You've got to love a proper Latin rave up. No - I'm not talking about what you might see some girls doing on MTV Base, or the vibe at some beginner's Salsa club. That's all groovy. But boy, Mr Catra's gig at Guanabara Club in London last night was just a taste of how crazy ting tings can get when Brazilians get manic on the dance floor.

What is defined as a mixture of funk, samba, rap and electro, Catra simply calls 'Baile Funk' - the music he grew up jamming to, straight from the impoverished sectors of Rio, and a vibrant sound that Catra is now almost single-handedly trying to deliver to a mainstream audience. The Brazilian star comes fully equipped with heavy beats, the guarantee of mass booty shaking, and socially engaged lyrics about life in the favelas (shanty towns) of Rio, the harsh realities of gang warfare and police brutality, and optimistic hopes for the future.

Let me state this now. Yes - as a Brazilian, Catra was spitting in Portuguese. And no - I couldn't understand a word he was saying. But I can judge by the jumping crowd and reaction of his fans what kind of impact 'Baile Funk' promises: "Catra is amazing..." said Gloria, a 22 year old samba-mad dancer, "He raps with so much passion for his people and his home country. And when we dance to his music, it's like a celebration, a way of escaping, letting loose and forgetting the world’s troubles – for a night."

It took little to convince the Ctrl.Alt.Shift crew to join the movers and shakers - though there was little time to ask for a lesson from the nearest available Latina. All eyes focused towards Catra on centre stage as he pumped up the volume, and the crowd as if he was opening a summer festival. The Caipirinhas were going down quick, it got hot and sweaty in the rowdy crowd, moshing was not unlikely – we just enjoyed partying hard alongside. In Brazil, dancing is a way of empowering women, and men. I for one just had fun giving my feet blistering hell. And if Guanabara is my reference point, then the Brazilian Carnival is already on my to-do list.

 For more info on Mr Catra please visit www.myspace.com/mrcatra