Branko

Branko is the creative moniker of Lisbon-based electronic producer, DJ, and label owner João Barbosa, who rose to international success in the late 2000s with the Portuguese dance collective Buraka Som Sistema. Known for melding techno beats with African traditions like zouk and kuduro, Barbosa is also the founder of the acclaimed Enchufada label, which has worked to promote similar globally minded electronic experiments. When Buraka Som Sistema began to wind down, he re-emerged as Branko in 2015, releasing the full-length Atlas, a vibrant work inspired by his world travels and featuring numerous collaborations with artists like Princess Nokia, Nonku Phiri, and Mr. Carmack. An expanded edition arrived a year later, followed in 2017 by the compilation Branko Presents: Enchufada Na Zona, based on the monthly radio show of the same name that he hosts out of Lisbon. In early 2018, Branko dropped the single “MPTS,” featuring work from fellow DJ Pedro. The track was featured on Nosso, which arrived in 2019. ~ Timothy Monger