Existir

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Existir

Studio album by Madredeus

Released

12 May 1990

Genre

World Music

Length

43:00

Label

EMI

Professional reviews

All Music Guide link

Madredeus chronology

Os Dias Da Madredeus
(1987)

Existir
(1990)

Lisboa
(1992)

Existir, in the Portuguese language means to Exist, and in fact with this album Madredeus were definitely placed in the Portuguese mainstream music map. At start, there is already a change, this album marks the first studio experience for the group, (except for Rodrigo Leão and Pedro Ayres Magalhães) as they were known Portuguese rock figures from the 80s new-wave movement, so, they were experimented studio musicians. The other three members were doing it for the first time. The music maintains the same ensemble scheme as its predecessor, the classic guitar, the keyboard, the accordion, the cello, and the voice of the young Teresa Salgueiro, three years after their first album, the group shows an increasing consistency, enforced by a denser production that with itself brings a more formatted sonority than the last album, that, was recorded live. Existir brings more nostalgic melodies and arrangements, more shadows, but also brings a strong and cheer relationship between their music and the Portuguese traditional music, in a perfect fusion with the precise ambience created by the electronic element, the keyboard, played by Rodrigo Leão, as it shows in the festive/traditional O Pastor (The Shepherd), that would become a national hit, with frequent airplay in the radios by that time, it has become a symbol of the Portuguese sound.

The listener can watch himself sailing in the vacant tone of O Navio (The Ship), that tenderly drives along with the strong cello's swinging notes. Os Dias Da Madredeus was more lyrical and less traditionalist, Existir was a commercial success, giving the band the cult status and the respect in their home country, that four years later would open the doors to a very successful international career and vacancy.

Tracks of a traditional style like O Ladrão (The Thief) and the cloudy Cuidado (Beware) were also airplayed singles, and the brilliant and touching landscaper As Ilhas dos Açores (The Islands Of The Azores), one of the instrumentals of the album. Existir marks the starting point of the most successful Portuguese musical voyage.