Buraka Som Sistema was an electronic dance music project from Portugal, specializing in a fusion of techno beats with the African zouk and kuduro genre. It is generally credited with creating the "zouk bass" and "progressive kuduro" variant and has received an MTV European Music Award. In 2015 Buraka Som Sistema said they would be taking an hiatus starting in 2016, and on 1 July 2016 they performed live for the last time in Lisbon, before they reunited and performed on 11 July 2026 in NOS Alive.
Origins Buraka Som Sistema was founded in 2002 by Branko (João Barbosa), Rui Pité (DJ Riot), Andro Carvalho (Conductor) and .
Barbosa and Pité were producers from the Cool Train Crew collective, for which Kalaf was a frequent vocal collaborator. They were interested in creating a kuduro project, and had previously worked together as 1-UIK Project. They met Carvalho, a hip-hop producer from Angola and member of the hip-hop band Conjunto Ngonguenha, while he was in Portugal.
Buraka Som Sistema is the Portuguese word for word translation for Buraka Sound System, keeping the English word order (the correct translation would be "Sistema de Som da Buraka"). They took their name, Buraka, from the freguesia (urban district) of Buraca, located in the municipality of Amadora, in the suburbs of Lisbon.
Career Their first release was , an EP released on the Portuguese label Enchufada, which include the single "Yah!", featuring vocals by Angolan hip-hop MC Petty. It was followed by another Petty vocalized track, "Wawaba", and a re-release of From Buraka to the World, expanded to a full album.
After touring in several European countries, including playing at the Glastonbury Festival and Roskilde Festival, the three producers released "Sound of Kuduro" in 2007, which features rapping by M.I.A., DJ Znobia, Saborosa and Puto Prata. The track was a precursor to their second album, Black Diamond, which was released in 2008 by Sony BMG, followed by a new single, "Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)", with vocals by Pongolove. They are currently signed on to Aftercluv Dance Lab, a Latin EDM label launched by Universal Music. On 1 July 2016 Buraka Som sistema curated Globaile, a music event at the Torre de Belém grounds, as part of the Festas de Lisboa, where they performed their (supposedly) last concert. On 11 July 2026 they reunited and performed at NOS Alive.
Usage in media Their song was featured in EA Sports video game such as "Kalemba (Wegue-Wegue)" featuring Pongolove in FIFA 10 and "Restless" in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. "Hangover (Ba Ba Ba)" is also featured in the video game Just Dance 2016. Their song Bota also featured in a 2014 adidas advert featuring Dani Alves.
Discography
Studio albums YearAlbumChart positionsSalesCertifications(sales thresholds) POR SPA BEL2006From Buraka to the World— — — POR:- AFP: -2008Black Diamond7— 54 AFP:Gold2011Komba4— — AFP:-2014Buraka—— ———
Singles Year Title Chart Positions Album SPA BEL EUR2007 "Yah"---Black Diamond "Wawaba (v. 1.8)"---2008 "Sound of Kuduro" featuring DJ Znobia, M.I.A.--- "Kalemba (Wegue-Wegue)"1-872009 "Aqui Para Vocês (feat. Deize Tigrona)"--912011 "Hangover (BaBaBa) "--- Komba "(We Stay) Up All Night"---
Awards In the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, they were 8th (out of 19) in the New Sounds of Europe International Competition and were one of the nominees for the Best Portuguese Act category. In the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008, the band won the Best Portuguese Act award.
MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony established in 1994 by MTV Europe.
|rowspan="2"| 2007 || Buraka Som Sistema || New Sounds of Europe || |- | Buraka Som Sistema || Best Portuguese Act || |- |rowspan="1"| 2008 || Buraka Som Sistema || Best Portuguese Act || |- |rowspan="1"| 2009 || Buraka Som Sistema || Best Portuguese Act ||
Golden Globes The Golden Globes is an annual awards ceremony by Portuguese TV station SIC.
|rowspan="1"| 2009 || Buraka Som Sistema|| Group Of The Year||
European Border Breakers Awards The European Border Breakers Award is an annual awards ceremony for artists or groups who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year.
|rowspan="1"| 2009 || Black Diamond || European Border Breakers Award|| "European Border Breakers Awards 2010", Ec.europa.eu. Retrieved February 21, 2012
BEFFTA Awards Buraka Som Sistema won the BEFFTA International Entertainment Icons award on 25 October 2014. They told that they "were honoured to collect an award."
References
BBC article Don't Panic: article Sup Magazine: interview
Buraka Som Sistema RBMA lecture
External links
Enchufada label Buraka Som Sistema Essential Mix Official Website http://kalafangelo.com/