Pega Monstro - Casa De Cima - Music & Performance - CD

Pega Monstro is the Lisbon, Portugal sister duo of Julia Reis (drums) and Maria Reis (guitar). They share the same birthday but are not twins, and they have always lived in Lisbon, Portugal. Maria and Julia resolved became a duo in 2010, focusing on their intuitive sense of harmony and expressionistic dream-punk sound. They return to Upset The Rhythm, following Alfarroba (UTR 072CD/LP, 2015), with their third album entitled Casa de Cima, which translates as "Upper House". On the first song "Ó Miguel", Pega Monstro shown that they have grown in confidence and vision, they sound compelling and assured and let the song unfold in it's own leisure. The stunning "Partir A Loiça" follows with it's stammering rhythms and soaring, swirling vocals. The song's title, literally "break all the dishes", is a saying in Portugal meaning to shake things up and exceed expectations. Pega Monstro constantly reach for something beyond plain comprehension, stretching songs to their limits before collapsing them back into new, more interesting forms. The Portuguese poet and writer Fernando Pessoa had a similar mutable approach to his work. Pega Monstro recite one of Pessoa's poems called "O Moinho de Café" during the third act of their epic, yet romantic track "Cachupa". The track is a good example of how natural and spontaneous Pega Monstro can sound. The second half of the album starts over with the enthusiastic track "Pouca Terra", all racing chords and clouds of cymbal, building to a beautiful textural density and ecstatic finale. Pega Monstro nurture their songs, letting them follow tangents, take risks, or even fall over. There's a sense of sisterly oneness and provision apparent in their music allowing Pega Monstro to sound instinctual, yet awash with ideas. "Fado Da Estrela Do Ouro" and "Sensação" are decidedly delicate in manner, drawing on themes of equal restlessness and wistfulness. "Sensação" even concludes with the sisters singing the traditional Portuguese folk air "At the door of the holy souls, God knocks every hour". Finally, "Odemira" draws Casa de Cima to a close in triumphant style. Drums and guitar chase each other feverishly, galloping ever faster before breaking into calmer clearings of hushed vocal reverie and serene falsetto. Casa de Cima was recorded through September 2016 by Leonardo Bindilatti. CD version comes as a digipak and includes a booklet.

• CASA DE CIMA
• Music & Performance
• Upset the Rhythm