Orquestra Manancial da Alvorada

Orquestra Manancial da Alvorada formed in 1995 in Campina Grande, Brazil, during a period when forró was seeing renewed interest in the Northeast. Their frontman Batista Lima worked with the traditional instruments of the genre, accordion, triangle, and zabumba, but ran them through amplifiers and effects pedals, giving the music a charged, modern edge.

Their 2007 track "Elektromato" became their calling card, mixing forró rhythms with electronic dance elements. It drew some criticism from traditionalists who felt the electric approach strayed too far from forró's roots, but the band kept at it, releasing albums like "Forró Eletrônico" in 1999 and "Axé Nordeste" in 2005. Other songs in their set include "Cantiga do Escravo Liberto" and "Preço Bom Nós Tem."

They built a following on the forró circuit and eventually reached listeners outside Brazil, though they remained anchored in the sounds of their region. The music is still driven by Batista Lima's vision of updating tradition without abandoning it completely.