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Pernambuco, in the north of Brazil, is considered a cultural crossroads in the country, the area which spawned Chico Science, Luiz Gonzaga and Lenine as just three examples of an area teeming with musical talent all using, stealing and twisting up both rural and urban styles.

The selection is — as might be expected — a real mix, spanning manguebeat, Brazilian rock, drum ‘n’ bass, from hypnotic percussion rhythms of the maracatu de baque solto to racing metal guitars, to north-eastern Brazilian folk styles, to a whole bunch of styles I don’t even know the names of.

Some of the best tracks, the driving and triumphant ‘Trancelim de Marfim’ for example come predictably from DJ Dolores, and the well-established band Chico Science formed with Nação Zumbi, coming with the superb ‘Blunt of Judah’ but it’s the surprises, Cordel de Fogo Encantado’s ‘Poeira’, and the trip-hoppy beat of Mombojo’s ‘A Missa’ which descends into heavily driven anthemic metal that really make this one to search out.

What links all the tracks on the album is the energy in the tracks — no time to hang around, only time to get down and create something to dance to, something that rocks hard in any number of ways.

I was not won over by all the material on the compilation, but the best tracks stand out a mile and these are the ones that make up the majority of The New Brazilian Music - Pernambuco.