Madredeus
Movimento

THE REVIEW

Fado is not exactly a musical genre that allows for great innovation, and the style of Madredeus hasn't changed much since the days of "Ainda". Despite this, "Movimento" appears more minimalistic and contaminated by fusion and Brazilian influences compared to previous works. Moreover, on this album, the presence of keyboards is much more prominent than in the past (and to be honest, keyboards don't exactly thrill me on an album like this, but there it is). Above all, of course, dominates Salguiero's voice: angelic, deep, and gentle as one might expect, but the particular thing about this album is that it possesses songs so well structured that they would remain interesting even without the vocal part.

Already giving a good impression is the opening track, "Anseio (Fuga Apressada)", where the typical strumming of the group becomes troubled and, indeed, anxious. It's probably the best track on the album; I'm surprised that it almost never appears in compilations. All those who make compilations should be hit. Another notable piece is "Afinal - a minha Canção", the bridge marked by chimes (or some similar instrument) is beautiful. The concept of 'groove' applied to Madredeus may seem forced – it is – but in these tracks, it makes some sense. "Graça- A Última Ciência" even reminds me of "Nights In White Satin" by the Moody Blues for some melodic ideas, yet it remains a lovely track, especially for how the subdominant is used. How is it used? Well, it's used well, what can I say.

In short, in short, to cut it brief, we have here a very well-made album. It doesn't say anything particularly new, but it says it well. And that's enough for me.