Poetic and ambient African music
Gimo Mendes' album ‘A Luz’ opens a seducing, melancolic and ambient universe which unites Portouguise, Spanish and African music traditions
The music of Gimo Mendes is not what people typically would expect from an African artist. This is primarialy emotional, poetic, romantic, and ambient music, and a beautiful concert experience which has often been known to bring tears out among its audience, regardless whether the language of his lyrics are understood or not. Not because the music is sad, but because of its beauty which speaks straight to the heart.
Gimo Mendes’ album received remarkably positive reviews in the Danish press. Half a year later after it was published, he received an award for the first track on the album, ‘500 Anos’, which a jury had selected as the best ‘World Music Song of the Year’ in Denmark in 2007.
And within just a few months he got 3,500 new friends on MySpace.com where the song could be downloaded in full length free of charge.
Latest news
Reviews
The press wrote...
“This is a perfectly rounded cd. It contains a richness in the detail and a diversity which is seldom found in publications of our time...”
Tomas Dalgaard in the newspaper Arbejderen on 19 January 2007
“Gimo Mendes unites Spanish and African music traditions in a seducing, melancolic and ambient universe...”
Marcus Winther-John in the music magazine Musikeren no 9 in September 2007
“A Luz is a positive and pleasant acquiantance.”
Steffen Lange in the newspaper Midtjyllands Avis on 29 June 2007
“Wonderful African tones. The songs are like the quiet sound of the sea waves and give you a feeling that they could go on forever...”
Steen Rasmussen in the newspaper Jyske Vestkysten on 18 June 2007
“His album has a delightful flow. It is beautiful music with good melodies which succesfully creates a balance between the discrete percussion and the flowing guitars...”
Torben Holleufer in the music magazine Gaffa on 13 May 2007
Articles
‘My music is meant to do more’
Article in Djembe Magazine in May 2007
Read more...
About Gimo Mendes
 Gimo Mendes – real name: Abdul Remane Mendes – was born in 1955 in Mossuril in the Mozambican province of Nampula, but he lived on the island Ilha de Mozambique. There, he was influenced by the music of many diverse rhythms resulting from the cultures of different peoples who, through centuries, came to this island.
Mozambique Island is a tiny island, just off the coast of Natala province, which, because of its location, was for centuries, a strategical gate to the backcountry and a way to the Indian Ocean. The Island used to be the capital of the country and the most important point of transit and commerce for the Arabs, Persians, Indians, Chinese and Portuguese who, years later, colonized the territory. The country was called Mozambique after the name of a sultan.
 Gimo Mendes grew up in a mixed context of several cultures and histories, with a rich beautiful nature as a background. Quite early he began to show his musical talent, playing and working with traditional groups from different barrios of the Island. Since 1974, inspired by the spirit of the Mozambican revolution he has been composing music and songs in his mother tongue as a protest against the Portuguese authorities. He did what at that time was forbidden, to sing in macua language. Gimo Mendes was one of the first to compose and play in the macua tradition.
A convinced and determined musician, Gimo Mendes founded in 1983 the well known group Eyuphuro, together with Salvador Mauricio, Zena Bacar, Chico Ventura, Mussa Abdala, Belarmino Godeiros, Mario Fernandes and Omar Issa. They were inspired by different traditional rhythms of Mozambique Island and used classic guitar and local percussion as working instruments.
Thus they have enriched Mozambican music with a unique characteristic style from that part of the country.
Their hard work and dedication were recognized on different stages around the world where Gimo Mendes and the “guys of percussion” conquered an unquestionable admiration and respect. As a group, Eyuphuro has been honoured with several awards and has recorded at Real World Records in collaboration with the well known artist Peter Gabriel.
Gimo Mendes is continuing his carreer in Denmark. He has a group called ‘Gimo Mendes’ and he teaches music at the World Music Center of the School of Music in the city Aarhus, where he lives with his family.
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Listen to the music
• You can listen to Gimo's music on myspace.com/gimomendes
Press service
High resolution photos for download
can be found here
Album info
 Album title: ‘A Luz’
Artist name: Gimo Mendes
Genre: African, Mozambiqan, cross-over, jazz, folk, world
Catalogue number: MILDDS001
Bar code (UPC/EAN):
ISCR code DK:
Price code DK: PK64
Album release DK: June 2007
Album release international:
Published by: Gateway Music, gateway.dmf.dk
Distribution DK: Mild Records, mildrecords.com
Distribution international:
Online digital distribution DK:
Online digital distribution international:
Contact info: info@mildrecords.com
Track info:
1. 500 anos (6:57)
2. Magoas (4:29)
3. On' hipiti (5:46)
4. Okilaleya (5:02)
5. Kidjana (6:35)
6. Amor na praia (6:44)
7. Madjimbica (5:08)
8. Wahala (6:55)
Album total duration: 46 minutes.
Credits
Music and lyrics all by Gimo Mendes
 How to get hold of the album
Denmark
• The CD-album can be obtained by sending an e-mail with name and address to info@mildrecords.com paying DKK 149.00 + 25.00 = DKK 174.00 to bank account 1199-0012179057 in Danske Bank (giro account giro account 1-217-9057 if you go to the post office) for postage within Denmark.
Netbanking
• Account number: 1199-0012179057
Outside Denmark the figure is 28 euro, including postage. Read more about international payments here.
 Contact
E-mail: info@mildrecords.com
Snail mail address:
Mild Records
Kongelundsvej 98 E
DK-2300 Copenhagen S
Denmark
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