Feb 15, 20234 min read

Angolan/Portuguese AfroHouse Makes its NYC Debut With Breyth

Updated: Mar 7, 2023

The sonic umbrella of Afrohouse is pretty broad encompassing a diversity of sounds and influences. Under that umbrella is the distinct Afrohouse sound of Portugal. A sound that can be described as a hard hitting fusion of Afro Lusophone elements( think sounds from Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique etc) mixed with European electronic music. Dj and Producer Breyth excels at this sound, delivering a harder take on Afrohouse that is pulsating, rhythmic, and unique because of its Afro Lusophone influences.

Breyth, was born in Angola. He later relocated to Portugal, where he resides today. It is in Portugal he expanded on his love for music and began exploring different electronic music genres, djing, and developing his unique Afrohouse/afrotech sound. As dance lovers, we love the hard hitting sets he delivers; if Breyth is playing, we know we will be dancing.

We caught up Breyth, who will kickoff Descendants Records 2023 season on February 18th in Brooklyn, NY. He will be the first Angolan Dj to play Descendants and we anticipate it will be a magical night.

AFROCONEX: Breyth, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Can you introduce yourself: who is Breyth and what does the name mean ?

BREYTH: AfroConex, thank you for having me. I am Breyth, I am an Angolan dj and producer of African Electronic Music. I live in Portugal, I am 27 years of age and I have a huge passion and love for music. The name Breyth means energy and good vibes.

AFROCONEX: when did you discover your love for music ? And what music was it ?

BREYTH: My love for music started from a very early age, when I was around 9/10 years old. My parents consumed a lot of African music of all genres, some I still remember like Bonga, Kassav, Awilo Longomba among others.

AFROCONEX: when did you decide you wanted to be a Dj, and what was the catalysts (the thing that caused you to want to be a Dj)

BREYTH: First I started as a music producer with a style called kuduro (genre of music made in Angola) and then later I moved to Latin Dutch music which had many influences of Dutch artists. Later I found the light of Afro House and Afro Tech which is what I love the most. Being a dj came later for the simple fact that many artists were already playing my music productions.

AFROCONEX: afrohouse is a diverse sound, with both Angola and Portugal putting their own influences on the sound; how would you describe your sound of Afrohouse ?

BREYTH: Right now I describe my sound as Afro Futurism; a mix of a little bit of all electronic music with the Afro groove.

AFROCONEX: you’re born in Angola but now reside in Portugal,how has that influenced your sound ?

BREYTH: Being in Portugal undoubtedly helped me a lot. I was able to experience many night clubs with different styles of electronic music. This helped me to develop my musical knowledge and inspire my productions.

AFROCONEX: given that you have experienced both cultures: Angola and Portugal, is there a difference in how people in the 2 countries enjoy Afrohouse music?

BREYTH: Nowadays I can say that afro house is very well received. It is always delivered with a lot of energy and good vibe and is always well received whether in Portugal, Angola or anywhere in the world.

AFROCONEX: your sets are energetic, and always deliver a punch. How do you prepare for your djs sets? and what are some of the factors that influence the vibe of your set ?

BREYTH: Nowadays I try to make a set always energetic and transmit a good vibe to the public. Without a doubt, seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I enter the booth has a lot of influence on how I deliver my shows.

AFROCONEX: you are also a producer, in 2021 you dropped and EP: 3X1. What was the sonic vision behind the EP and what do you want people to experience while listening to it ?

BREYTH: 3X1 was an ep where I developed a mix of new synthesizers to create striking melodies in the afro groove with voices from angola and south africa.

AFROCONEX: you started your record label: Arrifana Records, to help promote promising acts. Who are some of the artists on your label we should be tuning into ?

BREYTH: Yes my label Arrifana Records is a label that aims to showcase more of the electronic music made by artists living in Portugal. Yes I have released some artists on my label like lilocox, Caianda, Afrokillerz, Chopstar and others.

AFROCONEX: Who are some of the artist that inspire you and why ?

BREYTH: The artists that inspire me the most are Shimza, Djeff, Da Capo, Mörda, Vintage Culture, Gordo among others, some more for DJing and others for musical productions, and because of the careers they have been developing they make me believe that with hard work and dedication everything is possible.

AFROCONEX: You will be the first Angolan DJ to play Descendants, kicking off the 2023 year. Can you share any insights on what you have in store for Descendants party goers ?

BREYTH: Without a doubt it is a pride for me to be the first Angolan to play at the Descendants’ party. I have a lot of good music prepared. There are some themes from my new album that are finalized that I will play for the first time at the Descendants’ party.

AFROCONEX: what are your top 5 tracks of the moment right now ?

BREYTH:

Breyth - Heart Beat