Throughout the last decade, Kalaf and João ‘Branko’ Barbosa (also known as Lil’John or J-Wow) have emerged as crucial figures in opening new horizons for Portuguese music. Their impact extends far beyond the global phenomenon Buraka Som Sistema, which alone redefined the musical scene, also encompassing notable projects such as CoolTrain Crew, Fusionlab, Spaceboys, and, of course, the 1-Uik Project.
The 1-Uik Project was born from a particularly daring challenge: to conceive an entire album within the space of just one week. The initial spark for this creative adventure was an inspiring 148-minute conversation with the Zimbabwean artist, Berry Bickle, which was recorded and served as the foundation. The duo, accompanied by several talented accomplices, dove headfirst into this intense process, which took place between July 28 and August 4, 2003, in Lisbon, resulting in a work full of rhythm and poetry.
The album, titled “Strategies and Survival”, reflected an unconstrained creative freedom, leaping from funk to soul, from African rhythms to hip-hop, and from jazz to bossa nova. Following the main recordings, additional interventions and arrangements occurred between February 15 and March 15. As one might expect, Kalaf and Barbosa knocked on the doors of countless record labels, but interest was minimal. This lack of enthusiasm, however, did not stop them; on the contrary, it led them to make a transformative decision: to create Enchufada to release the album, which was later licensed to Movieplay and finally launched in mid-2004.
Listening to the album reveals a fascinating eclecticism, yet with a distinct identity. The opening track, “Sal e Cinzas” (Salt and Ashes), is where Kalaf lays out the program of intentions and summons all the project’s magic. The album is punctuated by distinct moments: we have the danceable beat of “1-Uik(ed),” featuring the collaboration of Melo D, where they “unleash the verb,” and the instrumental “Holding the Best,” the most jazzy track on the album, with guest guitarist André Fernandes taking the lead role. The album is unified by the small, striking interludes recorded with artist Berry Bickle, which are heard at various points throughout the work.
Other important tracks include the magnificent “Serenata (Spring samba),” also featuring Melo D, and the title track “Strategies and Survival,” which takes us to a denser tone with the participation of Baggi & Scardino (Crazy Jungle Crew) and Cyz on vocals, where hip-hop and rhymes emerge with urgency and fervor. We cannot forget “Promessa” (Promise), a duet by Kalaf and Dora Cruz which, according to the text, aimed to “finally put an end to all male/female duets,” or the track “Djing Djing,” with plenty of soul and hip-hop. João Gomes (Cool Hipnoise, Orelha Negra) plays a central role, functioning almost as a third element of the 1-Uik Project with his appearances on several tracks.
The mastery of all participants makes “Strategies and Survival” much more than a collection of creative but unfinished tracks; it is a work that crosses the most diverse styles, demonstrating great eclecticism with a very unique identity, concluding with Kalaf’s spoken word on “Começo” (Beginning), declaring that “this is just the beginning” and that there is no time for “blah, blah, blah.” Although the duo expanded the lineup to a sextet and presented new tracks that would be part of a new album (“Lisa”, from Lisabona/Lisbon) in 2006, the “Buraka hurricane” swept everything away, and the release of the second album ended up being postponed.
However, the flame was never completely extinguished, and in 2010 they recorded the track “Brada” for the “E-Spam” compilation by Enchufada – a great song and a special dedication to the late genius J Dilla, which distills all the characteristic genetics of 1-Uik Project refined to its maximum exponent, with Kalaf’s poetry discussing various themes ranging from the value of selfless friendship to issues related to a certain Portuguese identity.
