SíriaCuspo

It happened as if it had been unwittingly, but wanting it.

It was the proposal to make a version of the song Gloria for a play, and to write and sing an original for another play, by the same author, that paved the way to the transformation of life episodes into texts to be sung.

The lyrics and melodies emerged and took shape spontaneously and rapidly, being the fruit of a prolonged thought about what seems more banal, or more eminent, or more obscure. Only later were added the layers of vinyl records and other recordings that accompany each moment or episode of this serene tidal wave.

The idea behind this sequence was to serve as study and sharing material for live performances. However, at the invitation of Crónica Electrónica, it was then developed for this edition, just after the project’s premiere at Passos Manuel, in Porto, in the context of Natal dos Experimentais 2017.

To me it feels like an anchor, like instants of bridges or doors from reality to other worlds, like in those films when there is an alternation between images that the character is contemplating and images of huge nature fluids phenomena like dust winds or rivers or wind in the trees, between day and night. It inspires to make effort to learn Portuguese.
Hugo Hyart

Síria is Diana Combo, who in this project joins her voice to the usual practice of combining vinyl records and field recordings, in a gesture of appropriationism that she has been presenting as EOSIN.

This tape could only be made thanks to the support, enthusiasm and inspiration that I have received from certain people, places and times. Life with its ups and downs has provided the matter and tools to transform sadness, rage, indignation and sense of stagnation into songs. It became a fulltime job, because “Joy is the most serious thing in life”. (Almada Negreiros)

Thank you:

Ágata Pinho, Nuno Fonseca, Manuela São Simão, Scratch Built Studio, Isabel Campelo, Teresa Castro, Ana Deus, Hugo Hyart and Erik Skodvin, for your enthusiasm, support and proposals, sometimes in the form of wonderful and generous feedback, words I want to remember forever!

To the musicians who have made and authorized the use of their tunes.

Michel Giacometti and Catarina Chitas.

Miguel Carvalhais and Pedro Tudela, my dear partners at Crónica Electrónica, and Becas Xavier, owner and curator of Passos Manuel, the most beautiful venue, where I had the chance to première this. I shouldn’t forget Artur, the sound technician there, not only for his work but also for his comments.

Finally, I would like to thank and dedicate this work to Michele L.

• Por Riba: adapted from a recording of Catarina Chitas by Michel Giacometti, harmonium and cymbals played by me and recorded by John Grzinich
• A Lua da Eva: with music by Lemures
• Canção da Mulher Cão: with music by Birds of Delay and Antoine Chessex; written for the theatre performance Nova Criação presented at TNDMII in 2016, a co-creation by Ágata Pinho, Lígia Soares, Sónia Baptista and me; from the song O Amor é um Gajo Estranho, by Pop Dell'Arte
• Raiva: with music by Lemures and Antoine Chessex
• Amor de Quem: with music by Svarte Greiner and Antoine Chessex
• Gloria: adapted from Patti Smith’s song, with music by Los Niños Muertos (André Tasso and Bruno Humberto), produced and edited by me; written for the theatre performance O Fosso dos Heróis, by Ágata Pinho, presented at TNDMII in 2015
• Senhora do Almortão: adapted from Lavoisier's version of this traditional song; with music by Svarte Greiner and cymbals played by me and recorded by John Grzinich
• Maremoto: field recording found on the web and music by Luciano Cilio
• Cuspo: with music by Joe Colley

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