Ainda É Noite

Ainda é Noite (‘Still It Is Night’) is the second album from Portuguese neo-classical ensemble Dwelling, following 2003’s Human release, also on Equilibrium Music. According to the press release, Ainda é Noite ‘seeks to expose the lonely side of feminine intimacy’, which makes it sound a bit like an advert for sanitary towels, but if any of these songs are in fact about feminine hygiene products, then my total ignorance of Portuguese prevents me from confirming this! There are, though, four songs in English, ‘Forget Me Not’, ‘Some Love, Please?’, ‘Enthralled’ and ‘What If...?’ Musical backing is provided by two violins, classical acoustic and 12-string Portuguese guitars, and four-string, eight-string and fretless bass guitars, and all vocals are by Caterina Raposo, whose clear tones remind me of Sally Doherty (ex-Sol Invictus) and Katherine Blake of Miranda Sex Garden. Dwelling are heavily influenced by the celebrated fado musical tradition of Portugal, and these songs are drenched in emotions of nostalgia, regret, loss and lamentation, with classical chamber music influences intermingling with wine-bar jazz in a crystal-clear and very involving production. The total absence of percussion makes for an understated and subtle sound, and whilst this is too jazzy to become a personal favourite for me, Dwelling’s poignant and melancholy torch songs form an ideal atmospheric accompaniment to a rainy afternoon of staring out of the window, or a glass of rioja drunk alone at a seedy pavement café.