A not-so funny thing happens when you get divorced: your friends ask for advice on how to deal with their own relationship struggles. Maybe that’s why Alexandre Kassin’s new album, Relax, has two songs about this incredible heartbreak.
First there’s “A Paisagem Morta,” a dark bossa nova tune about those initial moments once the breakup is final, when you begin to rediscover yourself. “The lyrics are about trying to keep things happening,” says Kassin, a leading producer and instrumentalist in Brazilian music. Then there’s “As Coisa Que Nos Nao Fizemo,” a mid-tempo song about divorce. Here, above twinkling chimes and stilted drums, Kassin keeps the vibe loose, reflecting upon the ways he and his former partner failed each other. In a way, these songs are therapeutic; Kassin himself went through a very bad divorce. “It’s just now getting better,” he says thoughtfully.
Over the course of his career, Kassin has produced roughly 100 records for singers like Marisa Monte and Bebel Gilberto, has recorded with Sean O’Hagan and made a full album based on Nintendo GameBoy sounds. He has played bass for Caetano Veloso’s live shows and conceptualized the Imperial Orchestra band. ... - Full article at Luakabop