Tetine


Tetine are a duo composed of Bruno Verner and Eliete Mejorado. They met in 1995 in São Paulo, Brazil. Since then they have created a multitude of sound works from atonal orchestral pieces to electropunk / baile funk / miami bass-driven tunes. They have also made a series of ritualistic performances and have extensively exhibited art films and video throughout Europe and South America. Tetine has a few albums released on different record labels.

Biography

Formed in 1995 in São Paulo, Brazil by artists Eliete Mejorado and Bruno Verner and infused with a contemporary Brazilian radicalism that pushes the boundaries of a hybrid vocabulary, Tetine have created a multitude of music and performance works from the spoken word to electronica, including ritualistic performances, films and video.
Their debut album Alexander's Grave was released in 1996 on their own label High School Records, leading to the birth of a homonymous performance integrating atonal electronic music and Super 8 films over spoken and sung narratives. In 1998 Tetine released their second album Creme - a soundtrack for the dance group UR=HOR led by Brazilian performance artist Adriana Banana. In 1999 their third album Música de Amor is released on High School Records.
In January 2000, Tetine established themselves in the UK, firstly as resident artists at Queen Mary University in London and put out their fourth album Olha Ela De Novo - their last release on High School. Later in 2001, Tetine is signed by avant-garde electronica artist Robin Rimbaud aka Scanner's UK imprint Sulphur Records and released their fifth album entitled Tetine vs Sophie Calle / Samba de Monalisa - an acclaimed electronica project made in collaboration with the French artist Sophie Calle. Very well received in Europe, Samba de Monalisa made its debut performance at the Whitechapel Art Gallery for Tetine: The Politics Of Self Indulgence - an agitational baroque investigation into self-indulgence through a programme of film, video, & live music co-curated by Bruno and Eliete with Ian White.
In 2003 Tetine performed Samba de Monalisa as a sound art piece all over Europe and collaborated with other artists for distinct live actions. Projects include the full original score for Winterspace - a large scale installation by British duo Igloo and performance-based collaborations with Brazilian artists Jarbas Lopes and Ducha for Gambiarra, New Art From Brazil curated by Gasworks Gallery and Capacete Entretenimentos. In the same year, Tetine releases their 6th album Men In Uniform on Brazilian independent label Bizarre Music following by concerts in festivals such as RESFEST, clubs and art shows around the country.
In 2004 Tetine performed at Sonar in São Paulo where they were also invited to take part at SONARAMA - Sonar' series of multimedia sound installations commissioned for Institute Tomie Ohtake in São Paulo. For SONARAMA Tetine created Turkish Bath - an immersive audio visual 'sauna' made up of four large scale projections depicting 16 stories told by 16 men of various backgrounds in bathing situations.
Still in 2004, Tetine released the acclaimed compilation-mixtape Slum Dunk Presents Funk Carioca Mixed by TETINE on UK label Mr Bongo. FUNK CARIOCA was one of the first DJ mix of Baile Funk to appear in Europe, influencing an entire new generation of DJs and beat makers. At the same time, Brazilian label Bizarre Music put out their 8th artist album Bonde do Tetão.
In 2005 Tetine toured around Europe, Brazil and made their USA debut at M3 Summit taking part at Miami Music Conference. A few months later Tetine released The Sexual Life Of The Savages on Soul Jazz Records an acclaimed album of obscure early 80's underground post punk from São Paulo selected and curated by the band.
In 2006 Tetine played a special concert at the opening night of TROPICALIA - A Revolution in Brazilian Culture - at Barbican Centre in London alongside multi-artist Assume Vivid Astrofocus. To celebrate the occasion Tetine releases a special 500 limited edition CD entitled L.I.C.K. MY FAVELA.
Still in 2006, Tetine take part at Ether 06 at South Bank Centre performing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London alongside artists such as Chris Cunningham, Candie Hank amongst others. Other actions include live performances for museums, galleries and festivals such as Palais De Tokyo in Paris, The Wire - Adventures In Modern Music festival in Chicago, Museu Serralves in Porto, Liverpool Biennal, Hebbel Am Ufer in Berlin amongst many others. By the end of the year, the Berlin-based label Kute Bash Records re-releases L.I.C.K. My Favela on vinyl.
In 2007 Soul Jazz Records release Tetine's A Historia Da Garça – a mutant electropunk funk 12' single with two new tracks. A few months later Tetine perform alongside Dizzie Rascal, Deize Tigrona and Buraka Som Sistema at Casa Da Música in Porto, Portugal and begin a series of shows in Europe. Highlights include the first installment of TROPICAL PUNK – an exhibit of radical contemporary Brazilian art and music with live shows and screenings curated by the band at Whitechapel Art Gallery as well as performances for Frankfurter Kunstverein, Casa Da Musica, Vice in Sweden amongst others.
