Sem Gravidade

Album review

Ever since the beginning of his solo career, it has been obvious that Otto is a very talented songwriter and performer. For years he was considered one of the most promising Brazilian musicians of his generation, but the albums he released haven't really been all that impressive. Up until now, that is. Sem Gravidade is far superior to Otto's previous, rather uneven, efforts and with it he finally lives up to the high expectations. From start to finish, Sem Gravidade is one of the best pop albums of 2004, containing elegant, melodious pop tunes with a distinct, modern electronic touch. A typical example is "Pra Ser Só Minha Mulher," with lyrics expressing a rather gentle declaration of love to a young woman. Another very fine song is "Indaguei a Mente," which stands out from the rest of the tracks because of its cool and gloomy electronic groove. "Amarelo Manga" is performed together with the rapper B. Negão and was part of the soundtrack of the film with the same name. "História de Fogo" is sung by Alessandra Negrini, and Rita Lee appears on the neo-psychedelic pop/rock track "Tento Entender." "Pra Quem Tá Quente" has a melody and a general atmosphere that make it sound as though it was floating around somewhere up among the clouds. A couple of tracks -- like "Nebulosas" -- also have some of the typically rustic feel of the Brazilian Northeast, although they're neatly packaged in a light, free-flowing pop wrapping. Though the title track is probably the least impressive track of the album, "Sem Gravidade" (meaning "Without Gravity") is a very fitting name for this crisp, fresh-sounding, and easily enjoyable album.

© Philip Jandovský /TiVo