Tapes for the Blind is a lo-fi noise project, lead by Brazilian musician Israel Castilho.
I caught up with Israel to talk about his early musical experiences, the current underground scene in Brazil, his love of Ridley Scott films and the making of his new E.P. “Patience”.
CMM-What was the first music that really made an impact on you as a kid and what artists or bands did you enjoy the most?
I-When I was 12 years old, my cousin played a cassette at his house that was a sort of “best of” collection featuring The Offspring’s Americana. The Offspring was the first rock band to truly have a major impact on me; I loved them from the moment I heard them.
But what changed my life forever were the last two songs on Side B from that tape. They were the first two tracks from Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged, ‘About a Girl’ and ‘Come as You Are’. Even though they were acoustic versions, they opened up a whole new world for me. I could hardly believe what I was hearing! Even now, 25 years later, I still get goosebumps when the applause starts on that record.
After that discovery, I dove into grunge, punk, hardcore, and alternative music – anything that sounded pure and true to me. Naturally, other bands followed and changed the game in my life: The Jesus and Mary Chain (the Reid brothers are my heroes), My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Mogwai, and Swirlies. They showed me that it’s possible to make music with feeling, noise, feedback, and guitars distorted to the max.
Later, in the 2010s, I discovered lo-fi hip hop too, which brought me a passion for jazzy chords, drum beats and that laid-back feel, all of which I incorporate into my work. That’s why I call Tapes for the Blind ‘lo-fi noise’.
CMM-When did you first start creating your own music?
I-I have been creating music for as long as I can remember. I never really learned a song completely. I mean, I’ve been playing in bands since I was 17, but I always forget the songs when I don’t play them for a couple of months. So, I’m always creating a riff or a song whenever I pick up an instrument. This happens every day.
I can say that I started taking this more seriously in 2010. Back then, I’d record in my room with whatever I had on hand and upload the songs to MySpace. After that, I was in a band for almost ten years, which was a very productive period for composing music and learning the ropes of recording.
CMM-Your recent E.P. “Patience” is fantastic. What was the writing and recording process for those tracks like? Any particular gear or instruments you used during the recording sessions that helped inspire you?
I-Thanks for listening! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I haven’t been in a band for about two years now, but since I’ve always loved composing, I really felt the urge to create and release music again. Now, composing on my own, I can do whatever I want, however I want.
In December 2025, I decided to record some ideas that had been in my head for a while. The process is usually very free-flowing: I start with a riff, and the song is built around it. Then, as I feel the need for specific elements, I search for or create them and add them in. The vocal samples come from all sorts of places: things I’ve watched and liked, or, in some cases, random accidents. I used Ableton Live as my DAW, with my Fender Jazzmaster as my main instrument. And, of course, a lot of distortion and reverb.
CMM-If you could score any film director’s movie who would it be and what would the film be about?
I-Definitely a Ridley Scott film. I love slow-burn, grandiloquent movies, and I consider Blade Runner, both the film and its soundtrack, to be true masterpieces. I’d love to be commissioned to score a sci-fi project in that same vein.
CMM-Brazil has always had an amazing underground music scene. What’s some of your favorite music and who are some of your artists from there?
I-Definitely. Brazil has a massive variety of musical rhythms—some world-famous, like Bossa Nova and Samba. But speaking of my own niche, yes, we have a lot going on. I have to mention Sepultura (and the Cavalera brothers’ side projects), which is a huge source of pride for our country. We also had some very cool post-punk bands throughout the ’80s, and the punk and hardcore scenes remain very strong here.
CMM-What do you have coming up next?
I-I have two singles ready for release in the coming months. If all goes well, I might even drop a full album by August. I also plan to produce videos to bridge the gap between my music and other art forms. This is perhaps my favorite way to work: I’m always looking to mix media. For instance, alongside my tapesfortheblind project, I’m developing a comic book called ‘The Whispers’ (I’m a comic book artist as well). It’s a story about a possessed guitar that inspires whoever owns it. My goal is to bring the fictional band from the comic to life. Under the name ‘The Whispers,’ I’ll release original tracks to accompany the book. Think of it as a Gorillaz-style project, but centered around a comic book narrative.
