Brazilian Songstress Céu popped on our radar last month when she released the “Gerando na Alta” featuring London-based French/Senegal singer, anaiis and announced the arrival of her sixth studio album entitled Novela. The 12 track album Novela was released via Urban Jungle/ONErpm and features musical production by the artists Pupillo and Adrian Younge. It features artists like LadyBug Mecca( of Digable Planets fame), Loren Oden and Jensine Benitez, DJ/producer Frankie Reyes and many others.
Novela is a collaborative effort that brings together various musicians to create a body of work in real time sans digital manipulations. The project spearheaded by the in-house band is made up of legendary Adrian Yonge (on keyboards, and string arrangements), Pupillo (on percussion, programming, and drums) and Lucas Martins (on bass/songwriting) and all the instruments and vocals were recorded on tape and processed via analog boards. The result is a brilliant piece that harks back to the early days of recording but more importantly, it acts as a character-forming and essence-building of some sort for Céu’s style of music. The opening “Raiou” sounds like a scene from a 70s dramatic flick and features veteran rapper/songwriter Ladybug Mecca (of Digibale Planets fame) and together they deliver a soul-stirring piece that pulls audiences into this world where dreams may come true. This is followed by the upbeat “Cremosa” with its rich chords, slick guitar riffs and hypnotic groove underpinned by Céu’s enthralling vocal runs. Next is the previously released “Gerando na Alta”, a mellow sultry cut that sees Céu pairing with London-based Franco-Senegalese singer and songwriter anaiis to share their perspectives on the essence of sisterhood. Over the soft pads, rich rhythmic grooves and layered textures, audiences are drawn in by the sublime melodies, sultry harmonies ripe with engaging songwriting that seamlessly fuses Portuguese and English languages. “Crushinho” is introduced by a piercing chord stab, cinematic string backdrop and punchy but sparse drum groove that is peppered with Céu’s gripping vocals and emotionally expressive demeanour.
“Into my Novela” is a mid-tempo scenic jam ripe with suspenseful production similar to TV novelas where Céu and singers Loren Oden and Jensine Benitez are the stars. The song is also co-written by Lucas Martins and the result is a cinematic exploration of the everyday drama that we experience but this time there are no directors, cameras or scripts to lean on, this is all happening in real-time.“Mucho Ôro” which means “A Lot of Gold” is a slow ballad made up of atmospheric and solemn textures, layered melodies ripe with lyrics that dwell on self-expression and love while “High na Cachu” has a reggae-inspired bounce and rich guitar licks populated by Céu’s whispered vocals and descriptive lyrics that warm the heart. “Buá Buá” features Frankie Reyes, an American DJ and producer of Puerto Rican descent, who adds to the harmony while Céu leads the melody effortlessly.
The project wraps up with the solemn “Corp e Colo” and the anthemic “Reescreve”. The former is the only track featuring external collaborators Nando Reis and Kleber Lucas who bring their subtle touch with cinematic soundscapes inspired by retro TV scores and the Motown soul genre. “Reescreve” deals with the turbulent history of Brazil and here, Céu takes audiences through the reality with facts and thought-provoking lines that are ensured to make one think.
Novela is a brilliant effort that is steeped in tradition in many spheres, from espousing the richness of Brazilian culture and the core foundations of Bossa nova to soul, funk and soul-stirring scoring techniques, audiences will enjoy this body of work for its dynamism and boldness for stray from the norm.
Watch “Gerando na Alta” below
Stream on all DSPs here.
𝒩𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁𝒶 𝓉𝑜𝓊𝓇
May 8 – Miami, FL – US
May 10 – Orlando, FL – US
May 12 – Atlanta, GA – US
May 14 – Boston, MA – US
May 15 – New York, NY – US
May 17 – Montreal, QC – CAN
May 20 – Toronto, ON – CAN
May 21 – Chicago, IL – US
May 22 – Minneapolis, MN – US
June 22 – Porto Alegre – BR
July 12 – Rio de Janeiro – BR
July 17 – London – UK
July 19 – Paris – FR
July 20 – Châlons-en-Champagne – FR
July 22 – Marciac – FR
July 24 – Berlin – DE
July 27 – Ribeira – ES
August 16 – Brasília – BR
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