released December 21, 2021

Reviews:
"João Madeira is back on his new label 4DaRecord
with a wonderful duo with Paolo Galão. The music is
mostly free improvised, but there are free jazz sounding
parts. The spirits remind me, of course, of some
recordings of Evan Parker, John Butcher or even Ken
Vandermark with various bass players: Barry Guy, Rafal
Mazur and more. But, at the very end this is a very original
music and very diverse, combining various styles and
moods. The duo plays six medim length tracks, starting
from "Ostras", reminding me of Evan Parker, indeed.
One of my favorites is the 8 minutes long "Belarmino",
a little in the Ken Vandermark style. The title track,
"Ângula Flama", is a peaceful and beautiful free ballad
with phenomenal bowing parts from the double bass. I
adore also the closing "For Example", starting with an
amazing bass solo, combining nger-picking and bowing,
with a very peaceful, hymn like phrases of Paolo Galão
on tenor. Top class stuff!!!" Maciej Lewenstein

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"João Madeira on double bass and multi-instrumentalist Paulo Galão on saxophones and clarinets are the protagonists of this recording, made in their own home studios during the quarantine due to the pandemic in 2020. Given the impossibility of meeting, the two exchanged short improvisations, reacting to the sounds of the other in an unusual dialogue which then took shape during the mixing up to the physical CD. It is a dense, intense dialogue, which is linked to what is the impro scene in Europe, to musicians like Evan Parker or Barry Guy. Everything flows in a calm and free way, the double bass is played both with the bow and in pizzicato, on the other hand the saxophones and the Galão clarinets emanate a warm sound that gives the whole session, a forty minute, something of harvest, intimistic." Vittorio / Musiczoom

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"Singular chamber music for double bass and sax or clarinet recorded for the first issue of the 4DA Records catalogue. Double bass player João Madeira is a pillar of the important Portuguese improvised scene, close to Ernesto and Guilherme Rodrigues, Jose Oliveira, Hernani Faustino, Miguel Mira, etc. Paulo Galão has a smooth sound and a lively articulation on the clarinet, with a preference for a muffled and melodic free play, all in nuances, and a precious and light breath on the saxophone. The duettists offer us six improvisations of average length between 6 and 8 minutes in which they skilfully circumvent the lines and curves of each of them, each following their own path while completing each other on the tape in ellipses and tangents. Their music oscillates, sways (Palavras sem Boca) or creeps to the edge of silence (Morder Bruma), transforming itself from one improvisation to the next. They have chosen the softness of pale mornings and late afternoons when you contemplate the sun's rays shaving the foliage of the bushes. Freshness, spontaneity, prettiness or beauty. Poetry of the unspeakable. The bow is maintained and operated with masterly hands by an inspired Madeira and his pizzicato has a beautiful power that makes the soul of the large violin vibrate. Belarmino is the beautiful piece where Galão, secret and thrilling, opens up his heart to us on the clarinet. Ângulo Flama, which gives its title to the album, gives a cadence to the double bass with a superb dose of harmonics, its share of mystery and some notes held by the blower. This is a beautiful album to listen to for the pleasure of contemplating a well-made work that comes from the heart. As I said above about Brecht, the Portuguese scene has a lot to offer to those who are willing to follow their releases on these inspired micro-labels and the inevitable Creative Sources and Clean Feed." Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg,
orynx-improvandsounds.blogspot