Izvorišta 375: Elza Soares, Nemanja, Saodaj', Mari Kalkun
Brazil, Croatia, Reunion and Estonia are the areas from which the artists whose albums I presented in this edition of Izvorišta come from. We listen to Elza Soares, Nemanja, Saodaj' and Mari Kalkun.
(you can also listen to this episode on mixcloud, just click here)
Elza Soares - No Tempo da Intolerância (Deckdisc 2023.)
Brazilian singer Elza Soares died last year, and on June 23, the day she would have celebrated her 93rd birthday, the album "No Tempo da Intolerância" was released. It is an album recorded two years ago and in a way rounds out the social theme of the albums Soares has released in the last decade ("A Mulher do Fim do Mundo," "Deus É Mulher," "Planeta Fome"). The singer herself described the album as feminist, a celebration of women and for all women, and she wrote most of the songs herself. Although all the material was recorded in 2021, after Elza Soares fell ill, the release took a back seat, and after her death, the family and collaborators decided to release this material. "No Tempo da Intolerância" shows that Elza was fit until her death, the vocal parts are fantastic and the sound is modern, with many funk and soul parts along with recognizable Brazilian melodies. This is an album that properly honors the artist who had a big mark on Brazilian music.
Nemanja - Voodoo Beat (Selfreleased 2023.)
Croatian group Nemanja, led by Luka Šipetić, has been influenced by dance music from all over the world since the beginning of their work. Four years ago they presented the album "Tarot Funk", which was followed by "Cosmic Disco", and now it's the turn of "Voodoo Beat". The main inspiration for this album comes from Caribbean, tropical and Afro-Colombian music, and everything is perfectly wrapped in dance rhythms that make listeners dance from the first to the last minute.
Saodaj’ - Laz (Daydream Music 2023.)
Saodaj' come from La Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean located almost 700 kilometers from Madagascar which is still under French administration. Saodaj' base their sound on Maloya, a traditional genre from Reunion, which they mix with modern sounds. Everything sounds quite cheerful and fun, and underneath that kind of melodies are engaging lyrics, so Saodaj' sing about colonialism and slave ownership, marital rape and other social issues important to Africa. An excellent album.
Mari Kalkun - Stories Of Stonia (Real World 2023.)
Mari Kalkun has established herself as one of the most important Estonian folk singers, and her seventh album was produced by Sam Lee. To some extent, this fact explains the atmosphere that "Stories Of Stonia" conveys. Mara's great voice is very much in the foreground, and she does not suffer from unnecessary vocal exhibitions, but calmly represents the musical tradition of her country. Sometimes dark and mystical, sometimes a bit heavy, "Stories Of Storia" is the best album in Mari Kalkun's career so far, and with this album she has established herself as one of the most interesting European folk singers.
Tracklist:
Elza Soares - Coragem
Elza Soares - No Tempo Da Intolerancia
Elza Soares - Pra Ves Se Melhora
Elza Soares - Rainha Africana
Nemanja - Noćni leptir
Nemanja - Korzika
Nemanja - Euridikin ples
Saodaj' - Laz
Saodaj' - Monmom Kolonen
Saodaj' - Kimile
Mari Kalkun - Munamae Loomine
Mari Kalkun - Maaima
Mari Kalkun - Mu Vallakoolomise Paal Kiil