Joao Barbosa, aka Branko, is a producer from Amadora, Portugal. With an innate knowledge of music from the region, its mix of international communities and styles, Branko has produced albums such as ATLAS and Nosso, which reflect the dynamic, creative side of Portugal’s cultural melting pot.
Before sharing his solo productions, Branko was part of the highly influential Buraka Som Sistema, whom many credit as the group that brought contemporary Portuguese club music to an international audience. 2008's Black Diamond was a surprise worldwide club hit, and featured "Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)" best known for featuring in the FIFA 10 computer game.
In 2015, Branko released his debut album, ATLAS, which pieces together afro-house, zouk, gqom, and baile funk—sounds he heard on his travels around Cape Town, New York, Amsterdam, and São Paulo. It also featured collaborations from Princess Nokia and DJ Sliink.
2019 saw Branko release his second album, Nosso, which translates as “ours.” The record focuses more on the sounds of Lisbon, in his words: “This time I wanted to put Lisbon more in the centre and use the city as the starting point for all songs, even if I’m recording with a Congolese-Canadian vocalist. That is [felt] through the instrumentals and beats—every one of those is originally from a genre in the Portuguese-speaking universe.”
In addition to producing and DJing, Branko presents Enchufada No Zona—both an NTS Radio show with fellow Enchufada label owner Rastronaut show and festival, which showcases the brightest new producers from Portugal and beyond.