Record of the day: Bebel Gilberto, “Tanto Tempo Remixes”
Bebel Gilberto
Tanto Tempo Remixes (Cd Crammed Discs 5046647342)
The daughter of the great João Gilberto was the protagonist of one of the most successful recording debuts of recent years. “Tanto Tempo” hit the charts all over the world and became a hit on radio stations around the planet thanks to its very clever and refined recipe based on Brazilian music and grooves derived from the pop-dance world which frame a thin voice but with a particular charm , although very far from the expressive power possessed by his father.
Bebel's music is perfect for dancing or relaxing on the deckchair on the beach, excellent for driving but not insipid to pure listening: certainly, the repertoire does not contain great surprises and revisits classics such as “Samba De Bençao” by Baden Powell and “So Nice” by Marcos Valle without forgetting pages with a fresh popular vein such as “Bananeira” and “Sem Contençao”.
The main flaw of Bebel's records (also found in the second album released a year after this one) lies in the uniformity of the climate created by the arrangements, which in order not to disturb the listener too much tend to spread a patina of shiny paint which in the long run ends up 'flatten everything.
We therefore welcome this remix edition of “Tanto Tempo” created for the use and consumption of discos, where Bebel's record company has entrusted the tracks of the first album to the care of highly skilled DJs and remixers such as Ananda Project, King Britt, Peter Kruder , Chateau Flight and Trüby Trio, who provide a much-needed jolt of electricity to the album's laid-back vibe.
They are reinterpretations that look both at the Dancefloor and at listening thanks to the imaginative additions of new rhythmic tracks, sometimes transforming the originals in a complete and yet magically respectful way of the character of these compositions. It is a sophisticated and always accessible dance, capable of not tiring you after a few minutes but always full of surprises also from the mixing point of view (listening with headphones is highly recommended to enjoy every detail).
How can you resist “Close Your Eyes”, “Tanto Tempo” and “August Day Song” (where Bebel seems to pay homage to another giant, Milton Nascimento) in these new dance reincarnations? Impossible; better to dive into their refreshing climate, perhaps dreaming of summer holidays.
Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical topics.
This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: A record for every day of the year” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.