The beginning of 2008 finds Tetine releasing their second single I GO TO THE DOCTOR followed by a full new album entitled LET YOUR X's BE Y's on Soul Jazz Records. Performances from the album were shown in London, Portugal, Germany, France, Brazil and Italy.
Also in 2008 Tetine exhibited at COVER - an art show at MAM - Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo and completed a new sound piece entitled LET'S DO THE DREAM specially produced for the sound art exhibition OIDARADIO at Paço das Artes in São Paulo.
In 2009 Tetine keeps playing from the album Let Your X's be Y's performing it live around Europe in numerous venues - including a one-off night at Casa Da Música with Hercules & Love Affair. In June, Tetine also performed Samba de Monalisa - the electronica project made in collaboration with French artist Sophie Calle as part of Sophie's exhibition Take Care of Yourself curated by Videobrasil in São Paulo. Later in October, Tetine also performed Samba de Monalisa at EVENTO as part of Bourdeaux Bienalle. By the end of 2009 the album Tetine vs Sophie Calle – originally released on Sulphur Records in 2002 – is re-released.
In 2010 Tetine start the new decade releasing the album From A Forest Near You – a collection of luminuous DIY tropical mutant punk funk tunes out on Slum Dunk Music.
At the beginning of 2011 Tetine releases two new albums. The first one, their 11th artist album named VOODOO DANCE & OTHER STORIES followed by a compilation of unexpected Brazilian artists called UNCORRUPTED TROPICAL WAVE - 1984-2011 curated by Bruno Verner & Eliete Mejorado.
In June Tetine is invited to perform a re-enactment of the tent performance piece DEE GRAÇA made in collaboration with Jarbas Lopes back in 2003 in Firenze as part of the exhibition Tudo É - curated by Andrea Lissoni & Alberto Salvadori.
In August Tetine play at the International Summer Festival in Hamburg, Germany and they leave for Brazil for a series of exhibitions and performances in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte including a second instalment of Tetine & Jarbas Lopes cashboxx tent as part of the exhibit Caos & Efeito at Itau Cultural in São Paulo. Also in São Paulo, a few days later Tetine's commission to soundtrack live Rogerio Sganzerla's cinema marginal classic O BANDIDO DA LUZ VERMELHA is presented at Cine Concerto, SESC Vila Mariana with special guest actress Helena Ignez on stage with Tetine.
At the end of October 2011 takes place the first installment of COMA - CONEXÕES EXPLORATÓRIAS EM MÚSICA E PERFORMANCE HÍBRIDA - three days of exploratory music, talks, film and workshophs in the city of Belo Horizonte curated by Tetine including artists such as Planningtorock, Carla Buzolich, Paul B. Davis, Dorit Chrysler, Karine Alexandrino, Joana Seguro, Zilch, Andrew Horn, Astronauta Pinguim, Frederico Pessoa amongst others.
In 2012 Tetine is invited to perform at the prestigious Trienalle Di Milano as part Open Arti in Milan – an unusual laboratory programme of music, art & debate curated by Andrea Lissoni and Simone Bertuzzi including artists such as Venus X, legendary Italo disco DJ Daniele Baldelli, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Chief Boima, Miltos Mannetas amongst others.
Still in 2012, Tetine is commissioned to create a brand new score for Neville D'Almeida Brazilian new wave classic Rio Babilonia. Later in June the concert is presented at the theatre of Sesc Santo Amaro in São Paulo as part of a big retrospective of the works of Neville D'Almeida entitled Alem Cinema.
In September Tetine also perform 3 different pieces in Norway – including a brand new work entitled I Hope You Enjoy Your Stay. All the performances happened in Oslo over a weekend respectively at The National Museum Of Contemporary Art, Stenersen Museum & Jaeger club.
In 2013 Tetine releases their latest album IN LOVELAND WITH YOU out on Slum Dunk Music. Still in 2013 Bruno & Eliete start a new radio series entitled UNHEARD & SPOKEN broadcast on Resonance Fm. In October Tetine also release two full albums of never-released material from 2000–05. The albums are called Mother Nature & Black Semiotics and are also part of the project Memory Serves released on Wet Dance recordings. Later in the year Tetine, Ricardo Domencek & Cunt Cunt Chanel embark on a mini-tour around Brussels and Antwerp in Belgium.
On another note, Bruno Verner and Eliete Mejorado have run the Slum Dunk radio show on Resonance Fm 104.4 - pretty much since the station's inception in London 2002. On Slum Dunk they keep playing all sorts of obscure and unexpected music from Brazil and beyond.

Discography

2016 Sound System Outernational - Sonic Entanglements - Jamaica, Europe and Brazil, Goldsmiths University, London, UK
2015 Creative Edge, Hertfordshire University, London, UK
2015 The School Of The South: Lessons in Latin American Art, Studio Voltaire, London, UK
2015 4°World, Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil
2014 40° In Black, Goldsmiths University, London, UK
2009 Videobrasil, São Paulo, Brazil

Interviews and reviews