Label: Robalo Music, 2023
Personnel - Sara Serpa: voice; André Matos: electric and acoustic guitars, bass, percussion (#11); Dov Manski: piano, synth; Sofia Jernberg: voice (#5,7,9); Okkyung Lee: cello (#3,8,10); João Pereira: drums (#2,3,4,5,6,7,10); Lourenço: voice (#4,10).
The Portuguese duo of Sara Serpa and André Matos, a boundary-pushing singer and guitarist based in New York, respectively, renew and expand their terrific sound in Night Birds, a new body of work soaked in poetic lucidity and modern world observations. Serpa recently made a notable contribution to bassist Linda May Han Oh’s The Glass Hours with distinction, while Matos released an entrancing duo recording with saxophonist Jeremy Udden in addition to his regular solo work. This is their third outing, one that offers 12 sonic sculptures carved out with their ever-deepening compositional chops.
The opener, “From a Distance”, showcases Serpa’s soaring voice along with a granular, droning, nearly misty texture created by keyboardist Dov Manski and Matos’ spacious bass notes and guitar playing, before lurching into “Carlos”, a graceful waltzing dance with a catchy melody. Voice and guitar harmonize beautifully in this quiet musical setting imbued with a newfound looseness.
Special guest musicians are featured on specific tracks. The Swedish-Ethiopian singer Sofia Jernberg appears where experimental and avant-garde realities reign - “Underwater”, for example, brings a mix of mystery and enchantment, not only as a consequence of the emotional vocalization but also through chiming sounds, curiously eccentric murmurs, understated percussion, and measured electronic frequencies. “Degrowth”, which is also strengthen by South Korean cellist Okkyung Lee, led me to contemplate a slow procession toward some magical forest, cautioning us about the dangers of consumerism and general alienation through expertly crafted intervals. Yet, Serpa and Jernberg’s lines flow together in synchronicity.
But there are more delightful surprises. The short-lived “Melting Ice” - with piano, bass, cello and a weighted amount of toms and cymbals - evokes that cloistered mood reminiscent of certain abstract paintings; “Family” is a wonderfully melodious and richly rhythmic piece bordering on avant-folk, which includes electric and acoustic guitars and the sweet vocal timbre of Lourenço (Serpa and Matos’ son) amidst multiple vocal layers; the refined Cocteau Twins-esque “Counting” falls into the indie rock realm with the help of drummer João Pereira’s adaptable rhythm; “Bergman’s Island” has Matos playing the acoustic guitar with the poignancy of fado, creating art-glazed cinematic atmospherics; and Béla Bartók’s “Bagatelle, Op.6: Lento” concludes the album on a tranquil yet intriguing note.
The successful duo probes a variety of stylistic approaches, textures, and shapes with nuance, creativity, and freshness. The more time we spend with this album, the more we appreciate its forward-looking perspective.
Favorite Tracks:
04 - Family ► 06 - Counting ► 08 - Degrowth