Yusa Comes Close To Perfection On "Haiku"

Compared to just about every songstress from Me’Shell Ndegeocello to Maria Bethania, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Yusa represents a new generation of artists in Cuba whose all-encompassing, genre-defying sound is creating new paradigms of Cuban music. As the title suggests, the album, which was recorded in Havana and mixed in Rio, rides on a quiet eloquence and sophistication, especially where the arrangements and poetic lyricism coalesce to reveal a deeper meaning. From beginning to end – opening with a chorus-fueled Yoruba song in collaboration with the Afro-Cuban fusion band Síntesis and closing with “Gente Simple,” a contemporary rumba sung with sonero Francis del Rio -- Yusa’s third full-length displays a cadence that is at once expansive and intimate. Much to the credit of Brazilian producer Alê Siqueira, who's worked with Marisa Monte, Bebel Gilberto, and Carlinhos Brown, Yusa’s delicate songs unfold with a playful minimalism that builds on dichotomies: the quasi-mythical city of Havana and the sea, the past and present, the roots and the horizon beyond, all culminate in the enigmatic inner world of this modern day troubadour. A conservatory-trained musician who's performed with Havana collective Interactivo and Brazilian roots rocker Lenine, Yusa is at her most pensive on "Walking Heads," the album's only track sung in English where lyrics such as "illusions have their own horizon," and "so much to learn so close to me," hint at the constant ebb and flow of her music. On the jazz-infused "No Tengo Otro Lugar," Yusa's soulful vocals and Roberto Carcassés's meandering piano give off an updated filín vibe anchored in the song's intelligent lyrics. Midway through, "Conga Pasajera," is the standout track where a blend of subtle electronic garnishes and percolating percussion ripple in a swaying melody that draws from Brazil. "Sirvió De Algo?" is the edgiest track on the album -- a barebones voice and guitar tour de force that cascades with the kind of clarity and rawness that will move you to listen again and again.