- Abrão Levin is a São Paulo-born, Tel Aviv-based singer and a regular Red Axes collaborator. The relationship goes back to the duo's previous work as part of Red Cotton, whose first and only LP was produced and engineered by Levin. Reversing those roles on his self-titled debut as Abrão, Levin, Dori Sadovnik and Niv Arzi craft an EP in a gently psychedelic, sing-a-long style. ("Aguas Do Ganges (Takata)," whose electric guitar and tambourine lend it a crunch, is the only song here that reveals a more menacing side.) Since the EP is concerned with "his past, his future, love and hate, dirt and clean," Levin's lyrics, sung in Portuguese, might be more contemplative than the music lets on. Chintzy keys introduce "Tudo Bom," a song whose cheery notes sag whenever Levin's weepy vowels tug at them.
He treads the same emotional tightrope on "Intensidade," where his vocoder nudges against a luxurious vocal harmony and piano notes sway between upbeat and uneasy moods. These contrasts are carried off with effortless panache, and Red Axes' bittersweet music is an ideal foil for Levin's expressive singing. The celebratory "Por Ela" has a nursery rhyme hook that's rendered even more innocent by the muted steel drum melody. Romantic crooning is prominent on Abrão, but sometimes the EP lacks bite. When Levin chews over his words, as he did on previous tracks like "Waiting For A Surprise," the tender moments felt that much sweeter.
TracklistA1 Aguas Do Ganges (Takata)
A2 Por Ela
B1 Tudo Bom
B2 Intensidade