Mbé is a word that comes from Yoruba, a West African language, that means “to be” or “to exist”. It’s also the pseudonym of artist, researcher, music producer and sound engineer from Rio de Janeiro, Luan Correia. His musical projects under this name are based on research and creative synthesis between technological fossils, used as musical communication tools between past and present.

On his first album ROCINHA (2021), a study of his heritage, Mbé builds soundscapes from recordings from the African diaspora and continent. Using samples, he connects current-day life with the world of his ancestors and calls attention to the marginalised black Brazilian population. The album features guest contributions from people including singer Juçara Marçal and Bahian percussionists Luzinho do Jêje and Orlando Costa.

The way Mbé combines music and found sounds in his compositions has its origins in his background as a sound engineer with Audio Rebel, an underground venue in Rio. His main influences at the time were free jazz, improvisation and noise music. Inspired by artists like hip hop legend Madlib and Juçara Marçal, he now creates atmospheric pieces[M1]  in which the collected sounds elevate the music to a higher level, in order to tell a story.

The success of ROCINHA opened the way for performances at Brazilian festivals like Mulambo Jazzágrario, Novas Frequências and Música Estranha, as well as São Paulo’s art biennale. In partnership with musician Beto Villares, he contributed to the soundtrack of Muyrakytã by the Balé da Cidade de São Paulo dance company, as well as that of Guel Arraes’ never-released film Grande Sertão: Veredas. He also wrote the soundtrack for director Rodrigo Ribeiro-Andrade’s short film Solmatalua, and released the experimental funk album Mimosa last year together with Luiz Felipe Lucas (cabazadenego) and Leyblack Beats. Mbé is actively involved in independent music label QTV Selo and musicians’ collective Justa Causa in Rio.