Marisa Monte – Portas
Sony Music – 1 July 2021
Marisa Monte is a huge star in her native country and across South America. She’s been ranked by Rolling Stone as the second greatest Brazilian singer (behind only Elis Regina) and collected an impressive four Latin Grammy Awards over a thirty-year career. Further afield, however, she’s not nearly so well known as she ought to be. That should change with the release of Portas, Monte’s first solo album in more than ten years, with Sony Records pushing hard to widen her exposure in the English-speaking world. In truth, though, a few minutes listening to the music alone will be enough to convince you. Portas is an immaculately produced record released at the perfect time. It’s a sunny, breezy delight which showcases, alongside Monte’s honeyed voice, equally talented musicians such as Seu Jorge (whose music reached a global audience thanks to his enchanting Bowie covers, which helped make the film, The Life Aquatic, such a success), Arnaldo Antunes, Nando Reis and Marcelo Camelo.
The title track starts things off, a laid-back affair full of hazy sunshine and gently-rolling melody. The orchestration is lush without becoming overwhelming, leaving plenty of room for Monte’s sumptuous vocals. Skipping, bouncing drums, strummed guitar, and some sparkling organ conjure up a dreamy soundscape that nevertheless feels focused and clear, segueing nicely into lead single Calma, which is an unabashed delight. Calma cruises along, full of easy-driving life and cool breezes. Lovely touches of brass and ringing guitar float and flutter around Monte’s strident-yet-easy delivery. It’s an immediately arresting track that sacrifices nothing in the name of easy commercialism.
Fans of Caetano Veloso or any classic tropicália artists will find much to enjoy and admire in this set. Quanto Tempo soars on bright, shining wings, seeming almost to float above the sonic world. Rhythm lies at the heat of Portas; jazzy, swaying drums and strummed guitar. Everything builds from this spell-binding foundation. Over its two-and-a-half-minute run-time, Quanto Tempo offers up mesmerising flutes, orchestral strings and more charm than you could reasonably demand. With fluttering piano and delicately picked guitar, Medo do Perigo weaves a simple spell that appears to channel the best aspects of 60s music into a wondrous bundle of lightness and melody. At the centre of it all lies Monte’s voice, and what a fine singer she is. Effortlessly appealing, she wrings everything possible from each song yet never appears anything but natural and relaxed.
A Lingua dos Animais, with its lilting brass chorus and languid changes of pace, drifts by like a perfectly formed white cloud in a high, blue sky. Praia Vermelha builds from a bed of flutes, guitar and hand-percussion; more of a dream than a song. Sal unravels as a cool breeze before settling down into a shuffling, dancing, soft-footed number. We get a generous sixteen tracks on Portas, and yet the album never outstays its welcome. It is clear that a lot of love and heart has gone into this record, and there’s a pleasing amount of variety to the tracks.
Overall, Portas is a remarkably cohesive set of admirable qualities. This is as strong an album as we could have asked for, and one which should garner her more fans and well-deserved accolades.