Tiganá Santana

Perhaps ,The Invention of Colour" is this years mostcontradictory record, both in terms of design and culturalconnotations. First comes the disc, with its colorful title, in a very modest colored cover. Second, it is made by a Brazilian, with the easy associations with crackling percussion and exuberant dancing, but the singer/songwriter Tigana Santana is quite the opposite. Reviewers sometimes have the habit to, timely and untimely, draw parallels to Nick Drake when writing about any soft-spoken artist who is also an original and talented guitarist, but in Santanas case, it is actually the most appropriate comparison. Even Santana veiled voice has traits of the English songwriters subdued voice. A more diffuse, but not for that sake an irrelevant association, is Terry Callier when he is in his most meditative state.Tigana Santana is unusual even in a different way. He sings inseveral African and European languages which undoubtedlycontributes to the musics emotional coloring. But again, its not ostentatious palette he offers, the music rather goes in hazy and warm colors. I say beige, not meaning dull, I say brown meaning the soft cozy brown. Saturated red, in thin strings. Colors that do not intrude, but to bring a devoutly calm.