PAUS is a rock band hailing from Lisboa, Portugal, known for their unique configuration featuring two drummers, Quim and Hélio, alongside bassist Makoto Yagyu and keyboardist/guitarist Fábio Jevelim. All four members contribute vocals, and the drummers are often referred to as a "siamese drum" duo, positioned facing each other and flanked by the other musicians. The band's name, PAUS, translates to "sticks" in Portuguese and is typically stylized in all capital letters.
The band was established in 2010 by drummers Joaquim Albergaria, known for his role as vocalist in the rock band The Vicious Five and his past involvement in various punk and hardcore bands, and Hélio Morais, who previously drummed for the alternative rock band Linda Martini and the post-hardcore group If Lucy Fell. They were joined by Makoto Yagyu, who sang for If Lucy Fell and played bass for the post-rock outfit Riding Pânico, also serving as a sound engineer. João Pereira, also a member of If Lucy Fell and Riding Pânico, played keyboards and synths. Later that year, the band released their first EP, "É Uma Água," through the dance music label Enchufada, which is operated by members of Buraka Som Sistema. The EP garnered positive reviews from both critics and the public, drawing comparisons to post-rock bands like Battles and Tortoise.
In the winter of 2011, PAUS released their self-titled debut album, recorded between January and August of that year at Black Sheep Studios in Sintra. The album was co-produced by Fábio Jevelim and mixed and mastered by Chris Common, a former drummer for the post-hardcore band These Arms Are Snakes. Released again by Enchufada and distributed by Valentim De Carvalho, the album maintained the band's initial sound while beginning to incorporate more lyrical content into their vocal performances.
The band's second album, "Clarão" (which translates to "Flash" or "Gleam"), was released in the spring of 2014. It was available on compact disc through Universal Music Portugal and on vinyl via Rastilho Records, as well as in Spain through El Segell Del Primavera. This album showcased a slightly harsher and more raw sound compared to their debut. A lineup change occurred the previous year when Fábio Jevelim joined the band, replacing João Pereira, who departed due to creative differences. This shift allowed for the introduction of guitars into their music. Like their debut, "Clarão" was recorded and produced by the band, with mixing and mastering also handled by Chris Common.
"Mitra," the band's third album, was released in February 2016 on both CD and vinyl by Universal Music Portugal. The title "Mitra" refers to a term used for individuals from lower-class urban areas who are perceived as rugged and untrustworthy, reflecting the band's own musical journey without formal education in the field. This album featured a more electronic sound, with lyrical vocals taking a more prominent role. The recording process for both instrumentals and vocals took around fifteen days each, with production conducted at Haus, a newly established music production studio created by the band members.
In April 2018, the group released their fourth album, "Madeira," on CD and vinyl through Sony Music. The title references the Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean, where the band had been invited for an artistic residency in September 2017. Although the album's songs were mostly composed prior to this visit, the residency provided inspiration for the album's concept and its tropical sound. During this time, the group produced a music video for each track, which were released simultaneously on YouTube alongside the album's launch and made available in a CD-DVD edition.
