CoC : Dwelling - Humana : Review

Dwelling - _Humana_
(Equilibrium Music, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8.5 out of 10)

Lush acoustic strings and a silky, full-bodied female voice: this is the starting point for a voyage into neoclassical music courtesy of Portugal's Dwelling. The ensemble is influenced by Portuguese Fado, something that remains in the background but still lends the music a more unique character. Those of you already familiar with vastly successful Portuguese exports Madredeus may find some similarities, though Dwelling tend to have more melancholy in their music, less folk influences and more of a neoclassical feeling. The engaging but often melancholic melodies, carried through by the crystalline vocals and the highly accomplished acoustic violin, guitar and bass arrangements, are a true pleasure to listen to; furthermore, the pleasantly sombre shade that surrounds most of the music adds yet another layer of interest. No effort seems to be made to sound dark or depressive, which the music really isn't; but there remains a sense of tranquil elegance and subdued melancholy throughout. While the album's main strengths lie in the pleasantness of the overall sound and some brilliant violin passages, its main weakness stems from a certain lack of variation. Apart from the last track (which features a rather out of place upbeat section but also one of the best violin lines in the entire album), each song follows the other very pleasantly, but with little novelty. The listener is kept interested by each successive melody and arrangement, but may eventually wish to hear more elements in the music rather than variations on the same theme. Having said this, _Humana_ is simultaneously soothing and musically interesting despite its relative sameness, and should provide some excellent late night music.

Contact: http://www.equilibriummusic.com

(article published 13/12/2003)

ALBUMS
24/7/2007	Q Kalis	8.5	Dwelling - Ainda É Noite