Review Summary: Thinking Outside the Box
In her debut album, Ana Lua Caiano has a singular sound. Looping harmonies unfold over waves of chopped audio and percussion reminiscent of old video games played from badly-scratched CDs. Just the texture of some of the instrumentation is a delight to the ear, like the clipping snares on "Os Meus Sapatos Não Tocam Nos Teus" (My Shoes Don't Touch Yours) the clicks on "Cansada" (Tired) or the double-beep of what sounds like a car locking on "Deixem O Morto Morrer" (Let the Dead Die). In her music videos, she also features traditional clothing, dances and culture from her country.
She often takes the harmonies in a monotone, sticking on a single, repeating note to emphasize the melody. It's certainly not the standard third or fifth we hear in new releases, and it's another way this album is different. Also noteworthy, the interludes are kept to a minimum, and where we find them in the album they fit well within the context of the tracklist. The opening "Em Direção Ao Sul" (In the Direction of the Sun), features her humming over static and muffled conversations, and it's a solid foreshadowing of the sound to come.
There's many admirable aspects of Portuguese culture, such as their devotion to family, leisure & tradition. The Portuguese have been through hard times, including a brutal dictatorship that didn't end until 1974. It was a time where people were disappeared for speaking out against the government, and women had very few rights. For those who've visited or have family in Portugal, it's a fact of life that nothing changes quickly there.
Ana Lua Caiano is a young person in this society facing her culture's history, along with the judgement of others & the expectations young women continue to face in 2024. These form the box she's referring to in the title, the one she's decided to stay in, at least for now. She is grappling with wanting to uphold and respect old traditions, while also wanting to make music that's innovative and new. On the second point, she succeeds tremendously with her debut album.
In this stunning debut where old meets new, we find a hypnotic alchemy, something both new & special. And with only running 27 minutes, you have time to listen to it.
