Lina_Raül Refree

Producer and multi-instrumentalist Raül Refree made his name on the world music circuit by producing the acclaimed first album by nuevo flamenco star, Rosalía. He's now collaborating on a makeover of fado, in collaboration with Lina, who has previously released two albums as Carolina (her stage name in the popular Portuguese stage production, Song of Lisbon, where she played the role of Amália).

The disc is a gritty urban recasting of classics from the Amália Rodrigues repertoire. In concept, Refree's minimalist synths could provide a dramatic foil for a human voice singing songs steeped in tradition. In practice, the effect comes off only intermittently. The electronica elements are often just too industrial: the grinding drone of the first track, ‘Medo’, feels like a sampling of plate tectonics in action; ‘Quando Eu Era Pequenina’ appears to feature an air-raid siren; and ‘Maldição’ has the sort of soundscape cultivated by underground Berlin fetish clubs (I'm told). It's a shame, because when Refree lets some daylight in and uses piano layered with synth – as in ‘Gaivota’ – the pared-back aesthetic proves a stylish and refreshing one.