Do Primeiro Fado Ao Último Tango

‘From the First Fado to the Last Tango’ is a Best Of set celebrating Mísia’s 25 years as a recording artist. It could equally be seen as a wider celebration of the new wave of fado that Mísia’s generation has so successfully nurtured over the period.

This attractively priced double album of 40 tracks features all the hallmarks of contemporary fado. There’s innovation in instrumentation (piano, accordion and violin), embracing of influences from the Latin diaspora, lyrics by modern poets (José Saramago, Vasco Graça Moura), and a sprinkling of wackier collaborations such as Iggy Pop and the Legendary Tigerman.

For many, the most striking and enjoyable aspect of Mísia’s recorded output is her range and versatility. There’s no questioning her ability in classic fado. Tracks such as ‘Fado Advinha II’ demonstrate her singing qualities as her voice by turns assaults the listener with its power and then caresses with warmth and subtlety. Crossover, however, has been an abiding interest for Mísia, and there’s a (multilingual) showcase on offer here, from the cabaret sound of ‘Fado do Ciúme’ to chanson (‘La Chanson d’Hélène’) to ‘Hurt’ (after Nine Inch Nails). It all makes for an entertaining and accessible romp through a quarter-century of music-making.