Mira, Un Lobo’s Heart Beats Slow: synth noises from Portugal

Title: Heart Beats Slow

Label: Tapete

A Portuguese artist, Mira, Un Lobo (let’s call him Mira for brevity) combines a selection of recognisable effects on the first track of this new 10 track album. Firstly, the sweeping synth effect is directly stolen from those very annoying uplifting trance songs that you always hear in clubs which all sound alike because they all use this same synth run. Here, though, Mira turns it into something more essential and dramatic (although he retains the recognisability of the effect for those who enjoy familiar tones).

There’s also an electronica side to the instrumentation that underpins the arrangement with a gently melodic sense of mood. Mira enjoys surprising you with sudden changes in content to introduce contrasts and silence.

The production is clean, crisp, efficient, professional and has been buffed to a high sheen. It is not scary. To Mira, I think, that point is important.

The Mira vocal – for there is one, folks – is also detached. It retains a pop sensibility. It is not divorced from a commercial delivery and has that “Look, I’m cool but natural’ and ‘real but distant’ and ‘edgy but accessible’ but I also want your money.” So I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mira climbing the charts with this music. It is certainly sellable and offers plenty of marketing possibilities. I can also see it hanging off of a Swedish thriller on BBC 4 TV and for Mira to be the next producer on any upcoming Bjork album.