Ponto Qu4tro

Ponto Qu4tro formed in São Paulo in 1998, with Mauro Santa Cecília on vocals, Alexandre Fontanetti on guitar, Pedro Ivo on bass, and André Siqueira on drums. Their music draws from candomblé traditions, mixing samba, jazz, and rock into something that feels both rooted and exploratory. Songs like 'Exu Te Ama' and 'Laroyê' show how they handle spiritual themes with a direct, musical touch rather than academic reverence.

Their 1999 self-titled debut was followed by five more albums, including 'Sete Vezes' in 2003 and 'O Deus Que Devasta Mas Também Cura' in 2019. The band has kept a steady output without chasing trends, letting their sound evolve naturally across records. Tracks such as 'Longe Daqui' and 'Até Onde Vai?' reflect this gradual shift, where the arrangements feel a bit more open but the core rhythmic pulse remains.

'Exu Te Ama' drew some criticism for its portrayal of the candomblé deity Exu, with listeners split on whether it trivialized sacred figures or simply treated them as part of a living cultural conversation. Ponto Qu4tro didn't engage much in public debate about it, preferring to let the music stand. They've maintained the same lineup since the start, which might explain the consistency in their recordings, there's a familiarity in the way the guitar lines weave with the percussion, a sound that doesn't need to announce itself as groundbreaking to feel purposeful.