- Nídia's mix of dark and light remains singular in the Lisbon scene.
- Nídia Borges' music connects with an outside audience on a wider level than any of her peers in Lisbon's batida club scene. Her appeal lies in her ability to blend heartfelt, often catchy melodies with acrobatic rhythms. Nídia's productions have become more polished over the years, and on the brief but beautiful Não Fales Nela Que A Mentes, every instrument feels gilded and glowing.
Nídia's rhythms move in and out of familiarity. "Tarraxo De Guetto" has the sticky stomp associated with tarraxo. The trilogy of "Rap" tracks play with contemporary hip-hop and trap forms, like the Metro Boomin-style synths of highlight "Rap Tentativa." It's in these three tunes that you can hear the duality of her music, caught between macho trap swagger and a romantic waltz. Her music has plenty of space, which makes the drums hit hard without overwhelming the elegant arrangements. Listen to the outsized drum hits in "Intro," or how the snares and hats feel like they're stalking around corners in "Popo," as if they were trying to sneak up on you.
Não Fales Nela Que A Mentes is the first record that Borges made after moving back from Bordeaux to her childhood Lisbon home. There's a newfound comfort in these tracks, which extends to lightheartedness (the Lex Luger synth wash in "Royal") to what sounds like contentment. The closing track "Emotions," with its triumphant horns and peppy handclaps, is one of her most striking tracks to date. The album feels like her smoothest chapter yet, but it comes alongside a 7-inch that packs more of a wallop.
The tracks on the Badjuda Sukulbembe 7-inch are the two longest productions in her catalogue. "Cheirinho" is swung and seductive, while "Tarraxoz Academy" is a wonderfully unstable track, like a tarraxo rhythm that's drunk and unable to stay on its feet. The effect is intoxicating. These two tracks hit harder, faster and weirder than the prettier music of Não Fales Nela Que A Mentes, extending the range that has always defined Nídia's music to two different records: one light, one heavy. Both are complex, hinting at the toughness Nídia has said was necessary to grow up in the projects around Lisbon. She bares her heart with her music's lilting melodies, but there's usually a stomp or forceful push behind it.
Tracklist01. Intro
02. Popo
03. Rap Complet
04. Nik Com
05. Raps
06. Tarraxo do Guetta feat. Gamboa
07. Rap Tentativa
08. Capacidades
09. Royal
10. Emotions