Saudade is the seventh studio release from the well-respected electronic/dance music duo Thievery Corporation, but the first entirely devoted to the Brazilian music influences that brought Rob Garza and Eric Hilton together. The title of the album is a Portuguese word, without an exact English-language homolog. On their website, Thievery Corporation defines Saudade as “a longing for something or someone that is lost, a contented melancholy, or, simply, the presence of absence.”
The album is streaming on NPR’s First Listen, and naturally, we jumped on the opportunity to check out the latest work from one of our favorite recording artists. Fortunately, Saudade did not disappoint.
Pushing their own boundaries, Thievery Corporation delivers an articulately crafted listening experience. The band infuses latin roots at every turn, and, with the recruitment of five female vocalists (each with stunning vocal chops), these seductive tunes draw you in from the getgo. The duo also recruited a handful of instrumentalists, with acoustic guitars and mambo percussions highlighting nearly every track. With subtle string sections adding an element of depth, this is wholly dynamic music.
Every song seems to speak to this notion of Saudade, the melancholic presence of absence. While I don’t speak Portuguese (and therefore cannot interpret the lyrical offerings), the tone alone conveys an essence of saudade. Steeped in minor-key progressions, the female vocals ooze remorse and despair. Yet, the progressions move quickly enough to avoid getting stuck in a rut. Instead, they come across with vivid contemplatory depth.
Saudade is an album with an essence, music with a soul. No doubt Thievery Corporation hit the ball out of the park with this new album. Stream Saudade at NPR before its official release date, on April 1st.
-David Melamed (@DMelamz)