Azimuth was the blueprint for the band’s own ‘samba doido’/ ‘crazy samba’ sound. Released in the summer of 1975, the album was a minor commercial success selling around 200,000 copies, but it’s now recognised as an essential piece of Brazilian music history. Surely the rawest and funkiest of Azymuth’s albums, every track exudes the brimming energy of three exceptionally creative young men from Rio, with incendiary results. Opener Linha do Horizonte a sublime piece of melancholic electronic saudade where deep cinematic synths melt into gently strummed acoustic jazz guitar – was used as the theme tune for TV Novella and went on to sell half a million, propelling Azymuth into national acclaim. Azymuth went on to become one of the best-selling jazz artists of the 80s, but this is one of their most special releases, and a firm cult favourite.