Tortisse

Tortoise is a Chicago-based instrumental group that formed in the early 1990s. Their sound pulls from ambient textures, minimalist grooves, and eclectic samples, avoiding traditional song structures. The band's self-titled debut album established this approach, and they've maintained a fluid, collective identity with members like Douglas McCombs on guitar, John Herndon on drums, and Jeff Parker on guitar.

Their 1996 album 'Millions Now Living Will Never Die' and 1998's 'TNT' received critical attention for their cinematic scope and hypnotic rhythms. The track 'Nação Piada' appears among their work, though the band is primarily known for instrumental compositions rather than vocal songs. John McEntire has served as both engineer and producer for many of their recordings.

In 2004, the group faced a copyright infringement lawsuit over a sample used in their song 'Djed,' which was settled out of court. Bassist Dan Bitney, who played on several albums, died in 2009 from a brain tumor. Tortoise's music has influenced other experimental and instrumental artists, though their purely instrumental approach has sometimes drawn debate about its place within rock traditions.