Oruã is a Brazilian band labeled as psychedelic rock, but which also flirts with elements of genres such as lo-fi, experimental rock, afrobeat, noise, and jazz. The group, which defines itself as "afro-jazzy" indie rock, was formed in 2016 by Lê Almeida, a driving force in the Rio de Janeiro independent music scene through his label Transfusão Ruído Records, founded in 2004. Among Lê's regular collaborators in Oruã are João Casaes (synthesizers), Bigu Medine (bass), and Ana Zumpano (drums), also known as a member of the bands Antiprisma and Retrato.
The band released its first album, Sem Bênção / Sem Crença, in 2017, followed by Romã in 2019.
Between 2018 and 2019, João Casaes and Lê Almeida were part of the rotating lineup of the American group Built to Spill. The two musicians also participated in the recording of the album When the Wind Forgets Your Name, which Built to Spill released in 2022 through Sub Pop.
In the 2020s, Oruã released the albums Íngreme (2021), Passe (2024), and Slacker (2025). The latter was recorded in Seattle and released by K Records, a label founded in 1982 by Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening.
- Origin:
