The music of Catarina dos Santos takes us through the diversity of universes from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Radio Kriola is reflections on Portuguese identity, forged out of many different roots and branched into a vibrant cultural diversity. "We are from everywhere", the singer and composer whispers with the voice of the siren. Poems of childhood, stories of immigrant women, and the "morabeza" resting in Lisbon's soul. Imagined as a radio station dedicated to the sounds of Portugal, Brazil, and Africa, the concept behind Radio Kriola is based on original songs that mirror these cultures. Inside you find "Caminho", a song about our journey through life, written in Portuguese and Cabo Verdean Creole (collaboration with Dom La Nena). In "A Dancer's Redemption", fado becomes Brazilian lundu, echoing its old forgotten dances. Catarina interprets Cabo Verdean funaná and Angolan semba in "Ninita" and "Minha Maria", and then takes you to her own neighborhood and the south bank s of the Tejo river in her beautiful song "Menina-Barco", lyrics co-written with the rapper and producer Chullage."Inverno Tropical" was made in collaboration with Angolan writer Ondjaki, and his words inspired the afoxé/semba "Ondja". While "Canto do Pescador" speaks to you of the restless Portuguese soul, "Redención - Lo Transparente", is seasoned with the sweet and salty words of Puerto-Rican poet Raquel Z. Rivera. Radio Kriola is musical fusion of cultures, already in close relation by history and time, and with the original songs expressing the latitude of Catarina dos Santos' heart.
Lars Josephsen
Radio Kriola - Reflections on Portuguese Identity
ARC Music, UK
Lisbon and Setubal to its south across the Tagus host people of Portuguese, Cape Verdean, Angolan, Brazilian, Guinean, Mozambican, and Gypsy origin, and their musics and languages flow naturally together. Catarina dos Santos grew up in Barreiro (...) she has a light, silky, joyful voice, a hint of a sunny smile always there, that is reminiscent of the Cape Verdean Portuguese Sara Tavares. The songs, a mix of composition and tradition, move between the shapes and rhythms of all those cultures, including such as Cape Verdean funaná, Angolan semba, and Brazilian lundu, with hints of Puerto Rico from her New York Latin Jazz study sojourn, accompanied by a fluid, fluent collection of musicians on guitars, cavaquinho, piano, bass, subtle percussion, tuches of reeds, trumpet, accordeon and more, each track using just a few of them to make an uncluttered, perfectly balanced, liquiddly swinging sound.
She is a prime example and exponent of the upsurge in rich, varied musics happening in, and increasingly emerging from, this part of Portugal, and with this album she deserves to charm a wide international audience.
Andrew Cronshaw, fRoots Magazine, UK