Agora

ボサ・ノヴァの創始者、ジョアン・ジルベルトを父に、人気シンガーのミウシャを母に持つボサ・ノヴァ界のサラブレッドにして、グラミー賞にもノミネートされたブラジルのアイコン的シンガー・ソングライター、ベベウ・ジルベルトの6年振りのアルバムが完成。トーマス・バートレット(スフィアン・スティーヴンス、セイント・ヴィンセント)のプロデュースによる『アゴラ』がリリース。

As the daughter of Joao Gilberto and Miucha, singer/songwriter Bebel Gilberto was born into Brazilian music royalty. Hers has been a nomadic life. Born in New York City, she was raised in Brazil, Mexico, and the U.S.; she left school at 14 and has lived all over the world. That wandering spirit has informed her musical life from the beginning. Early on, she added global club and dance music into MPB and vice-versa. Her restlessness is also reflected in Agora, her first album in six years. After 2014s Tudo, Gilberto felt creatively stuck; she took a long trip to Italy for inspiration. Upon her return she called longtime friend and producer Thomas Bartlett to catch up. He invited her to stop by Reservoir Studios the next day. With no goal, their collaborative sessions netted 17 co-written tracks. Between 2018 and 2019, Gilberto lost her best friend and both parents. She and Bartlett subsequently worked together sporadically, adding three more cuts. At the end of the year, they culled 11 tracks from 20. Agora translates as now in English, and is arguably the most electronic record Gilberto has ever released. Informed by love, romance, grief, endings, and beginnings, its loopy yet mature, vulnerable, and nakedly sincere. The title track, initially composed in 2008, has been thoroughly remapped by Bartletts attractive layers of strings, organic-sounding ambience, and bassy beats, and contains a lovely hook from the intro to Dr. Johns I Walk on Gilded Splinters. Cliche was conjured on the spot in the studio. Gilberto completely improvised its lyrics (about cliches, of course) atop multi-tracked electric pianos, celeste, electric bass, muted snares, and organ. First single Deixa commences with shifting Afro-Brazilian rhythms and dark, multi-tracked, and dubby horns before Gilberto unfolds its sensual melody around the bassline as harp and marimba paint the backdrop. Bolero follows a crooked pathway between Cuban and Brazilian balladry, with plucked strings, claves, and piano. Its steamy mix enfolds Gilbertos sensual melody and lyric. With its ticking, treated maraca beats, Na Cara adds moody electronic funk to Brazilian jazz as Gilberto and duet partner Martnali present a languid call-and-response lyric to contrast their distinct vocal qualities. The final two tracks, O Que Nao Foi Dito and Teletransportador, showcase Gilberto at her most experimental. The former is a dark-tinged processional wrapped in exotic percussion, a bossa melody, and hovering keys under Gilbertos powerful singing. The latter is a dreamy, nocturnal ballad wrapped in lush textures, hushed vocals, percussion, and jazz piano. As a whole Agoras ranging, sensual production provides an alluring, even beguiling, frame for this duos sophisticated songwriting. With a laid-back pace, the albums slipstream sonic quality may require a couple of listens to fully absorb, but its well worth the effort. Gilberto has made a career of seeking adventure in her music, but her partnership with Bartlett on Agora surpasses all expectations and creative limits. ~ Thom Jurek

6年ぶりに届いた新作は、 ノラ・ジョーンズやスフィアン・スティーヴンスらとの仕事で知られるトーマス・バートレットがプロデュースを担当。深いエコーに包まれた幽玄な"Tao Bom"やエキゾなムードが横溢した"Na Cara"など何とも摩訶不思議な音世界が構築されているが、何よりも聴きものなのは爛熟という表現がピッタリくるべべウの歌唱で、いままでに感じたことのない苦みを舌先に感じたりしてやけに刺激的だったりする。
bounce (C)桑原シロー

水面に浮かび揺れるような心地さを届ける歌声と、ボサ・ノヴァをベースにしたラウンジ・スタイルで本国はもちろんここ日本でも圧倒的な人気を誇るベベウ・ジルベルトが6年という長い間沈黙を経て遂に帰ってきた。2018年、2019年と立て続けに父母を失い、計り知れない困難な時期に本作は制作されたようだが驚くほどに力強く、これまでにない成熟を感じさせる。今回、彼なしでは完成しえなかったとベベウが語るほどプロデューサーのトーマス・バートレットが重要な役割を担ったそうで、彼が鍵盤を務めるアントニー・アンド・ザ・ジョンソンズなどにも通じる創作の深さを示した内容となっている。
intoxicate (C)小畑雄巨