Dor de Mar

Cape Verde's Tcheka continues to grow in stature as a singer, writer, and composer. It's been four years since his last release and he's used the time well, coming up with something deliciously complex and tasty for this new album. There's a sense of urgency about a song like "Fla Mantanhena," while the distorted electric guitar that closes "Moca de Classe" is a masterful touch, jarring but perfect in context. The local batuku rhythms still form the basis of his sounds, but he's begun working with more colors, drawing on flute and trumpet, with backing vocals used sparingly but to intense effect. Kudos to percussionist Fernando António Carlos, who does sterling work throughout, and to Tcheka's own arrangements, which are never cluttered but always manage to sound full. It's not vital to understand the Portuguese of the lyrics (the subject matter of each song is given in the booklet); Tcheka's expressive voice is all that's necessary, as with the deep sadness of "Madalena," where he sounds as if he could give the great Youssou N'Dour a run for his money — his range is better than ever. He truly sounds like a mature artist these days, holding his Cape Verde heritage close but with a full blast of individuality.