ brings the vibe to frothing point with its nagging piano house and vocal refrains. The clipped trot of ‘Boiler Room’ speaks to influence shared with P. Adrix, whose grimy UK slant also tilts into the darkside drill mutation ‘X De Destroy (Hbday DJ Lima)’, whereas the title tune signs off with a warmer flourish of vox sampled from his pals, the animação crew Os Twinni, in an effusive deep steppers style. Tight, nexx gear - genius artwork too.