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Vitor Ramil was born in Rio Grande do Sur, Brazil’s southernmost province which shares a border and a cultural identity with both Uruguay and north-eastern Argentina. Ramil grew up listening to the traditional milongas of his fathers native Uruguay and continues to sing, play and compose the music of his homeland, an often overlooked part of Brazilian culture.

The Brazilian music scene, in particular that of MPB (Música Popular Brasilena) has always been centred on Rio and artists from the provinces, such as Ramil, are often forced to move to Rio to find success. It was in Rio that he invented the character of the Baron Satolep (Pelotas, his home town, spelt backwards) and on this album the Baron meets renowned Rio percussionist Marco Suzano’s Sambatown. Satoplep Sambatown joins two worlds in a mix of Ramil’s original milongas and compositions accompanied by Suzano’s samba rhythms and electronic beats.

The inclusion of Argentine singer Jorge Drexler, who contributes the lyrics to 12 Segundos de Oscuridad and provides vocals on A Zora por Hora, is a reminder that Ramil is an artist who is working between cultures and countries, mixing his national and culture identity. Many of the tracks, such as Viajei lie closer in style to MPB than the folklore of Rio Grande do Sul however Ramil’s roots show though on Invento and two styles are mixed on opener Livro Aberto. Satolep Sambatown is a successful and warm marriage between the tropicalia of Suzano’s Rio de Janeiro and the gaucho traditions of Ramil’s Rio Grande do Sur.