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CD Review
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Global Rhythm, CD Review >>
Drummer Barrett Martin, a member of the composer collective Tuatara, heads his own label, Fast Horse Recordings, which boasts a small but eclectic selection. Among the label’s newest releases is the winning debut of Brazilian singer-songwriter Mylene. A chronicling of life as seen from sidewalk cafes, Mylene incorporates the rhythm and sway of Rio’s streets into her edgy pop, looking to Lisbon (the fadolike “Madrigal”), Spain (the album opener “48 Horas”), Bahia (“Nela Lagoa”) and the poets (Lennon/McCartney’s “Eleanor Rigby”) for further inspiration. Producer Ramiro Mussotto, whose percussion and programming helps lift Mylene from mere charming sweetness, displays even more of his talents on Sudaka, a rousing collection of lounge- and club-worthy tracks. Born in Argentina and now based in Bahia’s Salvador, Musotto honed his percussive skills while playing with the likes of Gilberto Gil and Carlinhos Brown in the 1980s and ‘90s, then perfected his studio technique, harnessing the energies of urban streets (“Caminho”) and forest nature (“Ginga”), as well as the sounds of the centuries-old religions practiced throughout Brazil. (“Ijexa”), incorporating it all into his computers. His talents are as instrumentalists, producer and programmer are on impressive display here. Unlike Musotto, Martin & co.’s Tuatara relinquish control, turning over its compositions to the deconstructive hands of global DJs. The brave move pays off, resulting in such standouts as the spy-thrilling “Saturday Night Church,” from Tuatara’s Breaking The Ethers (via New Mexico’s Eric Rosse), “Smuggler’s Cove,” whose hip-hop swagger is all thanks to San Francisco’s Michael Franti and “The Hangover,” a predicament made more attractive by New Zealand’s Mr. Reliable. MARIE ELSIE ST. LEGER 04/01/04
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