Olorum

Given the current situation in Brazil, you cannot help but trip on the words Mateus Aleluia sings in the opening track of his third album. In ‘Olorum’, a plea to the Yoruba god of the same name, the 76-year-old musician asks Olorum for help. Claiming in a frail voice ‘Olorum seu povo está cansado de sofrer’ (Olorum your people are tired of suffering), he begs him to come down and witness the collective pain one is sure to associate with Bolsonaro’s reckless leadership. ‘Olorum’ effortlessly epitomises Aleluia’s long career: from his work with Os Tincoãs in the 70s up to his late solo adventure that began only ten years ago, he developed a distinct exploration of African and candomblé cultures that are still at the centre of his creation. ‘Olorum’ is the perfect introduction to Aleluia’s third solo album, though it isn’t the best track.

There aren’t any really memorable moments until the third track, ‘Amarelou’, where Mateus Aleluia broadens the sound palette of his loose take on Afro-Brazilian music. ‘Amarelou’, similar to some of Gilberto Gil’s work, features a gorgeous strings arrangement; ‘Gangagila’ makes Aleluia sound as if he were a member of the Malian Rail Band; ‘Pimenta Mumuíla’ ventures into jazz territory and ‘Bem-te-vi’ is a contagious modern samba. Cleverly accompanied by members of Bixiga 70, Meta Meta or Céu’s band, Aleluia updates his repertoire in a compelling fashion.