Search - Apollo Nove :: Res Inexplicata Volans

Terrific Album

bordersj2 | Boston | 03/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm shocked... that I'm the first person to review this album since it's been out for a year. Apollo Nove's an artist on the Ziriguiboom/Crammed label (Six Degrees Records in the USA) that's actually been around the music scene for quite a while and wasn't a stranger to several artists on the label or earlier releases. This is his 'debut' album and I think it was pretty good! But mind you - this is NOT your traditional Bossa Nova or MPB sound. I first heard Apollo 9 when he did the production work on one of Crammed/Ziriguiboom's first ever samplers - Brasil 2Mil back in 1999. He worked on Andrea Marquee's "Carmesim" - one of the more stunning tracks on the album.



It's a trippy experience. Apollo really wanted to go towards the experimental vibes, heavy with sampling, electronica and live musicianship and he invited some great guests to appear. The blend's pretty good and while most of the time it works out fantastically ("Traz Um Alivio") for some, I think it might be too far off the beaten path. The album starts out with an erratic beat and neat song "Mr. Right Now", featuring Cibelle, and is followed up nicely by one of the album highlights "Traz Um Alivio" featuring Tita Lima. Very spacey tune - the guitar is an awesome touch and Tita's one to look out for in the future. "Ensaboar Voce" is oddly erotic... until the singin' starts. To be honest, I love the song and there's not much wrong with the featured singer (Seu Jorge, after all, s fantastic!), it's just that the song might've had an even better effect without vocals. I also really dug 86, by rapidly rising singer "Ceu" - but the ending really kicks with an amazing guitar and baseline. You can already tell it'll be a sort of anthem on tv spots, but it's got a neat effect to it. "I?m a Rocker" had a cool vibe to it... in a dark sort of way and I dug that Seu Jorge featured later in "Capoeira" while Tita Lima also came back to close the album with "Entre Eu E Voce". Great wind-down.



I recommend this. I hate to say it, but after 7-8 years, it's probably the closest I've heard to a sound or approach similar to the late Suba. Remember, he featured Taciana, Katia B, Cibelle as the haunting vocals on SPC, and here we've got Tita Lima bursting into the scene. And then again, he was on this very label too and no doubt probably worked with Apollo and vice-versa at some point in time. It won't be for everyone... again it's not MPB or Bossa nova or pop Brasil or anything like it. And there were maybe one or two songs I didn't care much for (the title track). But it's a very mellow album, very experimental. It's bliss for anyone that liked Suba and have long wanted to hear something similar. You might also like Democustico's newest album too - there are a few similarities there."

A Good Trip

VJ Porto | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 02/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Apollo nove, a musician that has played with important brazillian artists and bands, thought it was time to try out some new sounds, different from what he has made or has been "labeled" until that moment, and invited a handful of great artists from brazillian scene, both established and rising ones, like Céu, Seu Jorge, Cibelle, Igor Cavalera (from Sepultura), Thalma de Freitas, João Parahyba (Jorge Ben band, Trio Mocotó), Pupilo (Nação Zumbi), etc. The result was this amazing, luxuous, unique album filled up with sensual, jazzy, mainly down tempo and carefully produced songs, mixing MPB, Trip-Hop and Bossa Nova."

Simply great

Castor Hoyle | Oakland, CA United States | 12/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Upon the first few grooves from the first song on this CD I was completely and utterly sold on Apollo Nove. I, too, am surprised that there aren't more reviews on this incredible body of music. Imagine being on a heroin high while being sexually seduced in a tiki lounge. Scratch that. Just listen to the samples above and judge for yourself if this CD should be in your boombox. I want thank my friend Bili for loaning the CD to my girlfriend Ava."