LUCAS SANTTANA / O PARAISO

· by Michel Labrecque

The Brazilian Lucas Santtana is digging an increasingly distinctive path in Brazilian popular music. His ninth album, “O Paraiso”, is his first (partly) French album. And possibly his best.

“O Paraiso” (Paradise) is a record of gentle activism, in favor of the environment. “Vamos Ficar na Terra ” (We’ll stay on earth) is a clear message to the Elon Musk of this world. The future is not in space, it is here. The title song, on the other hand, states that the earth can become a paradise, if we all get involved. The song “Biosphere ” – in French – states: “Ne croyez pas en ce progrès qui affirme sa cupidité”.

There are also two songs in English and one in Spanish. And two beautiful covers, “Errare Humanum Est”, by his Brazilian colleague Jorge Ben and “The Fool on the Hill”, of course from The Beatles. In these two cases, they are real rereadings, in the sense that these songs become totally different, without denying the original. “The Fool on the Hill” starts with acoustic guitar, bossa nova chords and gradually turns into percussive jazz with an intense saxophone solo without you noticing.

And this is where we have to talk about France and music. Lucas Santtana has been living in France for a short time. O Paraiso was recorded in Paris, with a majority of French musicians. With, in particular, the wind section of Rémi Sciuto and Sylvain Bardiau, which gives a new color to Santtana’s compositions, without ever putting too much.

Let’s be clear: this album remains a Brazilian and very Santannian record. Lucas has always had a very folk side, staying close to his Brazilian roots. He has sometimes experimented with rock. This ninth album takes his creation a little further, with hyper subtle arrangements, small flights of electro and percussion. And then these horns, which complexify the harmonies.

And his ecologist texts, a little naive? Perhaps. But it is perhaps also of the lucidity.

“O Paraiso” is illuminated, meditative, musically intelligent. Ideal to survive the winter without getting a stupid tan.

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Cazzu – Latinaje

Cazzu – Latinaje

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Subscribe to our newsletter