Kiko Loureiro
Universo Inverso

"Universo Inverso", here is the latest album from the Brazilian virtuoso Loureiro in the role of soloist. Found randomly this summer among various curious releases, I listened to it with great interest and noted many innovations introduced in the artist's sound. For some reason, I expected a new work in pure Kiko/Angra style, but evidently, I was very wrong; the clash between "No Gravity" and "Universo Inverso" becomes inevitable: from the same genius, but with totally different nuances.

Let's see in detail: the notes of the first track, "Feijao De Corda", are very catchy and bouncy, and we immediately see the use of the piano, an instrument that will accompany every track on the platter. Strings plucked with mastery and captivating piano will make the listening of all 11 tracks most pleasant and relaxing, characterized by a very Jazz fusion orientation, something that may come as quite a surprise. "Ojos Verdes" is even more beautiful with its irresistible, decisive, and alluring pace, while "Havana" showcases a truly lively and brilliant compositional technique (after all, from Kiko I would expect nothing less), at times characterized by suggestive guitar arpeggios followed by piano blankets that accentuate the more romantic side of the music.

But if we want to talk about very sentimental and delightful tracks, we only have to mention "Anastacia" and "Samba Da Elisa", where overall, the piano occupies practically 70% of the space, leaving the guitar only the simple role of being in the background (and what a background!), a framework, a support that, while limited, is essential for maintaining the originality of the CD, otherwise, without it, it wouldn't even be a Kiko-grade work, we wouldn't even have a good piece such as "Universo Inverso", and this would seem like any other jazz work. A track that gradually fades to a restrained power would be "Camino a Casa"; certainly, not the power we mean, the 'Angraesque' kind, but merely a shadow of all that, just a trace of what "No Gravity" was in its grit: a rather faded power, subdued, mixed with the simplicity and improvisation typical of jazz. But did jazz contaminate the power, or did power contaminate jazz? I couldn't say precisely, but it hardly matters; the album is unique and original, perhaps with some neglectable dead points scattered here and there that in any case don't interfere too much with the flow of the platter.

Other curious elements (although already known) are the folk traits, or at least the classic carioca melodies of the early Angra. An example of this is "Espera Ai!", the last track, the shortest but perhaps the most incisive and original, thanks to the acoustic guitar that dances hand in hand with a trumpet, without the intervention of the piano. The other tracks on the CD are still full of passion even though they fail to fill that sense of emptiness that a listener already familiar with Kiko’s style cannot fail to notice: as mentioned before, the strength of "No Gravity" is missing, the beautiful solos of unforgettable tracks like "Enfermo" and "Dilemma" are missing, and many others which anyway shone for their technique. But let's not dwell too much on comparisons, let's enjoy "Universo Inverso" for what it is and let ourselves be touched by the genius that Loureiro has once again shown us; after all, it is right that a talent like his has sought to experiment with new musical horizons, surprising us and offering us exquisite music. It would have been much worse had he attempted to compose another CD in the same vein as the first, only to produce an unconvincing copy, right? Therefore, a good full and honest 4 for this fine album, it truly deserves, without a doubt.