Available from today, February 7th, the album Efeito Submarino marks a new phase in João Couto’s career. After Boa Sorte (2021), where he revealed his indie pop facet, this new work takes his sound to bolder and more vibrant territories, where energy and introspection intersect.
Composed of 10 tracks, Efeito Submarino invites us on an unpredictable journey in search of connection and identity. Between the intense alternative rock of “Asfalto”, the fresh and cinematic pop of “Cinema”, the confessional bedroom pop of “Lugar à Mesa” and the sophisticated grooves of “Meio-Termo”, João Couto combines dance beats and explosive saxophones with moments of pure vulnerability, creating an album that both provokes and consoles. An album that envelops us without warning – like a true submarine effect.
“Foragido”, the single released on January 9th and already playing on the radio, anticipated the contagious energy that defines this work. The album ends with Irreversível, an assumed tribute to “In Your Eyes”, by Peter Gabriel – one of the musician’s greatest influences.
Recorded mainly at home during the summer of 2024, Efeito Submarino is described by him as his most personal and ambitious album and one that promises to consolidate him as one of the most striking voices in contemporary Portuguese pop.
The album was produced by João Couto, João Borsch and Ben Monteiro; Mixing was done by Michael “Mic” Ferreira and Pedro Joaquim Borges and Mastering by Michael “Mic” Ferreira.
Créditos
Produced by: João Couto (tracks 1, 4-6, 8-10), João Borsch (tracks 2 and 3) and Ben Monteiro (track 7)
Mixed by: Michael “Mic” Ferreira (tracks 1, 4-7 and 9) and Pedro Joaquim Borges (tracks 2, 3, 8 and 10)
Mastered by: Michael “Mic” Ferreira
Recorded at: House in Gaia, Gonçalo Salta’s Studio in Porto (except tracks 2, 3, 7) Arda Recorders in Porto (except track 7) and Great Dane Studios in Lisbon (track 7)
Musicians: João Couto, Ben Monteiro (track 7), Bruno Pina (track 1 and 10), Carolina Santos (track 1, 4 and 10), David Dias (track 1, 4 and 10), Fábio Gil Ribeiro (track 1 and 4), Fábio Rocha (track 6, 8-10), Gonçalo Salta (track 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10), Inês Almeida (track 3), João Borsch (track 2 and 3), Marco Santos (track 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10), Mariana Costa (track 1, 4 and 10), Mia Moura (track 1 and 10), Pedro Ferreira (track 1 and 10), Tonny Teixeira (track 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10).
Design: João Couto
Cover / Illustration: Diego Paixão
Photography: Tiago Alves
Who is João Couto?
João Couto, born in 1995 in Vila Nova de Gaia, is a singer, composer and producer. Influenced by the synth-pop of artists such as Carly Rae Jepsen and Bleachers, as well as Portuguese pop-rock classics such as Clã and David Fonseca, his music combines heartfelt lyrics with infectious melodies. For him, “pop music is a safe place”, where it creates a sense of belonging and happiness.
Since winning the Ídolos program in 2015, João Couto has released two albums, including the acclaimed Boa Sorte (2021), and in 2023 he performed the series of concerts “Canções Sobre o Meu Carro e o Quarto”, with the support of Antena 1. In 2024, he returns to the Festival da Canção as the author and performer of “Quarto para Um” — a song selected from more than 800 entries — and is included in IMPALA Music’s list of 100 Artists to Watch. He has collaborated and shared the stage with names such as Miguel Araújo, Samuel Úria, Joana Espadinha and D’Alva.
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